Gap Year, a Year On · Gap Year, a Year On Ideal gap year candidates ! Everyone! ! Lack of career guidance ! Poor academic motivation ! Financial need ! College bound with a plan

Gap Year, a Year On William S. McCulloch, M.Ed. Christine Cook, Ph.D. Tony Strange, Ed.D.

Gap Year, a Year On

http://www.forbes.com/sites/specialfeatures/2013/08/07/how-the-college-debt-is-crippling-students-parents-and-the-economy/

Gap Year, a Year On

http://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/3930-shocking-student-debt-statistics

Gap Year, a Year On

http://projectonstudentdebt.org/state_by_state-view2013.php?area=SC

Students graduating with debt

United States

71%

South Carolina

55%

Gap Year, a Year On

http://projectonstudentdebt.org/state_by_state-view2013.php?area=SC

Average student loan debt

South Carolina

United States

$- $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $35,000

Gap Year, a Year On

Retention of 1st time undergrads

0 20 40 60 80 100

Full-time

Part-time

4 year

2 year

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d12/tables/dt12_378.asp

Gap Year, a Year On

Completers vs. Non-completers

$0 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $120

NC

C Public 4-year

Private nonprofit 4-year

Public 2-year

For-profit

http://nces.ed.gov/datalab/tableslibrary/viewtable.aspx?tableid=9024

Gap Year, a Year On

http://www.newyorkfed.org/regional/Brown_presentation_GWU_2013Q2.pdf

Gap Year, a Year On

What does $1 Trillion look like?

$1,000,000 $100,000,000 $1,000,000,000

http://www.globalresearch.ca/what-does-one-trillion-dollars-look-like/12754

Gap Year, a Year On

$1,000,000,000,000

http://www.globalresearch.ca/what-does-one-trillion-dollars-look-like/12754

Gap Year, a Year On

But this is NOT a presentation on College Financing!

Gap Year, a Year On

Agenda

! Gap year - what it is and what it is not ! Types of gap year activities

! Benefits of gap year participation

! Drawbacks of gap year participation

!  Ideal gap year candidates

! Deciding to take a year on

! Gap year planning process

! Gap year programs

! Frequently Asked Questions

Gap Year, a Year On

What it is…

A Year On ☺

!  Intentional ! Planned ! Goal driven ! Long-term course

Birch & Miller (2007); Engle (2010); Heath (2007); Jones (2004)

http://flic.kr/p/C23PV

Gap Year, a Year On

What it is not…

A Year Off "

! Unplanned ! Unemployment ! Vacation ! Sleeping on the

couch all summer

Birch & Miller (2007); Engle (2010); Heath (2007); Jones (2004)

http://flic.kr/p/7R6Qsk

Gap Year, a Year On

Types of gap year activities

Structured

! Work !  internship !  career exploration !  Volunteer

DeLuca (2008); Heath (2007); Jones (2004); Simpson (2004); Simpson (2005)

http://flic.kr/p/imF4J4

Gap Year, a Year On


Structured


! Learning !  organized !  discover interests !  get ahead

http://flic.kr/p/fKqy6w

Gap Year, a Year On


Structured


! Travel !  volunteer tourism !  semester at sea

http://flic.kr/p/cgsqJG

Gap Year, a Year On


Unstructured


! Work !  paid internship !  part-time job

http://flic.kr/p/3yfET

Gap Year, a Year On


Unstructured


! Learning !  Independent !  Informal

http://flic.kr/p/d1hRCf

Gap Year, a Year On


Unstructured

! Travel !  backpack across Europe !  road trip across USA


http://flic.kr/p/gQia4

Gap Year, a Year On

The varied things gappers do

Build houses

Teach in city schools

Hike the Appalachian Trail

Work

Travel

Gap Year, a Year On

Benefits of participation

! Gain !  perspective !  maturity !  clearer plan !  independence !  accomplishment !  motivation

! Reduce !  college dropout

! Develop !  interests !  life skills !  work skills

! Earn !  money !  non-academic

certifications

! Have fun!

Birch & Miller (2007); Bull (2006); Crume (2006); DeLuca (2008); Engle (2010); Gregory (2010); Jones(2004); Schwartz (2004); Smith(2009); Willcoxson, Cotter, & Joy (2011)

Gap Year, a Year On

Drawbacks of participation

General

! Opportunity costs !  time and money (earning)

! Demotivation to return to school ! Wasted time through poor planning ! Academic disadvantage ! Accrual of personal debt ! Off track/Falling out of peer group

Jones (2004)

Gap Year, a Year On

Drawbacks of participation

Volunteer tourism

!  Inability to deliver !  Cultural exchange !  Skill development

! Safety !  Idealized view vs. reality of experience ! Quality assurance ! Participant accreditation

Simpson (2004); Simpson (2005)

http://flic.kr/p/98KXr9

Gap Year, a Year On

Ideal gap year candidates

! Everyone! ! Lack of career guidance ! Poor academic motivation ! Financial need ! College bound with a plan

!  Some colleges encourage a gap year !  Note: some departments (i.e., math)

discourage a gap in instruction

Birch & Miller (2007); Bull (2006); Gergerich (2003); Harder (2006); Martin (2010)

http://flic.kr/p/cH63w1

Gap Year, a Year On

Deciding to take a year on

Jones (2004); Wells & Lynch (2012)

! 3 Main Influences !  school !  peers !  parents

! Seek Information from !  guidance counselor

! academic and career planning

!  participants !  learn from their

experiences

Gap Year, a Year On

Planning considerations

Finances

! Plan/budget early ! Financing methods ! Volunteer tourism

!  unpaid !  travel cost

! Provider fees ! Stipends

College admissions and deferment

! Apply to college of choice

! Acceptance ! Request deferment

!  provide plan of goals and benefits

Engle (2010); Gregory (2010); Hustrand (2010); Jones (2004)

Gap Year, a Year On

Holly Bull Center for Interim Programs

! Brings learning alive ! Connect to real world ! Autonomy, Mastery,

Purpose ! Builds Resume

http://bit.ly/1cw9oCM

http://www.interimprograms.com

Gap Year, a Year On

Karl Haigler Haigler Enterprises International

! Karl Haigler !  60% confirmed or

changed choice !  Cost vs. Value !  More valuable

asset to college !  Eager to pursue ED !  Better financial

management http://bit.ly/1jiAKho

http://www.haiglerenterprises.com/education.html

Gap Year, a Year On

Karl Haigler Haigler Enterprises International

! Karl Haigler !  60% confirmed or

changed choice !  Cost vs. Value !  More valuable

asset to college !  Eager to pursue ED !  Better financial

management http://bit.ly/1jiAKho

http://www.haiglerenterprises.com/education.html

Gap Year, a Year On

Will they return to college?

! 80% within 6 months ! 90% within a year

! Others took an additional gap year (to include paid employment)

! Family challenges ! Deferrals

!  77% applied to college before the gap year ! 93% accepted to at least one college

!  56% requested deferral

Gap Year, a Year On

Tips

!  Communicate !  Narrow Options

!  Preferences, budgets, and other issues !  More structure at first

!  Phases !  Gap year consultants and counselors

!  Worth their fee !  Logistics

!  Insurance, travel, communications, money, medical planning, safety and security, college applications

!  Resources !  Research online

Gap Year, a Year On

Gap year programs

! This is NOT a review of Gap Year programs ! Advise students:

!  to attend a Gap Year Fair !  to talk to program alums

! “What was the worst part about the program?”

!  to organize well ! Keep year busy ! Little down time at home

Gap Year, a Year On

Where to start…

! Make a list !  Interests and curiosities !  Locations

! Search the web

Gap Year, a Year On

Gap year programs

! USA Gap Year Fairs !  www.usagapyearfairs.org

! Year Out Group !  www.yearoutgroup.org

! Global Citizen Year !  www.globalcitizenyear.org

! AmeriCorps !  www.americorps.gov

! Planet Gap Year !  www.planetgapyear.com

Gap Year, a Year On

Jean Fan http://bit.ly/1jiAijh

Matt Cutts http://bit.ly/1jiBPFT

Dave Comthwaite http://bit.ly/1cwc3Mw

Stefan Sagmeister http://bit.ly/1cwbQZP

Gap Year, a Year On

Final Thoughts

! No two students are alike ! Help students discover and follow their

passions ! Help a student take a Year On

Gap Year, a Year On

@GapYearOn

GapYearOn

www.GapYearOn.com

Gap Year, a Year On

References AmeriCorps. (2012). Homepage. http://www.americorps.gov

Birch, E., & Miller, P. W. (2007). The characteristics of ‘gap-year’ students and their tertiary academic outcomes. Economic Record, 83(262), 329-344. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4932.2007.00418.x

Bull, H. (2006). The possibilities of the gap year. Chronicle Of Higher Education, 52(44), 77.

Crume, R. (2005). Is that child really ready for college? Journal Of College Admission, 188, 31-32.

DeLuca, S. (2008, February 26). Delay is a disadvantage. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080226/oppose26.art.htm

Engle, T. (2010). Choosing a gap year can pay dividends for high school grads. Community College Week, 23(1), 20-22.

Gergerich, S. (2003). Experts suggest a year off before college - if you can afford it. Community College Week, 15(25), 19.

Global Citizen Year. (2012). Homepage. http://www.globalcitizenyear.org

Gregory, S. (2010, September 21). Time out: Gauging the value of a gap year before college. Time. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,2015783,00.html

Harder, B. (2006). The credibility in your gap year. U.S. News & World Report, 141(7), 98-99.

Heath, S. (2007). Widening the gap: pre-university gap years and the ‘economy of experience’. British Journal Of Sociology Of Education, 28(1), 89-103. doi:10.1080/01425690600996717

Hulstrand, J. (2010). Time out: The gap year abroad. International Educator, 19(2), 50.

Jones, A. (2004). Review of gap year provision. Department for Education and Skills, RR555 University of London. Retrieved from https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/

RR555.pdf

Gap Year, a Year On

References Martin, A. J. (2010). Should students have a gap year? Motivation and performance factors relevant to time out after

completing school. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 561-576. doi:10.1037/a0019321

Mitchell, J. (2012, May 31). Student debt rises by 8% as college tuitions climb. Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition. A5.

Planet Gap Year. (2012). Homepage. http://www.planetgapyear.com

Schwartz, S. (2004). Should young people delay college?: A modest proposal. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 84(4), 27-28.

Simpson, K. (2004). ‘Doing development’: The gap year, volunteer-tourists and a popular practice of development. Journal of International Development 16, 681–692 (2004) Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/jid.1120

Simpson, K. (2005). Dropping out or signing up? The professionalisation of youth travel. Antipode, 37(3), 447-469. doi:10.1111/j.0066-4812.2005.00506.x

Smith, G. T. (2009, November 7). Advice for the college-bound: Wait. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/06/AR2009110603606.html

USA Gap Year Fairs. (2012). Homepage. http://www.usagapyearfairs.org Wells, R. S., & Lynch, C. M. (2012). Delayed college entry and the socioeconomic gap: Examining the roles of

student plans, family income, parental education, and parental occupation. Journal of Higher Education, 83(5), 671-697.

Willcoxson, L., Cotter, J., & Joy, S. (2011). Beyond the first-year experience: The impact on attrition of student experiences throughout undergraduate degree studies in six diverse universities. Studies In Higher Education, 36(3), 331-352. doi:10.1080/03075070903581533

Year Out Group (YOG). (2012). Homepage. http://www.yearoutgroup.org

Gap Year, a Year On

Photo Credit

! All photos in this presentation are covered by Creative Commons license requiring one or all of the following. !  Attribution !  Non-Commercial Use !  No Derivatives

! Links to the original source are cited on each photo as well as in alt text

! http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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Gap Year, a Year On · Gap Year, a Year On Ideal gap year candidates ! Everyone! ! Lack of career guidance ! Poor academic motivation ! Financial need ! College bound with a plan