My colleagues and I have been guiding U.S. students through the process of designing gap time for over thirty years.  In that time we have seen the birth of many useful technological innovations such as the Internet, Google searches and Facebook; all of which give potential gap students more access to (although not necessarily more clarity about) the abounding gap year opportunities that are available in the world today.

One tool that we find useful to share with families during our free initial brain-storming session is an illustration of the different genre of gap experiences available for 18-22 year old students.  Believe it or not, our average student with a nine-month gap year will participate in anywhere from three to six different experiences from September to June.  Having an understanding of the different types of opportunities that are available, as well their strengths and limitations helps students make informed decisions that will ultimately support their goals during their gap time.  The complicated equation of: cost, destination, independence, support, time with peers, real-world experience and résumé building activities requires both expertise and finesse to balance and maintain throughout an entire year.

There are at least five broad categories of experiences that most potential gappers will choose from during their interim year.  Examples of some gap year opportunities can be found here.

1. Gap Year Semester/Study Abroad Programs

Three to nine month, facilitated group programs designed specifically for gap-age students.  Many of these programs allow students to explore another country while experientially & academically engaging compelling cross-cultural immersion, wilderness, leadership, community service and language learning opportunities.  Expect high levels of student support and supervision with an emphasis on increasing independence as the program progresses.  In general, these programs have high program fees as all food, lodging, in-country travel and group leader oversight are included. Scholarships and financial aid as well as academic credit are usually available.  A great fall semester choice for the overwhelming majority of U.S. gap students.

2. Volunteer Opportunities

Probably the most diverse genre to consider, Volunteer Opportunities exist on a large spectrum of support v. independence, meaningful work v. time-filling activities and overall value for experience desired.  Gap students volunteer in orphanages, schools, medical clinics, wildlife rehabilitation centers, conservation field stations and many other organizations all over the globe.  Volunteer opportunities can last anywhere from one week to several months. Though it continues to surprise many people, in most cases it does cost money to volunteer as the infrastructure to support them and the project itself is generally funded through program fees.  Thus, there seems to be a positive correlation between the price of volunteering and the amount of support that an individual receives while on the project.  Lodging and food is almost always included.

3. Room & Board

Room & Board placements give volunteers the opportunity to experience life in a particular setting without incurring a large expense to be there.  Room & Board opportunities abound on: conservation trail crews, ranches, farms, retreat centers, sustainable communities, sailing vessels and small projects around the world.  As the name implies, in exchange for one’s labor as a volunteer at the site, lodging and sometimes food are provided.  Occasionally a small fee is required and even more occasionally students can earn a small stipend.  These experiences are generally very flexible but take the most work to coordinate.

4. Internships

It seems that today everyone is interested in engaging a meaningful internship; and for good reason!  Professional internships (not just fetching coffee and filing papers) abound in many countries around the world.  Though there is generally a high price to coordinate such a placement, opportunities exist to enter the professional world in: medicine, journalism, conservation, music, fashion, social services, business and much more.  Placements generally last at least two months and interns should expect to literally ‘go to work’ each day.  Housing is often available.  Note that internship opportunities are highly regulated/limited in the U.S., UK and Europe, but many other countries are able to offer high quality professional internships.  These are great spring/summer gap experiences for students to take on just before college.

5. Specialty Courses

Whether you have always wanted to learn Swahili or how to cook French pastries, specialty courses are available in almost any discipline one can dream of.  Art, SCUBA, blacksmithing, wilderness skills, language, emergency medicine, photography and adventure sports to name but a few.  These courses can last anywhere from one week to several months.  Expect to pay for the experience of learning from a professional and to be surrounded by like-minded individuals.  These classes are a great way to prepare for an up-coming component in one’s gap year, explore a passion or fill a space between organized volunteer opportunities.

Much of our job as gap year counselors centers on advising students towards reputable, reliable and respectable organizations that are a good match for each student’s goals, interests and aspirations.  With nearly 22,000,000 hits for the search term ‘Gap Year’, we know that trying to make discerning choices about how to spend your “gap” can be a time-consuming and daunting process. Any organization can pay to have a glossy website with photos of smiling participants but how much does this say about the experience that one will actually have?  Take the time to research organizations thoroughly, follow-up with references and recruit the expertise of an experienced gap year counselor to help you get the most out of your gap time.

Jason has dedicated his career to being an inspiring role model for his students and staff. As a committed educator, he is devoted to supporting individuals in clarifying their interests and taking continued steps towards self-discovery, the essence of his work as a gap-year counselor with The Center for Interim Programs.

Like this blog post? Sign up for the TeenLife Newsletter!