Spring Break
Gap year on the rise for Univ. students
Issue date: 10/11/07
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For most students the progression from high school to college is fairly straightforward, with the two academic worlds separated by a mere three months of summer. But sophomore Danielle Wilson was surprised to find, following her acceptance to Hopkins, that she wanted to do something more than skip straight from one block of learning to the next.
"I was already registered," Wilson said. "I'd signed the paperwork - then I suddenly went, why not now? Why not spend an extra year living instead of just following the school assembly line?"
Wilson, a self-described "good, narrow-minded track student," changed all her plans. There has been a general upward trend in the number of students choosing to spend some time between high school and college discovering what life means to them.
Students choosing to take a gap year have two methods of arranging it. They can apply to colleges, select one and ask to defer admission for a year, or students can apply to college during their gap year. Most students, however, request deferral post-admission to a university.
According to John Latting, the dean of Admissions here at Johns Hopkins, five years ago only 15-20 students each year would choose to defer admission. In that span of time, however, the numbers have begun to rise dramatically, and have held steady for the past two years at 29 students requesting deferral of admission.
The admissions office must see each student who decides to defer as a loss for the freshman class, but the practice is becoming common enough that a deferral forecast is factored into the admissions rates each year.
Latting believes that the rise in the number of students taking gap years is representative of the growing sensibility among students that it isn't necessary to jump into college. More and more, students are deciding that taking a break, traveling, working or simply experiencing life can significantly contribute to the quality of their college careers afterwards.
"I was already registered," Wilson said. "I'd signed the paperwork - then I suddenly went, why not now? Why not spend an extra year living instead of just following the school assembly line?"
Wilson, a self-described "good, narrow-minded track student," changed all her plans. There has been a general upward trend in the number of students choosing to spend some time between high school and college discovering what life means to them.
Students choosing to take a gap year have two methods of arranging it. They can apply to colleges, select one and ask to defer admission for a year, or students can apply to college during their gap year. Most students, however, request deferral post-admission to a university.
According to John Latting, the dean of Admissions here at Johns Hopkins, five years ago only 15-20 students each year would choose to defer admission. In that span of time, however, the numbers have begun to rise dramatically, and have held steady for the past two years at 29 students requesting deferral of admission.
The admissions office must see each student who decides to defer as a loss for the freshman class, but the practice is becoming common enough that a deferral forecast is factored into the admissions rates each year.
Latting believes that the rise in the number of students taking gap years is representative of the growing sensibility among students that it isn't necessary to jump into college. More and more, students are deciding that taking a break, traveling, working or simply experiencing life can significantly contribute to the quality of their college careers afterwards.
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