Blog | Topic: Gap Year

The Benefits of Taking a Gap Year Explained

http://www.dreamstime.com/-image26198810It’s March, do you know what your seniors are doing next year? That’s an adapted title of a previous post explaining groundbreaking research about the popularity and effectiveness of taking a “gap year” between high school and college.

This past week major media outlets also discussed the value of gap year programs. In fact, many “elite colleges” are not helping students pay for taking a gap year. Why? During a recent interview on NPR, higher education consultant, Mara Dolan, explained the rational to reporter Kirk Carapezza this way:

MARA DOLAN: A lot of students need a gap year. They’re not ready to begin college.

CARAPEZZA: Mara Dolan is a higher education consultant. She doesn’t find it ironic that more schools are telling students to take a break and then overseeing their experience.

DOLAN: It’s certainly consistent with the idea of what a college education provides, which is something more than a degree. It’s developing the whole student so that they can become higher functioning individuals, when they go out in the world.

Listen to the entire NPR story here: “Mind The Gap (Year): A Break Before College Might Do Some Good

The benefits of taking a “gap year” was covered by two other major media outlets last week as well:

College Offers to Pay Students to Take Year Off” by Paige Sutherland for Time Magazine:

“Students who take part are able to see the world beyond the bubble they grew up in and return to school with a better perspective of their future.”

Go West, Young People! And East!” by Nicholas Kristof for The New York Times:

“Gap years are becoming a bit more common in the United States… Colleges tend to love it when students defer admission to take a gap year because those students arrive with more maturity and less propensity to spend freshman year in an alcoholic haze.”

Taking a gap year between high school and college is not for every student, to be sure, but it is a good option that should be considered, especially for students who are not quite sure what they want to do after high school or what they hope to accomplish in college.

More gap year resources are available here.

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It’s February, Do You Know What Your Seniors Are Doing Next Year?

GapYearIn yesterday’s Research + News, I highlighted a new, groundbreaking book by Josheph O’Shea Gap Year: How Delaying College Changes People in Ways the World Needs (Johns Hopkins University Press). Since I first heard of the concept and researched the many Christian Gap Year options, I’ve been an advocate for students and parents to consider taking “time-off” before going to college. It’s not for everyone, for sure, and there certainly are benefits to going to college right after high school. But I also think that a Gap Year should, at least, be on our “radar screens” as we make decisions about life after high school.

And now, it appears, recent research is making a strong case as well! In his article for Inside Higher Ed, “Don’t Go to College Next Year,” Dr. O’Shea writes:

“The challenges of our time demand an educational system that can help young people to become citizens of the world. We need our students to be smart, critical and innovative thinkers but also people of character who use their talents to help others. Gap years help young adults understand themselves, their relationships, and the world around them, which deepens capacities and perspectives crucial for effective citizenship. They help students become better thinkers and scholars, filled with passion, purpose, and perspective.”

YouLostMe_bookI’ve also had many opportunity to discuss  the benefits of taking a Gap Year in a variety of outlets. I include a discussion of taking a Gap Year in the College Transition Seminar; I have a page devoted to Gap Year in my book Make College Count; my article “God in the Gap Year: The Benefits of Taking Time Off Before Going to College” (.pdf) is the most downloaded article on this site; and when Barna Group president David Kinnaman asked me to contribute an “idea for change” for his book You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church and Rethinking Faith, I wrote “Take a Gap Year.”

I also provide a growing list of Christian Gap Year programs here. And I have a 60-second radio show talking about taking a Gap Year here.

All this to say… the conversation is in the air! Students and parents are beginning to re-think “life after high school” in some creative and helpful ways. The video above is from Gap Year Now, a website that “exists to educate and resource students considering a gap year. Gap Year Now is sponsored by Focus One, a Gap Year program located in Rockford, Illinois.

It’s exciting to be a part of this conversation. The years between 18-25 are formative. I think taking a Gap Year can allow time for God to form and shape students in the way the world needs!

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Auxano: Gap Year Program Interview

Auxano2Auxano is the gap year discipleship program of Camp Imadene, located on Vancouver Island off Canada’s west coast. Students live together with their leaders in a large house overlooking the local community, and travel each day to the camp for classes and service opportunities. This way, they keep one foot in the community and the other in the environment of learning and ministry. The focus is on learning to follow Jesus in all of life, becoming like him and joining him in his work. What follows is an interview with program director, Jim Badke.

What is the mission of your program?

Auxano is the Greek work for “grow.” Our mission is discipleship in the community through biblical training and service.

How many students participate?

The program is designed for eight to twelve students, age 18 to 23. This past year we had eight students and two peer leaders.

What are the basic elements of your program?

Community is essential to this program: the small student community acting like a “rock tumbler” as each is shaped by the lives of the others; the surrounding believer community of camp staff and church family who encourage and challenge them; and the broad local community that is touched and included in the lives of students as they live out their faith.

Biblical teaching takes top priority, providing a comprehensive understanding of most books of the Bible, and engaging students in discussions of burning issues like social justice, Christian worldview, spiritual formation, First Nations reconciliation and environmental stewardship. Rather than focus on assignments and grading, students interact with gifted teachers from the local area and the books they recommend, which allowed us to offer 23 modular courses of two to five days in length this past year.

Camp Imadene has a long tradition of volunteer service, hosting 500 to 600 volunteers during its summer camp season, and this heritage spills over into the Auxano program. Students are trained to care for the physical property of the camp and to facilitate activities with guest groups. There are also opportunities to serve in the local community with agencies that care for the homeless and ministries to the local First Nations community.

Life as a student includes several adventures along the way, starting with a canoe and hiking trip as the setting for the first course, rappelling and caving in the local mountains, surfing on the west coast of the Island and enjoying several days on the slopes of a ski hill that measures snow in meters. Students love Auxano House, which is their very comfortable retreat and residence.

Why are you passionate about your work?

There are few privileges better than helping people transition into adulthood. Young adults are emerging into their own system of beliefs, values and principles, and I love it when they take time out of their educational and occupational pursuits and devote a year to listening to God. A student once told me, “This program has ruined my life!” He explained that he was ruined for the ordinary, and that the path he once thought he would pursue was no longer satisfying. God had something more for him.

What do you tell parents who might be reluctant to have their child take a “year off” before going to college?

What is the greater risk? That students might join the work force a year later than their friends, or that they might spend four years getting a degree that has nothing to do with who they really are and that they will never use? Most young adults enter college years with no firm grasp on who they are and what God has in mind for them to accomplish in the world. I have seen many students completely alter their direction in life as a result of a gap year program. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Here is an opportunity for students to discover the purpose for which God designed them.

Related Resources:

Article: “God in the Gap Year: The Benefits of Taking Time Off Before Going to College” by Derek Melleby

Linkwww.cpyu.org/gapyear (a list of similar gap year programs)

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TREK: Gap Year Program Interview

TREKThe TREK gap year program is located at the YMCA’s Snow Mountain Ranch of the Rockies. The program runs September through April of each year. Participants experience faith development, character development, greater self-awareness and understanding, and direction for their lives. What follows is an interview with program Chaplain Steve Peterson:

What is the mission of your program?

The mission of our program is: “To assist students in achieving a better understanding of self, a better understanding of God, and a better understanding of what God might want to do through them”.

How many students participate?

This past year we had 10 students participate in the program. Our goal for the coming year is to have 15 graduate.

What are the basic elements of your program?

The basic elements of our program include: weekly small group gatherings, weekly large group gatherings, ongoing personal preparation (including lessons, and Bible readings) monthly reflection papers on the assigned Bible readings, monthly social gatherings, one on one’s with a mentor, and three retreats.

The material is divided into 4 stages:  Stage 1: Biblical Foundations. It is the goal that by the end of stage one each participant will have written a Biblical Mandate for their life. In other words, what are the Biblical foundations which will guide your decisions, priorities, etc.? Stage 2: Personal Foundations. In stage 2 we take them through a process where they begin to see how every relationship, every experience has shaped how they see the world, how they see themselves, and even how they see and understand God. By the end of this stage each participant will have written a personal narrative which is shared with the entire group on a retreat. This is always such a powerful experience in which the participants experience healing, and begin perhaps to redefine some of their misguided or hurtful understandings. Stage 3: Relational Foundations. In this stage we begin to examine to learn that we are not on this journey alone but in community. We attempt to create some cross cultural experiences, service experiences, and be intentional about community. And Stage 4: Practical Foundations. During this stage we take the participants through Strength Finder assessments and again go away on retreat to share the results with one another. It is a great time of affirmation, but also an opportunity to begin to learn what kinds of things I can do to build on my strengths and what are some things I might do which will give expression to my strengths.

Why are you passionate about your work?

I am passionate about my work because I am passionate about my faith and desire to help young people live into their faith and I am passionate about young people. I spent over 20 years in youth ministry before becoming the Chaplain at YMCA of the Rockies. I know that young people today are looking for more to give their lives to than just a good job that provides a good income. Although that may be enough motivation for some, many others are looking for greater purpose and meaning. I have an opportunity to help them discover that.

What do you tell parents who might be reluctant to have their child take a “year off” before going to college?

I would tell parents that I am confident that for most young people taking a year to go through a Gap year Program before college is a good thing to do. I am confident that your son or daughter will begin college with greater clarity and stronger resolve in their academic pursuits following a Gap year Experience. They will have an opportunity to mature and learn to live away from home and the direction of their parents in a more guided and safe environment. Most will achieve higher academic standards after a Gap year experience. Some may discover that college is not for them, but rather another career path is better suited for them before spending a great deal of money on tuition. In our case, it does give the young person an opportunity to save some money before beginning college.

Why do you think most students are attracted to your program?

I think young people are attracted to our program for several reasons. One, the cost of our program is lower than most that exist today. Two, the opportunity to be gainfully employed in mission-driven work while they are going through the program. Three, where we are located-being at nearly 9,000 feet above sea level in the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains provides limitless opportunities for outdoor recreation. And four, the content and direction of our program really meets a need in many young people today.

What do students who have completed your program say was the most meaningful part of the experience?

Most students having completed our program would say that the most impactful part of their participation in this program is the relationships which they develop. They tend to get really close going through this process together. The participants have also indicated how they value diversity and the things which they have learned about themselves and how they have grown in their relationship with God.

Related Resources:

Article: “God in the Gap Year: The Benefits of Taking Time Off Before Going to College” by Derek Melleby

Link: www.cpyu.org/gapyear (a list of similar gap year programs)

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One Life: Gap Year Program Interview

onelife logoOneLife is a new gap year program located in Dunbar, Wisconsin. The program’s motto: “Getting distracted lives fixated on one reason to live.” What follows is an interview with the program’s founder Peter Sullivan (for more information, please visit the OneLife website):

What is the mission of your program?

The mission of OneLife is to build a strong foundation in the lives of today’s youth, educating and engaging them to live as next-generation leaders completely surrendered to God for His Glory. By providing an intense discipleship culture in which students interact constantly with professors, staff members, and mentors in a relationship-oriented environment, OneLife seeks to instill in our students a life-long passion for the Gospel in all areas of life.

How many students participate?

16 students participate in this program annually.

What are the basic elements of your program?

The basic elements of OneLife consist of various block classes including Christian worldview, discipleship, financial stewardship, time management, and basic apologetics. These practical classes will be put into practice through various outreach and travel opportunities.

Why are you passionate about your work?

My passion for young people began about seven years ago when I went on a missions trip with my two daughters. We went to minister to the inner city kids of Jackson, Mississippi and I came away amazed at how the kids and I were ministered to as well. The ideas of letting go of ourselves, serving, and being in a tight community with a small group of people opened up our hearts and minds to something more than ourselves and our own little worlds. I came away with a passion to emulate this experience on a heightened level to next generation leaders. This passion has grown since that time as my wife and I have recently walked through the college-age years with 3 of our 5 children. We have seen firsthand areas that need to be fine-tuned and emphasized because of the insipid nature of our culture; areas that were important for our children to be grounded in before moving on to the next phase of their lives. These firsthand experiences have fueled my passion for educating the next generation.

What do you tell parents who might be reluctant to have their child take a “year off” before going to college?

It’s not the destination (major) that determines the outcome, it’s the vessel (person.)

Why do you think most students are attracted to your program?

This generation of students are searching for purpose in their lives. The OneLife program provides community, purpose, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences without having to sacrifice a year of college credits.

Related Resources:

Article: “God in the Gap Year: The Benefits of Taking Time Off Before Going to College” by Derek Melleby

Link: www.cpyu.org/gapyear (a list of similar gap year programs)

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God in the Gap Year: The Benefits of Taking Time Off Before Going to College

Last night I had the opportunity to speak to a group of students and parents at Franconia Mennonite Church in Telford, PA. It was an honor to share with the group ideas on how to make the most of these formative years. At one point in the evening, a current college student gave a presentation on his cross-cultural “gap year experience” with a mission’s organization. Now a student at Cairn University, he explained how taking some time off before going to college has really paid off.

I have been a huge advocate for students considering taking a gap year before heading off to college. Here’s what I suggested in my contribution to David Kinnaman’s book You Lost Me:

“Taking a gap year before going to college creates a remarkable opportunity for students to think more deeply and intentionally about the person God is calling him or her to be. Many students who struggle in college do so because they are not able to articulate reasons or explain goals for going to college. College has become the assumed next step after high school, with very little thought about why.

A growing trend among Christian camps, churches, and parachurch ministries is to provide a gap year experience for students that forces them out of the routine of “schooling” and into a deeper relationship with God. These residential programs typically last nine months; focus on worldview, identity, and service; and include a cross-cultural experience. While not for everyone, many students who participate in gap year programs are far more prepared for the transition to college and adulthood.

As followers of Christ, we are challenged to ‘not conform to the pattern of this world’ (Romans 12:2). This is a reminder that the church is shaped by a different story with a different definition of success. Too many students and parents allow the ‘world’s story’ to direct their higher education decisions and fail to think critically and biblically about the best steps for life after high school. Participating in a gap year program is a helpful way to counter this trend.”

Related Resources:

Visit www.cpyu.org/gapyear to see a list of Gap Year Programs.

Download the article “God in the Gap Year: The Benefits of Taking Time Off Before Going to College” (PDF) here.

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