Including a gap year on your application

How should I go about including my gap year experiences on my college applications? Are there certain activities or accomplishments that admissions officers are particularly impressed by?

Including a gap year on your college application is a great opportunity to showcase growth, expanded worldviews, and impressive accomplishments that admissions officers tend to appreciate.

To begin, let's clarify where and how you can incorporate your gap year experiences in your application. In the Common App, for example, the "Activities" section is an ideal spot to list any achievements or experiences you've had during this gap year, especially if they were sustained over a long duration or reflect your unique interests and abilities.

Additionally, some colleges provide an optional "Additional Information" section in their application. This may be a good place to give an overview of what you've done during your gap year, especially if it’s significantly contributed to your personal growth, your understanding of your goals, or your qualifications for college.

Remember, the essential goal here is to present valuable skills and experiences you've acquired during your gap year that distinguish you from other applicants.

For example, if you engaged in volunteer work, you could talk about how it cultivated your spirit of service, leadership, teamwork skills, and understanding of community needs. If you had paid employment, you can discuss the workplace skills you developed or the insights you gained into a particular industry. If you traveled, focus on how this broadened your cultural understanding and independence. Research, self-study, and online courses also demonstrate initiative and intellectual curiosity.

In short, admissions officers are impressed not so much by what you did during your gap year, but rather by how those experiences have shaped you, expanded your worldviews, or honed your skills and interests. They want to learn about your maturity, resilience, independence, and how your gap year has prepared you to thrive in college. Be genuine in your descriptions and consider emphasizing activities or accomplishments aligned with the values or programs of the colleges you are applying to.