When she looked up, a whale shark was gliding over her head.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Catherine Pope’s memorable encounter while on a pelagic survey dive would have never happened if she hadn’t taken a gap year. After graduating high school and leaving Northern Virginia, Pope visited Southeast Asia for several months to explore her passion for marine biology. The firsthand experiences she gained proved invaluable for the pursuit of her future career.
A gap year is when a student takes a yearlong break from education to promote their personal growth. It can involve traveling abroad, gaining work experience, learning new skills and community service. Though rarely discussed as a viable post-high school option, in reality, gap years are a mature, thoughtful decision that students should not overlook.
Although gap years are normalized in Europe, they are rarely sought after in the United States. According to College and Career Counselor Mary Barnes, only about 2% to 3% of graduating seniors from McLean pursue a gap year.
McLean’s indifference toward gap years stems from its rigorous academic culture. From the moment students set foot in McLean, students are propelled rapidly toward college like a raft down a river. But while a high-pressure environment promotes academic success, it can render students unaware of options aside from immediately entering college, options that could better reveal their true identities and passions.
Coming from McLean can leave students wondering who they are. What topics do you love, aside from the AP classes you’ve taken? Where do your strengths lie aside from what’s reflected on your transcript? To gain direction, clarity and new motivation, a gap year can be essential for students’ development not only as a scholar but as a person too.
Especially at McLean, it can be disheartening to think about taking a year off from formal education when everyone around you is gunning for college. People may question why you would choose to interrupt your academic career. But the truth is that not all knowledge lies in textbooks. You might be able to deftly evaluate a triple integral and rhetorically analyze Kafka, but do you know how to work a job or get on an airplane alone? A gap year can be necessary for the acquisition of practical skills and street smarts, things that can’t be taught in schools.
“I think the main thing my gap year helped me to grow in was my independence and confidence in my abilities,” Pope said. “Getting to college afterward, there were things that still stressed me out about being by myself. However, it could always help to ground myself in thinking something like, ‘walking into this new class cannot possibly be more scary than going to a foreign country by myself.’”
A common misconception is that a gap year is somehow a replacement or an alternative to a college path. But the truth is that, with newfound skills and emotional maturity, students may be better equipped to enjoy their time in college. In fact, according to the Gap Year Association, 90% of gap year participants matriculate into college. Colleges have measures in place to allow students to retain their acceptance to the school while taking a gap year. For many universities, students may defer admission for a year if they go through the proper process.
Cost is another argument that is brought against gap years. Yet, just like going to college, the long-term financial benefit of taking a gap year outweighs the initial financial investment. Gap years enable students to pursue their career interests and re-enter college fiercely motivated. They then reap the fruits of their labor. Higher career satisfaction, increased academic performance and workplace experience from the gap year help them construct a competitive resume that invariably leads to the attainment of a high-paying job.
From their high school visits that draw large audiences, or their endless barrage of brochures to your front door, colleges undoubtedly capture the attention of high schoolers. For the lone voice of gap years to be heard over the deafening roar of college, gap year organizations must increase their marketing and advertising efforts. If gap years are ever to be taken seriously, then gap year advocates need to stand in the same high school auditorium as the college representatives.
The students who do know about gap years should take the time to seriously weigh the merits of taking a year off. Gap years aren’t a fallback. They aren’t a lazy option to be frowned upon. They’re a productive choice that can lead to a career full of benefits.
If students take gap years under consideration, many perhaps will still decide that attending college immediately is a better fit for them. However, the brave few who embark on a gap year may just find themselves swimming through life as freely as a whale shark.