It’s not news that Northern Virginia harbors a competitive atmosphere for high school students. Fairfax County is rated among the top school districts in the country and Marshall has been ranked one of the top three public high schools in the state according to websites like Niche and U.S. News, so it’s not unusual when students are faced with challenging classes and faced-paced curriculum.
This could lend to a stressful high school experience, in which students are burned out from the whole college application process just before they start an even more rigorous academic experience at a four-year college. Although there are plenty of alternatives to moving straight from high school to college, there isn’t nearly enough information about those options that is presented to students.
Taking a year off to work and save up for college is a viable option, as is taking a gap year to volunteer or travel. Gap years in particular have a stigma surrounding them, as there are assumptions that students who take gap years will have essentially wasted their time.
However, according to a study done by Middlebury College Dean of Admissions Bob Clagett, students who took a gap year and then applied for college had a higher average GPA compared to those that didn’t. Clagett also reported that gap year students had higher levels of motivation and had a high academic endurance during their times at their four-year colleges.
More students, especially those who had rigorous high school experiences, should feel comfortable taking a structured gap year where they are able to gain real world experience and explore career interests before going to college.