Why I decided not to go straight to college and take a gap year instead
I went through the college application process like any other teenager in the United States. I made a list of 30 colleges of interest during my junior year with my dad. In the summer before my senior year, we narrowed the list down to 10, consisting of safeties, matches, and reaches. I chose which schools to apply to early decision, early action, and regular decision and sent separate applications to all 10 schools. We heard back from each school at different times of the year, went to tour the schools I was admitted into, and sent the direct deposit in before May 1.
After going through this arduous college application process, however, I decided not to go straight into college; instead, I decided to take a much needed gap year.
The decision was by no means an easy one. High school had been an emotionally draining and overly competitive four years. During second semester of senior year, also known as "senior slump," I came to the realization that I hadn't had much time for myself. Most of my time in high school was spent doing homework, studying for tests, and getting stressed over school activities. While the experiences I had in school were valuable and important to my own development, I wanted to have time to myself; I wanted to have a year to plan things for myself. I had never had that opportunity before. I had been in the Newton Public Schools system for 13 years or so; school was all I ever knew.
After the college application process, I knew that I needed a year off; I wanted to explore and try new things. I went online to learn more about gap years. I wanted to educate myself on different options; there were so many infographics, sites, and discussions on gap years. I talked to other students who were taking their gap years or had just had one. They all spoke so highly of the experience. From what I heard, taking a gap year was right for me.
Here are the reasons why I thought I needed a gap year:
- I wanted to make time for myself, especially after my mentally draining high school experience
- I wanted to figure out a path before jumping into college
- I wanted to try new things that I wouldn't have the time to experience otherwise
- I wanted to reset
While touring schools with my dad, I started talking about taking a gap year. My dad kept asking me questions about what I would do, why taking a gap year would be different from going to college, if the gap year would be an even greater expense in addition to college costs, and if I was certain. My parents were hesitant; both my mom and dad had gone to all of grade school in the Philippines, followed by college, and grad school. While they had heard of students taking gap years, they were hesitant about me taking one. They wanted the gap year to be planned, and I made it clear that so did I; I didn't want to be a couch potato for a year.
I had done plenty of research on planned gap year programs but came to the decision that I would be in charge of planning my own gap year. Most of the programs I found online were overpriced and lacked the personal touch I was looking for. Planning my own gap year gave me the opportunity to plan what I really wanted to do.
My parents gave me a deadline. They told me that I needed to plan my gap year and come up with goals before May 1, as that was the due date for my college's direct deposit and confirmation. In a week, I drafted a plan and reviewed it with my parents. We went through another few long, late night discussions. One morning, we came to an agreement and sent an email to the dean of Bryn Mawr College, the college I had chosen to attend; the email contained my gap year plans. All it needed was confirmation from her side that they would let me differ for a year and start in the fall of 2018. I waited anxiously for her response. A few hours later, she replied saying she was extremely excited for me. She wrote about how jealous she was, as she was from the Philippines as well and wished she could go back too.
Once the dean confirmed, everything fell into place.
While it's only July, my gap year has changed a lot — it changed in a good ways. Here is my plan so far:
May 2017-August 2018- babysit, work at The Kids Place, Treat Cupcake Bar, and intern at Care.com
June 2017-July 2017- meet with a professor at Mount Holyoke College twice a week to learn more about Philippine history and conduct research on politics
June 2017-July 2017- go to Europe (Paris and Rome)
July 2017-August 2017- go to the Philippines, live without my parents for a month, conduct more research on politics with professors at The University of the Philippines, and intern at Rappler
August 2017-October 2017- continue working and earning money through babysitting, working at The Kids Place, Treat Cupcake Bar, and interning at Care.com
October 2017-November 2017- go to Switzerland and visit the bordering countries, go to Africa
November 2017-January 2018- continue working and earning money through babysitting, working at The Kids Place, Treat Cupcake Bar, and interning at Care.com
January 2018-March 2018- go back to the Philippines to volunteer and work on 100children.org, the non-profit my family created, visit surrounding countries, spend time with family, learn how to make some food, get more acquainted with speaking the language, go to Australia
March 2018-June 2018- continue working and earning money through babysitting, working at The Kids Place, Treat Cupcake Bar, and interning at Care.com
June 2018- go to South America (Peru)
June 2018-August 2018- have time to relax and get ready to move to Bryn Mawr College
That's my plan! I'm thrilled that I get the opportunity to travel, work, and explore new outlets.
I just wanted to note that taking a gap year is not for everyone. Not everyone is ready to leave the structure that school provides. I can say, however, that if you're organized, ambitious, and dedicated, you can surely plan and have the best gap year.
Before jumping into something, look at all of your options; I'm sure glad I did. For more, I found the following sites very helpful:
Photo: Pexels
For more, visit RapplerX.
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