Is a Gap Year Right for Me?

Many students are initially drawn to the idea of a gap year as a break from the constant pressure and stress of a competitive high school and college environment. Just the idea of a break sounds appealing, and the idea that it might involve traveling to some far-off land sounds even better. But before you ask yourself, “Is a gap year right for me?”, you have to know what a gap year is.

The “gap year” definition is a break in your academic career, generally between high school and college, during college, or between college and grad school, when you pursue something other than traditional education. That means that a better question than, “Is a gap year right for me?” might be “Which gap year is right for me?” Journeying to the other side of the Earth is amazing, but don’t limit yourself to expensive programs or far-flung locations; if you decide a gap year on taking a gap year, you will be able to find one that fits.

Is a gap year a good idea for you? In the end, only you will be able to answer that question. But here are some questions to ask yourself to help you make the decision!

How to decide, “Should I take a gap year?”

The road to a gap year isn’t always straight, quaint, and cobblestoned.

1. Am I running from something or running to something?

If you’re excited about the possibilities of a gap year, dreaming about studying Spanish on the coast of Argentina, working with wildlife in Australia, or volunteering to find out if teaching is the career path for you, awesome! If you’re feeling nervous about college or afraid to apply and just looking for something to delay your fear another year, you might find a gap year isn’t as helpful as a summer taking courses on-campus to get used to college life.

[Get matched with gap year programs for FREE]

2. Do I have a goal in mind?

What do you want from a gap year? Travel? Experience? Direction? If the answer is any of these, a gap year could be the perfect fit. If the answer is “Just something that isn’t school” or “I just need a break”, that doesn’t mean taking a gap year isn’t for you, but it does mean you might be happier with a relaxing summer before college.

3. Am I dreading college?

If the idea of college (or graduate school, or whatever is next on your education path) has you feeling a sense of doom, you might find that reassessing your major or choice of schools is better than escaping to a gap year. A gap year is awesome, but it requires you to engage to get the most out of it, so you should only do it if it’s what you really want!

4. Is “keeping up” with my friends important to me?

The gap year definition is just that: a gap. It means that your friends will be a year ahead of you in school. Will that bother you? On the other hand, you’ll have an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience that they haven’t had! So you won’t be behind, but your path will be a little different. Make sure that sounds okay to you!

5. Am I good at self-motivating?

When you are really passionate about something, can you motivate yourself to get up each day and make the most of it? Can you do a great job if you aren’t getting graded and you’re responsible for getting yourself ready each day? A gap year is the chance to follow a dream and be a part of something that you find completely interesting, but you have to be able to push yourself to make it worth your while.

6. Will a gap year help with my dreams?

What’s your dream? Travel the world? Become a doctor? Teach girls to read? Build a computer program that helps people in need? Take a moment to think about your perfect life. What would you love to be famous for? What would you love to be invited to speak about at graduation in twenty years? Now ask yourself, how can taking a gap year before college or a gap year during college help you achieve that dream?

[7 Great Gap Year Programs for Ambitious Teens]

But when else will you get the opportunity to experience the wonders of the world in a supportive learning environment?

7. Do I have the support I need?

When you ask yourself, “Should I take a gap year?”, you should think about your support system. Who can help you make this dream a reality? Does your school have any advice? Can you talk to alumni from the program that you’re interested in? Are your parents or other family members on board with your plans? Sharing what you’re thinking can help get other people excited and invested in your having a successful gap year.

8. Am I ready to do the research?

Your gap year is your gap year--no one is going to do it for you! Whether you’re considering a gap year before college or a gap year during college, you are the one in charge of your plan. That means researching programs, talking to participants, looking up requirements, reaching out to contacts, and working hard to make the year a success for you. If you’re willing to do the work, a great gap year is waiting for you.

9. What does my perfect year look like?

When you close your eyes and picture your perfect year, what do you see? Are you playing Frisbee on the quad of a college campus? Trekking to your village school in Nepal each morning with a glass of chai in hand? Studying marine biology off the coast of an island in Thailand? Picturing perfect can help you find out where you’re supposed to be.

[Compare gap year programs side-by-side with MyGoAbroad]

So, is a gap year a good idea?

A gap year is what you make it! There is no reason that you can’t make a gap year a good fit for you if it’s something you want to do. It can be an experience you’ll remember forever that will help shape the path of your life.

But a gap year depends on you, and finding a gap year plan that’s a good fit is the key to whether a gap year will be right for you. The biggest thing to remember is that if you decide a gap year is right for you, you can find an option that fits any goal, educational plan, budget, and dream. So get to work!

[What is a Gap Year? But, Seriously...]

What kind of person takes a gap year?

The friends and memories you make are priceless.

When you’re wondering, “Is a gap year right for me?”, you may be wondering what kind of person takes a gap year? Is it just for rich kids? Outgoing kids who can talk to anyone? People who are comfortable traveling on their own? People who already got into college?

Look, if you’re a rich, outgoing, comfortable kid who already got into college, congrats! But no, a gap year isn’t just for any one group of people. Anyone can take a gap year. Here are some kinds of people you may not have thought of who can find the perfect gap year for them.

People who are paying for it themselves. 

Sometimes students feel a gap program is out of reach if their parents can’t write a big check, but that doesn’t have to be the case. You can consider short-term programs or part-time programs that allow you to work some of the time, volunteer-based programs with low fees, programs that pay you for your service, or job opportunities in fields that interest you. You can also look for scholarships and financial aid, pursue fundraising opportunities, and take advantage of the chance to take community college or online courses to get ahead in your education on a budget.

• Recommended program: Thinking about a gap year option that pays you? You’d get a living stipend and health insurance as part of City Year.

People who didn’t apply to college yet. 

Is a gap year a good idea if you haven’t applied to college yet? The reality is that whether or not you have applied to college yet, you can make a gap year before college work. The key is to communicate! If you have a dream college in mind, call them up and talk to them about your plans. Staying on top of deadlines and planning ahead mean that almost any schedule can work.

• Recommended program: Not sure what you want to study in college yet? Spend a semester somewhere far away with Where There Be Dragons.

The views will be the stuff of Snapchat and Instagram legend.

People who love school. 

Some people really need a break from school to recharge and be ready for college. But some people who take a gap year LOVE school--they just want more experience in their chosen field of study so that they can be better prepared and know whether it’s exactly that they want to do. If you have a specific field in mind, you can get personalized assistance choosing a program here.

• Recommended program: Looking for an academically-based gap year? Make the world your classroom with Semester at Sea.

People who know what they want to do with their lives. 

Think a gap year is only for lost, wandering souls? No so! Many gap year students have had a dream career in mind since they were small, and they just can’t wait any longer to pursue it! Others have just discovered their dream career and need a gap year to build the experience or portfolio necessary to be a competitive applicant in their field of choice.

• Recommended program: Looking for gap year programs in a specific career field? Check out options in medicine, veterinary medicine, law, and education around the globe. 

...And people who have no idea! 

Remember those wandering souls we talked about above? Gap years can be great for them too! Some people aren’t ready to commit to studying the same thing for the next four years (and the tuition bills that come along with it) until they learn a little more about themselves and the world. In that case, a gap year can be perfect for you. You can compare and contrast programs here.

• Recommended program: Looking to explore a variety of locations and experiences on your gap year? Check out Thinking Beyond Borders.

In short, there’s no one kind of person who takes a gap year--there are gap year options for every kind of person no matter your personality, goals, experience, finances, or educational experience. If you want it, you can make it happen.

Only you can decide—but you’re not alone!

So, we say (and I think she’d agree), jump right into a gap year abroad!

It’s true that you have to be the one to decide, “Is a gap year right for me?” But that doesn’t mean you have to decide alone! Talk to your family and friends, compare programs online, talk to program alums and faculty, reach out to connections in fields that interest you, and start collecting information. If you’re going to make the most of a gap year, you’re going to want to take the power to get informed into your own hands! You can start learning about some program options here. Even if you aren’t sure yet about taking a gap year, it never hurts to start learning more!

Start finding gap year after high school programs now

Need more reasons to take Gap Year? Check out the video below!