Why a Gap Year Abroad Is the Perfect Next Step for Your Teen
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If you have a teenager getting ready to graduate high school, you may have heard of the idea of a "gap year" and have questions about it.
A gap year is a unique opportunity that allows young adults to take a pause from academia and gain new experiences before starting their undergraduate studies. This blog will answer your most pressing questions about your teen’s gap year and highlight the unique benefits of taking one, which can include gaining practical life experiences, a global perspective, and foreign language proficiency.
What Is a Gap Year?
A gap year program, a thrilling adventure that typically takes place during the academic year after a student graduates high school, offers a world of enriching experiences.
By traveling abroad and learning new skills, a gap year is a chance for young adults to make unforgettable memories. While a gap year is relatively uncommon in the United States, it is a typical path for many students in Europe and other Western countries.
During CIEE’s Gap Semester or Academic Year, participants get to live with a host family, take language classes, and connect with other gap participants and university students during planned cultural activities.
How Do Colleges View a Gap Year?
Parents of teens are often concerned about how their child’s experiences translate to college.
However, it is common for colleges to offer first-year students the option of deferring the start of college to take a gap year.
Though many colleges view a gap year positively—especially if the time is used constructively—it still depends on each individual institution. There are many benefits to taking a break from academia and getting "real world" experience, including gaining clarity on academic and career goals, but you and your teen must check with the specific college of interest to understand how they view taking a gap year.
What Does It Mean to Defer College?
Deferring college is the act of a student postponing their enrollment date after they have already been admitted to a college or university. For example, if your teen applied to colleges during their senior year of high school and was accepted for the following academic year to their dream college, they could request to defer their enrollment until after they completed their gap semester or gap year.
If the college accepts their request to defer, they do not need to reapply and can start taking classes on campus later.
A major benefit to deferring college is that your teen will not have to worry about having to go through the college admissions process again during their gap year. Your teen will remain admitted. The downside is that they could not use that high school study abroad experience to give them a leg up on the college admissions process.
Keep in mind that every university or college has different requirements and policies around deferring enrollment. One of the most significant impacts of opting to defer is funding.
For example, if your teen received a scholarship in their initial admission and then requested to defer, they may lose that scholarship and need to reapply. The same goes for any federal student loans (FAFSA). According to FAFSA’s policy on gap years, “The financial aid you were offered [when you initially were admitted] may be different next year when you decide to enroll in classes. Aid offers are not guaranteed to be the same amount each year.”
You may also need to pay a deposit to reserve your teen's spot for the future academic year.
Is a Gap Year Safe?
Parenting teens means always keeping an eye on their safety. The safety of a gap year program can vary significantly, making it essential for families to investigate thoroughly.
An established organization like CIEE offers many safety measures, such as an in-country CIEE center with local staff, careful homestay selection, comprehensive travel insurance, and 24/7 support.
What Are the Biggest Benefits of Taking a Gap Year?
Whether a gap year is right for your teen will depend on various factors. Watch this video on what you and your teen can consider when making this choice:
Here are some of the top benefits to keep in mind:
1. Language Immersion
A gap year abroad could be incredibly beneficial if your teen has been studying a foreign language or is planning to study one in college. Living in a foreign country immerses your teen in that language and culture, enabling them to achieve a higher level of proficiency than they ever could in a traditional classroom setting. CIEE Gap Year programs offer French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, and Arabic immersion.
In today's world, proficiency in a second language and understanding a foreign culture can open doors for your teen. As our economy becomes increasingly global, the ability to navigate different cultural contexts is among the top skills sought by employers. This linguistic and cultural proficiency equips your teen to engage more effectively in diverse professional environments and fosters a deeper understanding of global issues.
Connections they make during their gap year could also lead to professional or academic opportunities in the future.
2. Genuine Global Connections
During a gap year abroad, your teen will have the chance to live with a host family, forming authentic and close relationships that can last a lifetime. Host families offer support, guidance, and someone to practice the local language with.
Your teen will experience life from an insider's perspective, speaking the local language, eating local home-cooked food, and participating in daily life and local traditions. The bonds formed with host families often extend beyond the program's duration, providing a lifelong international community for your teen.
3. Resiliency, Maturity, and Capability
Imagine your teen starting their first year of college already equipped with the skills and maturity needed to handle the transition away from home.
Colleges appreciate students who have taken a gap year because their first year living independently isn't also their first year managing college-level academics.
A gap year abroad helps your teen grow in independence and problem-solving skills by navigating the many challenges of living in a new country. This maturity helps them tackle academic challenges and responsibilities more confidently and competently. Research shows that living abroad boosts decision-making clarity, giving you a clearer sense of who you are, what you are capable of, and what you want.
The same Forbes study showed that living abroad also makes you more civic-minded, growing your desire to participate as an active community member. By the time they return from their gap year, your teen will be well-prepared for the demands of college and their future career.
4. Clarity on Future Goals
At age 18, after spending their entire life in school, lacking real-world experience, and never having lived outside of their childhood home, many teens simply do not know what they want to study or what career they want to pursue. Considering the tremendous financial cost, time commitment, and effort it takes to obtain an undergraduate degree, it would be best to do so with defined goals.
Taking a gap year abroad provides your teen with the time, space, and variety of experiences to gain more clarity on what they want. Exposure to different perspectives and ways of life can be transformative. It often leads to a rejuvenated sense of purpose and a clearer understanding of what they want to pursue in college and beyond. Whether they discover new interests or confirm their passions, they will ultimately be more informed and make wiser decisions about their future.
This clarity can result in a more focused and motivated approach to their studies.
A Gap Year After High School Is Fun!
Let's remember that a fulfilling life is one full of joyful, rich experiences.
Filling our lives with experiences of "awe"—the ones that give us goosebumps and make us feel more alive—literally translates to a more satisfying life.
Explore CIEE’s gap year programs for teens to discover if they're the right fit for your teen.