Alternatives to Starting College ASAP After High School

It may seem as if you have to go directly from high school to college, but that’s not true. You have options for post-secondary, pre-college opportunities.

One of the options is to take a gap year, also referred to as a sabbatical year. Essentially, you can focus on developmental and enriching activities during the year (or two) after graduating high school. You can devote your gap year to doing community service related to a cause you’re passionate about. You can apply for a part-time, full-time, or apprenticeship position to gain experience/exposure to a career you’re interested in. You can travel, domestically or internationally. The possibilities are near endless because this is the time you can use to discover and experiment with ideas you have before committing to the responsibilities of being a full-time college student.

Personally, I took a gap year before my freshmen year of college to study and volunteer in Brazil. Junior year of high school, I started applying to study abroad programs that were being offered by trusted organizations and that aligned with my interests. Then, I searched and applied for ways to fund the program cost and potential living costs for my gap year. Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I made before going to college. I gained experience with being away from home and handling homesickness. Also, I gained new skills that I would later use to network with others.

People do another common thing during the gap between high school and college is enlisting in the armed forces. For example, Barbara Oakley, Ph.D., enlisted in the U.S Army after high school and then obtained her first of many degrees with the support of the Army. She mentions how her experience in the army helped her discover her passion to study engineering and better understand the communications equipment she encountered in the army.

So, don’t automatically think you have to go straight from high school to college. You can take a developmental break to learn more about yourself, learn new skills, gain experience. The possibilities are endless, so contact one of our counselors for free to help you navigate through all your options.