Different paths after high school – Gap Year

As the time comes to decide post-secondary plans, adults fill students’ heads with all the typical options, mostly traditional college. However, many people tend to forget that taking a gap year, a year-long break before attending college, after high school is an option for some. With a gap year, students have the freedom to travel, work, or complete an internship before returning to school the next year. According to a 2017 survey by TD Ameritrade, 30,000 high school students choose to take a gap year, which has increased in recent years. Although uncommon in Mounds View culture, a gap year can be just what a student needs to experience new things and frame the next chapter of their life. 

Many students outside of Mounds View embrace the unique qualities of a gap year wholeheartedly. Ananda Córdova Stuart, a Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists alumna, spent a majority of her senior year auditioning for several fine arts programs across the country. After getting waitlisted and rejected from her top school, she chose to take a gap year to travel, work and audition again this year. “I wanted time to live and breathe because I remembered that life’s not a race and college will always be there,” Córdova Stuart said. Luckily, she received tremendous support from family and bonded with a few close friends who pursued similar paths. She spent the past semester performing A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie Theater, working at a restaurant and preparing to take a nine-week trip around Latin America. Although her trip was cut short due to COVID-19 concerns, she is hopeful for future cultural experiences. In the end, Córdova Stuart found her gap year to be extremely beneficial, helping her to develop confidence and change her perspective. Córdova Stuart emphasizes her never-ending love for learning. “Although I am so eager to learn, I know that I will never shut off that light,” Córdova Stuart said. She is planning to attend college in the fall and continue pursuing her interest in the arts. 

A gap year provides students with the flexibility to experience what high school may not give them. Cordova Stuart’s gap year plans tremendously varied from going to a traditional four-year college, yet she is on her own path to success. In contrast, the public commonly perceives that gap year students will not be as prepared for college, however, research by the Gap Year Association shows that 90% of students who take a gap year and return to school the next year are more likely to graduate on time and with a higher GPA. For more information and advice for structuring your own gap year, visit efgapyear.com to see all the unique opportunities offered.