Services

Like many students right now, you may be wondering “what are my options for the fall?” Whether you were already planning a Gap Year and are not sure what to do because travel options are limited, or are not sure that you want more online classes, please know there are many Gap Year options for the fall, including domestic programs and travel, local activities, and virtual options.

Our core service is the Gap Year Plan, which helps students map out their Gap time and suggests activities and experiences to meet their goals and budget. Depending on students’ interests, this includes introducing them to specific vetted programs. Domestic programs are available for fall 2020, and we are already incorporating these into Gap Year plans for our students. It is possible that international programs will begin running again in spring 2021.

Many of our students are looking to stay more rooted in their communities this fall. This limits the experiential options available to them, and increases the need for good virtual options. As we looked around, we did not see many options for virtual activities structured for the needs and goals of Gap Year students. So we created ImagineU.

What is ImagineU?

ImagineU complements in-person local activities that Gap Year students build with the help of Gap Year Solutions, or on their own. ImagineU recognizes the importance of mastering the non-academic skills critical to college success, including gaining self-confidence, focusing on what matters, and becoming more independent. Weekly 1:1 mentoring with students, which creates structure and accountability, is core to the approach. ImagineU is designed to be engaging and to create community and social connections among these students. We want to spark ideas, stimulate curiosity, and help students imagine possibilities! More details on ImagineU are available here.

Being able to connect with other gap year students virtually definitely opened my eyes to so many parts of the world through stories and connections…my gap year definitely prepared and helped me navigate the world, and especially during a hard time like this.

Zach Herman, Gap Year Solutions student, Spring 2020

Next Steps

If you would like to learn more about how we help students plan their Gap Year experience, please submit your information here. We will schedule an initial 30 minute phone conversation to get introduced, and answer your questions about Gap Years and our services.

Following this introductory phone call, we will schedule a one hour meeting with the student and at least one parent to review the student’s responses to our Gap Year Questionnaire, answer more detailed questions about Gap Year options including ImagineU, and establish budget and boundaries for your Gap Year planning process.

We ask all students considering a Gap Year to review our Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC) as part of this process.

Packages & Fees

Gap Year Plan:  $1,800

A successful Gap Year depends on articulating interests and goals, and building these into a well thought out plan. Gap Year Solutions listens to the needs and interests of each student, and works closely with the student and family to structure customized Gap Year activities. Our experience working with students and families, research with program educators, vetting of activities and program options including site visits, and feedback from hundreds of students who have completed Gap Years help us develop Gap Year plans tailored to each student’s individual situation.

For the Gap Year Plan, Gap Year Solutions:

• meets with the student and family in-person (if appropriate) and via email / text / phone to further explore the student’s interests and goals, advise students of additional requests and questions to shape options.
• prepares initial ideas for how the student may wish to spend their Gap Year time, including internships, paid work, service work, travel, language study and other experiences. For Fall 2020, we will work with students to identify activities in their local community and throughout the U.S., assuming that international travel will remain limited. If students are interested in domestic travel, Gap Year Solutions will suggest options within the U.S. including structured programs and independent travel experiences. For Spring 2021, our hope (and planning assumption) is that more international travel options will be available.
• conducts additional research and consultation with Program Directors and others as needed,
• vets specific options to fit within the proposed plan and budget, and
• delivers a plan consistent with the student’s interests, goals, timing and budget.

The Gap Year Plan requires students to complete a questionnaire about their experience at the end of the Gap Year.

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ImagineU: $1,500 (for Gap Year Plan clients)

ImagineU is a semester-long set of structured virtual activities that complement local jobs, local service opportunities and volunteer work, and other traditional activities organized as part of the student’s Gap Year Plan. This package allows students to choose virtual activities that interest them and support their Gap Year goals. We help students structure their time each week with local and virtual activities. ImagineU includes choices in the following areas:

• Intensive 1:1 mentoring provided by Katherine
• Online skill-building workshops unique to Gap Year Solutions.
• Online guest speaker series developed by Gap Year Solutions.
• Online micro-internships sourced by Gap Year Solutions.
• Capstone project delivered at conclusion of semester
• Weekly online Gap Chats for social connection
• Curated list of additional options for self-guided learning, including focus on mental and physical well-being, language and university courses, life skills, and cultural immersion

More details on ImagineU are available here. Submit your information on our Contact form to schedule time to speak with us about ImagineU.

Program Length: 13 weeks (September 14, 2020 through December 11, 2020)

ImagineU will enroll a limited number of students for Fall 2020.

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Advanced Planning:  Hourly Rate

Some families wish Gap Year Solutions to continue work after the Gap Year Plan has been finalized. Upon request, Gap Year Solutions will bill hourly for this work.  We will conduct regular check-ins with the student and family to ensure we are aligned on direction, progress and timing.

Fees for the Gap Year Plan must be paid in full before we begin our research. Once work has begun, all fees are non-refundable.