When to Take a Gap Year

Today I’m talking about when college students should consider taking a gap year or semester. I’m going over what a gap year is, different reasons to take a gap year, and a review of the options. I’m using the term gap year but it could also stand for gap semester or even an early withdrawal from a semester. Gap years tend to refer to time off between high school and the start of college but it can also refer to taking a semester or two off when in college. These breaks are typically when students hit pause on traditional academic work and do something like volunteering, traveling with friends or participating in a therapeutic wilderness or treatment program. 

Show Notes

Gap Year Association - https://www.gapyearassociation.org/

NOLS - https://www.nols.edu/en/

Outward Bound - https://outwardbound.org/

The Dorm Gap Year Therapeutic Program - https://thedorm.com/blog/therapeutic-gap-year-program/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/motivatecounseling
https://robdanzman.com/

Transcript

In this podcast episode, Rob Danzman, a licensed clinical mental health counselor and national expert in college student mental health, discusses taking a gap year,  how it affects college students, and how parents can help for their college student figure out the best way to take time off.

When to Take a Gap Year

Today I’m talking about when college students should consider taking a gap year or semester. I’m going over what a gap year is, different reasons to take a gap year, and a review of the options. I’m using the term gap year but it could also stand for gap semester or even an early withdrawal from a semester. This is another episode pulled from my blog at robdanzman.com as well as my first book, Insider’s Guide to Parenting: How to Solve Messy Problems and Build a Great Family. 

Gap years tend to refer to time off between high school and the start of college but it can also refer to taking a semester or two off when in college. These breaks are typically when students hit pause on traditional academic work and do something like volunteering, traveling with friends or participating in a therapeutic wilderness or treatment program. Here are a few examples of more specific reasons for a college student to take time off:

• They’re seeking treatment for Medical/Mental Health or Substance Abuse
• They need to Make Money
• They want to get some life experience outside of school to help Find Direction/purpose
• They want to Gain Skills 
• They may want to boost or Build a Resume for a targeted industry or company
• Finally, they may want to Take time to find a school that’s a better fit

A gap year is a broad term that can have a bunch of variations. While there are just a few reasons to take a gap year, there are a bazillion things to do during the time off. Here’s a list of examples of productive and healthy ways college students could use a gap year. Some of these I have links for in the show notes:

• Volunteering overseas to teach English
• Participating in a wilderness/adventure trip
• Spending time with a severely sick family member
• Working a full-time job
• Participating in more intensive therapy for depression or anxiety
• Attending a rigorous internship
• Taking a few easier classes at community college close to home to bump up GPA
• Attending a residential treatment program for substance abuse
• Language immersion
• Traveling alone through Europe

Gap years can provide an opportunity for a college kid to take a breath if they’re overwhelmed with school (or life). I often work with parents who only see two options when their kid is bombing out of college - bring them home or force them to stick it out on campus. Sometimes, one of the most powerful things for a struggling kid is a change of scenery and context.

More and more, a gap year or semester is being used to get depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or substance use issues under control. Many therapeutic programs are well-suited to admit college students for a semester or two with the intent of providing stabilization, assessment, and therapy. It’s not uncommon for some parents to come to me after having blown $80,000 on college tuition and expenses only to find out their son or daughter has not gone to class and is on academic probation. In many instances, if a student graduated from high school with untreated behavioral health challenges, things will only get more challenging once they get to college. It’s a difficult decision to make to leave school to treat a medical or psychological challenge. They risk losing friends they made and often are afraid of falling behind in credits which could mean not graduating on time. These are all important concerns to address before looking at programs. I’ve got a few examples of college-aged programs in the show notes.

Some gap years are focused on academics and include opportunities like a study-abroad program or internship. This type of break from traditional studying can be helpful for kids that are getting burnt-out from being on campus but don’t need to move back home or get specialized treatment. They may just want to pursue career options or combine traveling with some course credits. I love this type of time off since it typically provides lots of life lessons around personal responsibility, budgeting, and exploration that’s difficult to get throughout a semester. 

I want to talk a bit more about one gap year option in particular that I’ve not only recommended hundreds of times but seen the positive impact of in students. These are programs that push students outside their comfor zone while providing a basic level of structure, support and safety. Two of the most well-known programs are National Outdoor Leadership School (or NOLS) and Outward Bound. Both run programs of varying lengths, throughout the year, and in all sorts of different environments. The primary focus of these programs is skill development - not only outdoor skills like rock climbing or rafting, but also soft skills like leadership, communication, and problem solving. While the outdoor skills may not always be necessary for your college student’s degree or career path, the soft skills are absolutely essential. There are many programs like NOLS and Outward Bound but these are the two oldest, most famous, and in my opinion best run. I’ve got links for these also in the show notes. 

Keys to a Successful Gap Year Experience:

Regardless of whether the gap time is for healthcare, academics, or just developing a stronger sense of purpose, it’s essential for parents and college students to discuss the following points as soon as possible. 

To start with: 

• Set some Goals. Determine the goal of the gap year (e.g. Stabilize anxiety, save up money, build up a resume, study for LSAT). I tell parents and their kids that this is one of those situations where everyone needs to be on the same page which means everyone needs to be honest about why the kid is taking time off. As I’ve discussed in previous episodes, blog posts, and book chapters, use the SMART goal approach (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time sensitive).

• Communicate with School. Communicate with the university if already enrolled - find out if and how to earn credit for the activities during the time off. Make sure your kid does not need to re-enroll, have any outstanding or upcoming bills due and that there will be no negative consequences from taking time off.

• Scheduling. Plan out the semester schedule (when they plan to start and when they plan to return to school). How is your kiddo going to spend most days/weeks? I don’t think they need to have every hour defined but they do need to have a routine that fills time well and is consistent. This is also a good time to talk about if and how friends and family might be able to visit if they’re traveling.

• Requirements. Identify all requirements (e.g. passport, plane ticket, rail pass, volunteer application, shots). Passports and visas take longer than ever to process. It’s never too early to update a passport even if the gap year is just an idea at this point.

• Budget. How much will it all cost and who is paying? Have this conversation early in the process and create a budget.  Just like when remodeling a house - pad in an extra 10% for emergencies and surprises. Budgeting is not just for finances, it’s also for time and energy. Budgeting for how much time they (or you want them to) spend on certain activities is a big part of the conversation. Even if you’re wealthy - talking about structural constraints around spending is a value that gets generalized to other parts of life.

• Deadlines. Put all requirements’ deadlines on the calendar (e.g. immunizations on Aug 29, 3:00pm). See above - New passports can take up to 6 weeks to get processed.

• Share. Give family members an itinerary of travel plans if traveling and determine how often communication will occur. Planning out a rough idea of how often your kiddo will communicate can head off larger problems from developing into crises. 

• Presentation. This one might sound a bit cheesy but what will your kid get out of this experience? How will they communicate this at the end to you? It’s easy to push this aside but I encourage parents and their kid to come up with some sort of way to demonstrate or share what they learned from the experience - even if they just stayed home and interned at a CPA’s office. It’s a way to teach them to organize their thoughts and communicate effectively. Learning how to debrief from an experience is another one of those soft skills that pays dividends throughout life. 

• Keep Active. It’s essential that whether your college student takes time off for healthcare, travel, or making money, they plan for keeping active. Keeping their brain active. Keeping their body active. It’s so important for them to keep reading, working out, and challenging themselves.

During my junior year at college, a student returned from a gap year. He had moved to a remote town in Canada and learned how to build log cabins. By the end of the

school year, he had chopped down a stand of trees and built the biggest log cabin I’d ever seen. His “presentation” of what he learned remains there today on the college campus and is as beautiful as the day he finished it.

At the outset, many college students I’ve worked with get really excited and do a ton of research on places they want to go or programs they want to participate in. But one thing often overlooked which should also be considered and discussed are the risks and real consequences of taking time off. Friends are moving forward through classes, going to parties and developing relationships. If they took loans out, they may actually start coming due for payment unless your kiddo is officially enrolled with a minimal number of credit hours. Plan on having real conversations about the real costs of time off. It’s not an attempt to get them to change their mind - it’s an opportunity to level set and incorporate what skin in the game they need to have. 

Early Withdrawal from a Semester Already in Progress

Sometimes college students don’t realize until several weeks into the semester they need a break to deal with stuff. If your kiddo is in a situation like this, there are a few steps to take to make sure they limit the negative impact of bailing early. 

Unless there is eminent risk (eg. actively suicidal, severe medical condition, etc.) under no circumstances is it advisable to let your college student disappear from school. They’ve got to communicate with school staff. So who do they need to talk to and what do they need to say?

Contact student services/academic advisor/disability services to get explicit information on what impact on classes, matriculation, GPA, and enrollment status taking a break from the semester will have. This needs to be in writing so it can be referred to later when transitioning back to school or transferring. Every school has specific info on how to take a leave of absence or medical withdrawal. Don’t let your son or daughter convince you they can just leave and figure it out later. 

Next, work with a licensed professional (eg. physician, therapist, psychiatrist) to determine if there is a diagnosable condition that’s driving the need to take this break. If so, get it in writing from the professional. Your student will need it when they submit their request for medical withdrawal. The school may require additional documentation so don’t be surprised if they ask for a more detailed letter on letterhead from the healthcare provider. 

In Summary

As exploratory and insightful a gap year can be, it can also create confusion about one’s life in a more philosophical way. When we are isolated or spend large chunks of time out of what seems like the mainstream social environment, our norms and self-concept start to change. We may challenge who we are and what we stand for and ... ultimately, what we want out of life. As I said before, the privilege of a gap year comes at a cost so make sure this is discussed through a cost-benefit analysis perspective. A gap year may be better confined to a gap semester. A gap semester might be better consolidated to Fall break or winter break. Figuring out the goal of time off will help define what length of time is best. 

Ok, That’s it for this episode on gap years for college students. For more information, check out my blog at motivatecounseling.com, sign up for my newsletter, or look for my two books on amazon - just search my name Rob Danzman. 

Show Notes

Gap Year Association - https://www.gapyearassociation.org/

NOLS - https://www.nols.edu/en/

Outward Bound - https://outwardbound.org/

The Dorm Gap Year Therapeutic Program - https://thedorm.com/blog/therapeutic-gap-year-program/