Year Gap Travel College Paying Unexpected Visit High

Traditionally, "college-bound" (planning to go to college) Americans "enroll" (begin a program) in a university in August or September, in the same year they graduate from high school. However, in recent years, more and more American teenagers are choosing to take a "gap year," or use one year to travel or have an interesting life experience before they go to college.

For many students, a gap year involves traveling through other countries. Some of them simply travel to "see the sights" (visit important landmarks) in other countries. Others travel while "volunteering" (working without pay) in a community or studying a foreign language. They argue that a year spent "overseas" (in another country) helps them "broaden" (widen) their "perspective" (way of understanding and looking at things) on the world while helping them better identify their interests and decide what they want to study in college.

Other people take a gap year for more practical reasons, and not necessarily because they have a choice. Many high school graduates have to work for a few years to "earn" (make money) enough money to pay for tuition. Some people work full-time to save as much money as possible. Others try to attend college part-time while they are working.

Parents often worry that a gap year will make their children less likely to go to college. However, many "prestigious" (well known and respected) universities are encouraging applicants to take a gap year, because they believe the experience makes students more "well-rounded" (with diverse interests) and "mature" (with the ability to be responsible, make good decisions, and act like adults).