Considering a gap year as a high school student?

I'm a high school student thinking about taking a gap year to figure out what I really want to study in college. How do gap years affect your college application process, and are they worth it?

Taking a gap year can certainly be a rewarding experience that allows you to explore your passions, work, or volunteer in your field of interest, perhaps even gaining life skills and becoming a more mature, self-aware person in the process.

Now to your question about how gap years impact the college application process, here's how it usually works: You apply to college during your senior year just like your classmates. If you're accepted, you can request to defer your enrollment for a year. Not all colleges allow this, so it's important to check with each specific college's policy.

When you request a deferral, you might need to provide some detail as to what you'll be doing during your gap year. Colleges generally want to see that you plan to pursue valuable experiences, whether it be working, volunteering, traveling, doing an internship, starting a business, or simply engaging in meaningful self-discovery.

That being said, gap years do come with their own challenges. These can include the risk of losing academic momentum, potentially being disconnected from peers who have gone to college, and also finances, as gap years can be costly, depending on what you choose to do.

Overall, the worth of a gap year largely depends on what you decide to do with it and how you leverage that experience in your personal growth and college application. Many students find these experiences to be enriching and valuable in clarifying their educational and career goals. However, you should evaluate your decision on the basis of your personal goals, financial situation, and individual context.