🏫 Campus & Student Life
Gap Year
A year taken between high school and university (or during university) for travel, work, volunteering, or personal development.
A gap year is a period (typically one academic year) taken between high school graduation and university enrollment, or between academic years, for personal development through travel, work, volunteering, or other structured experiences. Gap years are common in the UK, Australia, and Scandinavia, and are gaining acceptance in the US. Harvard, Princeton, and other elite institutions actively encourage gap years. Research from Gap Year Association studies shows that students who take gap years tend to have higher GPAs, greater civic engagement, and clearer academic direction upon entering university.