Top 10 Gap Year Ideas for High School Students

Why take a gap year?

Let’s quickly flip through an incredible list of gap year ideas to answer your deep-seated query- why take a gap year. It would involve a perspective stretching across the wide spectrum of skill enhancement, personal growth, and career counseling for a fruitful engagement with higher education. What might seem like a failure at first glance, could be converted into an incredible opportunity with a change in your viewpoint. If it is your gap year, go on and read about the top ten activities that could uplift your spirit and keep you ahead of your peers, even when you are not enrolled.

Gap Year Ideas

In consideration of making your gap year a learning spree, here are some gap year ideas for you to experience. How would life feel without taking that one solo trip? Without that one hobby, which is close to your heart since childhood? With stress on overall development, the modern education system too believes that a happy student is a successful student. If your skills do not feel good enough to you, or, you want to experience your field of choice before making your career choice, take that one year off and explore. Go to the farthest locations, spend time with yourself, or, join a hobby center, but do not feel clamped down.

The first lesson of adulthood after your school life is over, has to be the seizure of peer pressure. Your higher education and your career is a journey to be lived rather than a race against the success of your classmate. Consequently, EdNet Team, having counseled numerous students in their gap year, brings to you the top ten gap year ideas which could help you achieve a better college, bigger placement, and happier life at the end of it.

1. Be on the top of your game: Skill enhancement is one of the most popular boxes ticked when it comes to gap year ideas. Often, in the hustle of school life, we leave behind the inherent passion that guided our attention. Studying scores of academic subjects might dull your ability to sketch live, or, perform in a band. Recall the last time you dedicated two straight hours to the unconventional career option that you have always wanted to take. Long back? This crisis for the budding artists, musicians, and creative minds can be solved by gap year programs such as a diploma in your favorite discipline. Enroll at an institution offering a diploma, certificate course, or, collaboration opportunities in your field of interest. Join an art school, build your own band, or, work towards the social cause that has always appealed to you! Improving your skills and having an extra degree, will prove to be a game-changer in more than one way for you. The first answer to why take a gap year is- the excellent and attractive gap year programs that are offered by universities and skill-building institutes in today’s time. Take up the diploma, summer program, or certificate course of your choice.
2. Know your strengths and weaknesses: Confessing to yourself in the privacy of your room, about the one subject or activity that scares you, is one of the stellar gap year ideas that will lead to your improvement. Take up a self-analysis trip to your consciousness, and know yourself better. Your gap year might prove to be your mentor, with all the courses and activities that are available for learning. Choose an online reading platform, join a book club, or, take a language enhancement class. Give your strengths the time to flourish, and your weaknesses a supporting course. This could be the best time to groom yourself in the ways that you always wanted. Taking career counseling might be another good idea if you are confused between choices.
3. Get a head-start on building your resume: Looking for gap year ideas might be a linear road if your education goal is overseas education. Do you want to enroll in the top colleges of the world, and specialize in your field of study? Getting into the resume building earlier that others might be your key to score the best. A gap year before college allows you to do many things that will build up your career and successfully draw the attention of potential employers. A resume thrives on much more than just your academic scores! The universities always go for candidates who have passions other than their selected field and have achieved their feat in the same. Therefore, it is imperative to indulge in community service, sports, or, hobby, which would make your resume look richer than other kids.
4. Travel the world: The most wonderful of gap year ideas is to break out from the ‘student phenomenon’ of skipping family trips for unit tests. Being dedicated to an academic institution often demands constant presence and hard work from the students throughout the course. If you have worked too hard for your board examinations, or, have just finished your degree with flying colors, you deserve your break. Yes, avoid the ACADEMIC BURNOUT that might slowly take away your talent and efficiency. It has been proven that regular examinations and tests are a constant source of stress for young students across the globe. Thus, to be refreshed and ready to explore new avenues of knowledge during your next stage of life, take a trip to the destination of your choice. Now, you could go where your heart lies- be it the New York City or the Maldives! Connect with yourself, your aspirations and future goals, while you are enjoying a mocktail by the beach.
5. Work for your Dream Firm: The gap year pros and cons might be numerous. However, the inescapable truth of it is- an ample amount of time on your hands. You do not have to go to a class daily or prepare for an upcoming college project. Consequently, it is advisable that you have professional experience before locking that field or industry for yourself. With exciting opportunities for internships, project collaborations, and research initiatives by institutions, governments, and companies, it is time to choose your fit. Work for your dream firm and learn the tricks of the trade. You can also join policy development programs by government designed for student intellectuals and contribute to the building of your nation. Another addition to your profile might be a research project done under an admissible authority, to enhance your potential and knowledge. Internships are another excellent way to improve your management, organization, communication, and time management skills, which will add to your inter-personal qualities.
6. Learn a Language: Why not make a language proficiency course your big gap year idea? It is a common problem for students who prepare for SAT/ACTs to lack in communication skills and language, due to the heavy burden of scoring in these tests. Talking a gap year will help you brush your skills and communication, which is a vital attribute for cracking university interviews. Also, living in a foreign country might be easier if you were proficient in their native language. Therefore, you can transform the risks of taking a gap year into a constructive, engaging, and crucial skill addition, by learning a foreign language. Another important course could be an enhancement of English, which will help you score well in your aptitude tests as well as write brilliant college essays for application to the universities overseas.
7. Get on with the life-skills: Before joining the college and living on your own, it would be a brilliant gap year idea to take up some culinary classes. Use this opportunity to learn to prepare your own food and manage your expenses. Knowing more about money management, laundry, medicines, and much more, while you are preparing for your college applications! In a gap year, you work without any instructions from an authority figure, which in turn helps you develop the confidence and skill to manage without assistance. It will teach you to be your own person and work according to your own schedule not only in college but also throughout your entire life.
8. Become a Role Model: Every venture you undertake from your personal list of gap year ideas will manifest in capabilities, knowledge, skills, and experience that can make others look up to you. When you finally join the upcoming semester, you will possess the maturity and wisdom that will help you look at any topic with a multi-dimensional approach. As a well-rounded student, you may chance upon many positive opportunities in your life – a goal that you ought to strive for. Joining an NGO, working towards a social cause, or, visiting old age homes could be a good start! Go on and change the world!
9. Make an exceptional Portfolio: Need an exciting gap year idea to make your life full of artistic inspirations? Want to know what gets you in the best of fine arts colleges? – It’s the extra-ordinary message of your portfolio. So, explore the lands where life breathes freedom, and instill that courage in your art pieces during your gap year. You might also want to learn a completely different style of painting or craft to add to your skills. Select the Art school of your choice and go on the artistic journey you had always hoped for. Experience always contributes more to art than a regular curriculum! This could be your college essay too when you come back from the enlightening trip and fill in your college application.
10. Stay close to your loved ones: Spending some quality time with family and friends has always topped the popular list of gap year ideas. Education is an exhausting and solitary process. It often steals away years, before you realize it. With regard to the importance of personal happiness, this might be your chance to spend time with your family, friends, and acquaintances. Knowing people around you and contributing to their happiness every day will not only give you the positive energy to cope up with rigorous college life but will also make you self aware. Have life-changing conversations and get inspiration to work hard, while you also receive the love and affection of your family. It will strengthen your resolve to do your parents proud as you get to know your importance in their lives. This will be the most personal gap year opportunity, going a long way in building your character and sensitivity.

Risks of taking a Gap year?

Even though there are numerous risks of taking a gap year, it is highly recommended for those who do not have a clear idea of their future academic path. On the other hand, there are students who have their hearts set on a particular college or course. In this scenario, is it still advisable for them to take a year off? Surprisingly, most admissions counselors would say yes. Having a year of time off between graduating high school and entering college will help you understand the value of education. More than a means to make oneself more marketable, gap year ideas would help address the plight of humanity.

Gap Year Pros and Cons

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Gap Year Programs

Here is a list of possible gap year programs culminated for a quick intake of the upcoming possibilities in your gap year life:

• Take up a diploma course- the best of gap year program options, that is of relevance to your field, or, would add an inter-disciplinary touch to your profile. For instance, aspirants of liberal arts could go for a technical diploma such as Journalism, Language, or, Computer to add to their knowledge base.
• Join a hobby center, be a part of hiking or camping groups, play in a band, or, go solo travel. Experience with informal societies might be as useful as associating with a formal institute. You can always include these details in your resume!
• Learn a musical instrument and get a certificate while doing so! It’s a sure thing one musical instrument must have been the object of your fancy for long. Use this opportunity to learn the instrument under a qualified instructor or institution.
• Creative writing courses are another way to enhance your personality. It is imperative that you develop expressing and writing skills to master your field of engagement. A gap year will be the most suitable time to provide you with this opportunity.
• Join an art school, and learn the intricacies of sketching, painting, and sculpting. These rare experiences will shape up your vision of life and will make you stand out when you sit for your next big interview.