By Katherine Stievater
As we continue to celebrate our first decade at Gap Year Solutions, we have been reflecting on how gap years have changed over the last 10 years. The next 10 years will see their share of change. It’s a little hard to predict what the gap year world will look like in another decade. But we can observe some current trends, and implications for students and counselors. Here are some thoughts on key gap year trends happening now (click here for expanded version in IECA’s Winter 2026 Insights).
1. Use of AI for gap year research and planning
In the past two years, AI tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini have turbocharged the ability of families to find gap year information. The speed at which AI can synthesize data about gap year benefits and program offerings is remarkable. Nevertheless, nuanced tasks requiring judgment, relationships, and experience still benefit from human involvement. Deep vetting of program quality, matching students with experiences aligned to their unique goals and circumstances, and providing regular mentorship are great examples of this.
2. Role of mental health and LD/ ND profiles
When I joined this field 10 years ago, there was little talk in the gap year community about students with anxiety and depression, and learning differences and neurodiverse profiles (LD/ ND). We see more students than ever considering gap time to improve their emotional wellness (coping, resilience, self-compassion) and problem solving and decision making skills. There is also a growing community dedicated to supporting the needs of LD/ ND students. Sometimes these teens are able to self-manage in a structured gap year program. But other times, they need a therapeutic program.
3. Focus on workplace readiness and career planning
A 2024 study of business leaders indicated a high level of employer dissatisfaction with the workforce preparation of recent college graduates. With this feedback, and the soaring cost of college, it is not surprising that more gap year experiences are focusing on workplace readiness and career interests. An increasing number of formal gap year activities now focus directly in this area. (Note: Gap Year Solutions created LaunchPoint two years ago to help young adults build the professional skills needed to succeed in post-secondary and business settings.)
4. Decline in structured gap year programs
A drop off in enrollment at structured gap year programs that began two years ago has continued. Some organizations running structured programs outside the U.S. have cancelled spring 2026 entirely for lack of students, or scaled back to a small number of locations. USA Gap Year Fairs – which showcases gap year programs – has continued to shrink its number of fairs as attendance has fallen dramatically. Participants at the Chicago fair in Winnetka IL, one of the largest on the circuit, has declined 60% since 2017. Overall, there are only 16 fairs running in 2026, compared to 43 in 2018.
We see more students gravitating to shorter projects, internships (both in the U.S. and abroad), and more locally-based activities focused on better defining college and career interests. Some of our favorite structured gap year programs are doing well, and have figured out how to blend development of life skills (e.g., decision making, independent living) with professional skills (business internships).
5. More students taking gap time while in college
We’ve always had college students inquiring about the possibility of a gap year. From 2019-2022, 16% of the intake questionnaires received by Gap Year Solutions were from students already in college. This has increased to 25% from 2023-2025. Last year, nearly 30% of our questionnaires were from college students. We are seeing a larger percentage of students with “intent to transfer” take a gap year instead of immediately re-enrolling at a new school. While there are a myriad of reasons for this (financial, family issues, medical), we are seeing more students simply willing to pause, take the time to work on themselves, and make a more patient and intentional decision about their future.
6. Students ditching their gap year plan after getting off waitlists
In spring 2025, we witnessed an entirely new dynamic related to college admissions. We had several students get off waitlists in June with meaningful money included. They decided to forgo their planned gap year. We had another student who was planning a gap year and was going to be applying for the first time to college during his gap time. He ended up visiting a school that was high on his list towards the end of April. While on campus, the admissions office suggested that he put an application in for fall 2025. He liked the school and immediately applied. Not only did he get in – he was granted a great scholarship. He never even had to do the Common App! (Jeff Selingo also observed this new trend.)
7. Increase in homeschooled teens taking gap years
We covered this in another post recently. Homeschooling in the U.S. has doubled in just a few years, increasing to 6% of K-12 students being homeschooled in 2023, up from 2.8% in 2019. Increasingly, these students are stepping into gap year experiences, bringing a strong sense of independence and self-motivation shaped by their personalized education. Homeschooled students are natural candidates for gap years. They are already “off the traditional path” of academics and open to different ways to learn. Expect to see more homeschooled teens fill the ranks of gap year students in the years ahead.
