How do I know my child will be safe?

I know that this can be a major concern for parents - it certainly was for mine! Thankfully, there are many low risk ways for youth to travel these days. For example, we can carefully select the country of travel based on safety concerns - the U.S. Department of State posts regular Travel Advisories that we can go through together, if desired. I can also share my Top 10 Ways to Stay Safe Abroad - that have prevented me from ever encountering unsafe or treacherous conditions while travelling.

What do colleges think about gap years?

In my experience, gap years can be incredible resume builders, not to mention character builders. I found that my year provided exponential growth, education, and overall stretched my maturity in ways I never could’ve imagined, making me more prepared for college interviews and more attractive to college admissions officers. I had more experiences to share about, ranging from wildlife research to volunteer trips, and was able to write about them in depth on my applications. Taking it a step further, my experiences informed my choice in my degree. I ended up choosing to study biology, and brought what I’d experienced on my gap year into the classroom with me. My tangible time in the field boosted my learning engagement and informed which courses I selected.

Aren’t gap years expensive?

Sure, they can be! There are dozens of snazzy programs out there all attempting to catch your attention. However, my year was entirely self-funded, and I had the pleasure of participating in a few of those programs. With a little creativity there are so many ways to make a gap year happen for your kid, without breaking the bank.

Will my kid even want to go to college?

Though I can’t speak for your kid, I can say, from my own experience, that taking a year between high school and college offered a wonderful and much needed reset. As a straight A student who finds joy in giving my all, boy was I burned out by the end of my senior year. My gap year provided space for me to foster an entirely renewed enthusiasm for school. I couldn’t wait for my freshman year.