Editorial: Why Tufts should continue to encourage gap years

Ten years ago, the notion of taking a gap year may have seemed like an entirely foreign concept in the United States. Nowadays, Malia Obama is just one of a growing number of students who have chosen to take time off before they begin their undergraduate education. According to the American Gap Association, the number of young people who take gap years has been rising for the last decade. It has become evident that as more students are made aware that postponing their freshman year is a feasible — and likely advantageous — option, many are seizing the opportunity to do so. With an ever-increasing number of studies and personal accounts revealing the advantages of taking time off, universities like ours should continue to endorse gap year programs for both the individual and community-wide benefits they provide. 

One of the biggest incentives for students to delay college is to take a break from the academic track. For many students, high school is a busy, stress-ridden marathon of standardized tests, advanced placement classes, extracurriculars and college applications. As colleges become more and more selective, American high schools have become breeding grounds for academic competition and increasingly rigorous schedules. Taking a gap year, therefore, gives students a well-needed break from academic rigor and prevents them from burning out — both mentally and emotionally — once they enter college.

Gap years can also provide students with the opportunity to experience another culture and learn another language if they choose to spend the year abroad and have the means to do so. With funding for foreign language education being cut in recent years, a gap year provides a valuable opportunity for students to gain language skills that are highly marketable. The Wall Street Journal reports that demand for foreign language proficiency should continue to grow in the near future. Furthermore, knowledge of other cultures is essential to increasing cultural competency, awareness and sensitivity in our schools and communities.

However, probably the most significant benefit of taking a gap year is to allow students time for self-reflection and gaining self-confidence. In the hustle and bustle of high school, it’s easy to forget to take time to know who you are and what you want out of life. Traveling, working and living on your own are all experiences that can increase self-confidence, develop maturity and foster a sense of purpose. Robert Clagett, the former dean of admissions at Middlebury College and a major proponent of gap years, has observed that students who take a year off often end up "reinventing" themselves, as they uncover their true interests and talents and develop a more well-adjusted outlook.

Still, despite the growing popularity of gap years and the clear benefits they provide, many Americans continue to view the year-long hiatus with apprehension. Parents, in particular, may worry that their child's year off will translate to getting off track. However, data has increasingly demonstrated that students who take gap years often return to college more mature, better adjusted and better prepared to handle the academic challenges that college presents. Studies have even shown that gap year students not only out-perform their non-gap-year classmates, but that they are also more inclined to wind up with satisfying careers.

The costs of taking a gap year can be a concern for some. Some individuals have pointed out the possible financial barriers of taking a year off, noting that some families simply cannot afford to send their kids on lavish programs costing tens of thousands of dollars. And while it is true that many gap year programs do come with exorbitant price tags, there are plenty of alternatives that won’t break the bank. Programs like City Year and Global Citizen Year provide students with stipends and financial support to do things like teach and pursue experiential learning. Students also have the option of designing a program independently, by arranging their own homestay or directly enrolling in classes abroad. Some may even choose to spend half the year working and saving money, and the other half traveling or partaking in other fulfilling experiences. All these options can save thousands, and can provide the same benefits as formal gap year programs.

Tufts' 1+4 Bridge-Year Service Learning Programis a great example of our university's efforts to encourage gap years and provide students with the opportunity to experience a transformational year abroad — centered around community service — before beginning their studies. Tufts has clearly recognized the astounding benefits of bridge programs, and its dedication to providing full support to students who qualify for financial aid should be seen as exemplary for other universities. Tufts should continue not only to promote our unique bridge-year program, but also encourage all admitted students to consider taking a year off for both the benefits it will provide students and our university as a whole.