Gap years have changed quite a bit over the last decade, moving beyond global travel and volunteering to any activities (travel or no travel) that contribute to personal growth, and
Profiles of three Harvard students who took gap time before or during college. (Harvard College News, 12/18/2025). Click here
Katherine Stievater, founder of Gap Year Solutions, and Joanna Lilley, founder of Lilley Consulting, discuss therapeutic programs and gap year programs for members of the Independent Educational Consultant Association (IECA).
by Katherine Stievater Couldn’t agree more with the opinion expressed by Dr. Carol Langlois and Becky Mulholland in their recent Inside Higher Ed article: “The gap year concept is overdue
I know I’m going to spend my life on a laptop. So I volunteered on a farm before college, to get my hands dirty. (One person’s story about WWOOFing.) The
Jonathan Kyed is 21 years old and on his second Gap Year. He’s also from Denmark, where a remarkable 80% of students take a Gap Year after high school.
Is the most recent change in focus for Gap Year students a sign of things to come in higher ed? Perhaps. One thing we can say with confidence is that the steep and ongoing decline in acceptance rates at selective colleges is almost certainly going to increase the number of students taking a Gap Year.
We want to make sure that students planning a Gap Year understand how to successfully receive a “yes” for their deferral request!
During this spring season, I am filled with hope, especially as I see the number of COVID vaccinations increase and infections decline significantly from highs earlier this year. I am optimistic about what is ahead in the Gap Year world, and want to share a few of the things I’m thinking about.
There are so many things to do during a time when social distancing guidelines are still in place and international travel is limited. These are great ideas for any Gap Year – keep them in mind even when we are back to our “new normal”!
