Get Into Stanford: Taking A Year After 12th Grade
Posted on July 5th, 2009
A reader who wanted to do some volunteer work in Africa before reapplying to an Ivy League school recently asked me this question. He wondered if the volunteer work would make him a more desirable candidate.
My response was, “Yes, perhaps.”
You may wonder why I said “it might” rather than “it will”.
Well, there are quite a few factors to take into consideration. Here are a few things you should think about when considering a gap year:
#1 Taking a year off is like participating in summer activities. It will only help you if you are very, very busy doing really worthwhile things the whole time.
2. If the program, job, or activity you are involved with fits in with your overall plan for your future, it makes sense. For example, if you are truly concerned about global warming, and you spend a year studying Norwegian climate patterns, it makes sense and fits in with your big picture.
Third: Understand that a gap year really only lasts about six months, so don’t over commit your time. You will have from the time you graduate from high school in the late spring until the time you submit your Common Applications near the end of the calendar year to complete your tasks and add them to the Common Applications.
Click here for more info on Ivy League waitlists.
4. If your entire application is strong, it will be alright to take a year off. However, if you have low SAT scores or grades, a low transcript, and few or no extracurricular activities, a gap year won’t do you any good, no matter how beneficial or note-worthy it is.
When you are thinking about working for your dad’s textile sales company for a year before applying to Ivy League colleges ,keep these four factors in mind.
After you have weighed all of these considerations, you may decide that a gap year will, indeed, be beneficial to you. If you determine that you are already a very strong candidate, and a gap year will make you even stronger, then it is definitely a good idea.
A gap year is a very good thing as far as personal development is concerned. They are also a good way to have a productive break from academic life. However, a gap year will not insure your admission to the school of your dreams.
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