Gap Year Help

[whacky]

My father like totally freaked out when I told him I wanted a gap year before going to university (got admission in Cornell University for 2006, but defered it till fall 2007). I don't think he gets it, but I just can't take the thought of studying again so soon after high school. Besides there are just so many things I'd like to do which were put on hold due to my high school stuff. I'd really like to do some of those things before being shipped off to University. So those of you who have had gap years could tell me your experiences, whether the year out was worth it (besides travel) and any possible negative sides to it, it'd be majorly appreciated.

[VulcanRider]

A friend of mine should've had a gap year, but didn't, and he "burned out" and dropped out of college. He was one of the smartest guys I knew, and finished high school a year faster than normal. His parents pushed him to go right to college -- including summer school every year -- and in his 3rd year he just dropped out. He managed a gas station for a few years, then became a cook in a chain restaurant. Personally, I went from being an honors student in high school to barely finishing college because I was so tired of it. A year off might have helped me to refocus.

The downside to waiting, imo, would be forgetting some of what you learned and struggling in your classes, or needing refresher classes to get back up to speed. I think the worst thing you could do would be take a year off & waste it sleeping late/goofing off/doing nothing (probably what your dad thinks you want to do). Look at getting an internship in whatever field you're interested in. You'll get practical knowledge about that field and save some $$ for school.

[Lucern]

First of all, congrats on getting into Cornell. That's great!

I took a year off after college to apply for grad school and work for my dad. That wasn't the goal, that was the result of a late realization. If I had it to do over again, knowing what I'd want to do, I wouldn't have waited. Other than my desire for a break (which wore off late August), it became an exercise in patience, just waiting to actually get started in my current track.

For you, it sounds like you have a large set of other goals that expressly aren't academic, so it probably won't feel like waiting to you. You've already made the decision, it sounds like, so enjoy yourself and don't dread college one bit. I remember I had quite a bit of college anxiety. It went away once I actually got there and got started - my experience with it was very positive. High school is an obligation. College is a privilege, and it's a lot of fun.

VulcanRider's internship suggestion is worth considering. From my experience, only one of my friends actually graduated with what they thought they were interested in when they started college. Internships helped a lot of them out that way, realizing that their previous goals were unpleasant, boring, or unimportant in practice. Most of em are pretty happy with what they're doing now. The one who stuck with his goal (pre-medicine) had already had internship experience, and knew he was up for it. He just passed his board exams. Again, sounds like you've got plans, so internships can wait for summer breaks when you start next year.

As for VR's warning about forgetting stuff, I'd agree or disagree based on your interest. If your interest is math or chemistry/physics, I'd agree whole-heartedly. If it's something else just don't lose your writing skills - those are crucial in just about everything. Some disciplines give you a good refresher in their introductory courses, and others are such that nothing you can learn in highschool will be of any value. Social science isn't generally taught in high school, so intros to sociology or anthropology are true introductions.

Or, consider a statement made from a brilliant professor of mine: The whole point of college is to unlearn (at least re-examine) all the crap force-fed to you in your first 18 years