Are you thinking about taking a gap year after high school? A gap year, also known as a bridge year, can be a great way to transition from high school to college and uncover your passions and purpose in life.
Consider the many benefits of a bridge year and how it can expand your worldview and prepare you before you head off to college.
THE BENEFITS OF TAKING A GAP YEAR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE
Research shows that students who take a gap year actually perform better than their peers once they get to campus. This really shouldn’t be a surprise given the many things students learn during a bridge year, including:
A new culture
Live, play, and work with the local residents. Truly immerse yourself to make the most of your experience.
A local trade or industry.
Work with the community in the education, environmental conservation, agriculture, social enterprise or public health sectors. By partnering with locals, you’re learning from them while also doing work that matters to the community.
A new language.
You’ll be living, working and socializing with local speakers, so it’s only natural that you’ll pick up some new language skills. Whether or not you come into the program with language skills, you’ll leave knowing another language which will only benefit you in the long run and bring you up to speed with the rest of the world.
A new network of friends.
You’ll make memories and friendships to last a lifetime, and join a network of people with similar goals and aspirations. You might not know the other applicants before you start, but in this experience, you’ll quickly learn about one another and the many commonalities you share that will be the basis for a long-lasting friendship.
Global citizenship, entrepreneurialism, leadership.
You’ll acquire skills that will prepare you for college and give you a competitive advantage beyond graduation. These are skills you can’t learn at a desk, but you’ll inevitably learn with real-world experience.
Perhaps the biggest thing you’ll learn during a gap year after high school is who you are. A bridge year is a year of self-discovery, finding your true grit and uncovering hidden passions. You’ll mature beyond your years and set foot on campus more academically engaged than ever.
A gap year doesn’t just fill the space between high school and college. At Global Citizen Year, a gap year allows you to smoothly transition between two very different phases while preparing you for life beyond.
Read our current Fellows’ blogs and learn more about how you can spend your gap year after high school!
Sources: U.S. News & World Report: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2014/09/23/how-a-gap-year-can-make-students-successful
Colgate University: http://www.colgate.edu/centers-and-institutes/center-for-language-and-brain
EXPERIENCE A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
A GLOBAL CITIZEN YEAR FELLOW
Fellow / Ecuador
— Anna del Savio
I work with a group of indigenous artisans that make fair trade jewelry.…
Fellow / Brazil
— Amari Leigh
After my community garden apprenticeship, I like to hang out at the local waterfall with my friends.…
Fellow / Brazil
— Basil Wiering
I often hail a rickshaw into various parts of the city to meet friends and practice street photography.…
Fellow / Brazil
— Fernanda Tornell
I've developed my public speaking skills and encouraged hundreds of people to take care of our planet.…
Fellow / India
— Luciana Ribeiro da Silva
I apprentice with Teach For India and also volunteer with a non-profit working to end child marriage.…
Fellow / Ecuador
— Noah Hapke
I co-teach English classes at the school in my community.…
Fellow / Brazil
— Sarah Murray
My apprenticeship is at a school for people with disabilities where I help to lead gardening, games, and capoeira.…
Fellow / India
— Alana Poole
In the afternoons, I often go on home visits to meet my students' families and understand where they come from.…