ElkaMariaTorpey

Elka Maria Torpeyis an economist inthe Office of Occu-pational Statisticsand EmploymentProjections, BLS.She is available at(202) 691-5719 orat torpey.elka@bls.gov.

year:Time off.

with a planIllllll

After high school. Matt Hendrenneeded a break. "I'd had a really fullacademic year," he says. "I was a

little bunied out and not so eager to get to thenext academic step. I knew that I wanted togo to school, but I wasn't fired up about it justthen."

So Hendren deferred his admission tothe University of North Carolina and spent2 years working for City Year Boston, anAmeriCorps-funded program. The experience,he says, helped to reinvigorate him and gethim excited about returning to school.

People like Hendren take time off fromschool or other endeavors for differentreasons—and at different points in their lives.This transitional period is often called a "gapyear." A gap year allows people to step off theusual educational or career path and reassesstheir future. And according to people who'vetaken a gap year, the time away can be wellworth it.

This article can help you decide whetherto take a gap year and how to make the mostof your time off. The next few pages describewhat a gap year is, including its pros andcons. Another section has tips for planninga successful year off. Suggestions for moreinformation begin on page 31.

To gap—or not to gap?"Gap year" often refers to postponing con-tinued study after high school. It can also bea break during or after college or graduateschool—or at almost any other time. Thepractice is common in the United Kingdomand other countries and increasingly familiarin the United States.

Although termed a gap year, the timeperiod can be longer or shorter than 12months. The concept of a gap year is fiex-ible in other ways, too. "Gap year is a stateof mind," says college career counselorMarianne Green. "It's a way of choosing an

2 6 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Fatl 2009

activity and using that experience in a waythat is helpful for the future." Just aboutanything, from working on a dude ranch toworking in a local store, can be turned into aninteresting gap-year experience, says Green:"What's important is the attitude that youhave."

Some gap years are unforeseen. A studentgraduating from college might, for example,have difficulty getting a full-time position inhis or her field of study. Or family obliga-tions might prevent someone from attendingcollege. Other gap years are more deliberatelychosen.

Regardless of the circumstances leadingto it, says Green, a gap year should be anintentional undertaking. "It's not a default,"she says. "The bottom line is that maybe youdidn't get into law school or maybe the job inan accounting firm fell through. But you canconsciously choose to make your time off thevery best experience you can."

Pros and cons of a gapA gap year can be a rewarding experience;however, it is not without potential draw-backs. Learning about the pros and cons canhelp in the decision-making process.

Discussing the possibility of a gap yearwith school counselors, family, and friends ishelpful when considering the implications oftaking time off. But in the end, the decisionsabout how to time an education or careerbelong to the person taking—or not taking—a year off.

Pros. There are many benefits to takingtime off. A gap year can provide experiencesthat help people gain insight about themselvesand their goals. It can give students a breakfrom the pressures associated with academ-ics, resulting in renewed enthusiasm for theirstudies when they return to school. And it canoffer young people real-world understandingof their classroom-based learning.

Fall 2009 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 2 7

For some students, a gap year helps toprepare them for future studies. "I feel somuch more ready for college now than whenI first graduated," says high school graduateMacauley O'Connor, who spent last year inJapan and China on a gap year arranged bythe Center for Interim Programs. "I learnedmore about, and I have a better perspectiveon, myself and the world."

Taking time off before going to schoolalso provides a chance to earn money fortuition and other expenses—in fact, more than80 colleges and universities now offer grantsto students who defer their studies to partici-pate in AmeriCorps—and can help peopledecide what they want to do. Sarah Kohut, forexample, traveled and worked after earningan undergraduate degree, using her time offto eam a little money as she considered hercareer options. After job shadowing and work-ing in a preschool and in retail, she returned tograduate school to study counseling in highereducation. "I'm so glad I did it." she says of

her gap. "I needed the time to figure thingsout."

Kohut's career plans—and the studentsshe will eventually counsel—benefit fromthe time she took to consider her own goals.That may be a common result, according toan independent study of 300 gap-year partici-pants between 1997 and 2006. "Long-term,students who took gap years overwhelminglywere satisfied with their jobs," says KarlHaigler, one of the authors of the study. Gap-year participants' sources of job satisfaction,he says, were most often driven by their abil-ity to help others.

Hendren. for one. is glad he spent his gapthat way. "The value of doing service workis very important." he says. "And. at age 18,knowing that your contribution to tbe worldcan be meaningful—that's something that alot of folks don't get."

Cons. Gap years also have drawbacks.Postponing school or work takes people offof a more traditional path, and it's sometimeschallenging to get back on. If not carefullyplanned, a gap year might seem too unstruc-tured, and people can become frustrated ifthey feel that they aren't putting their time togood use.

Once students get out of the routineof academics, returning to school can bedifficult. A June 2005 study by the U.S.Department of Education's National Centerfor Education Statistics found that studentswho delayed enrolling in college were lesslikely to eam a postsecondary credential thanthose who went directly from high school tocollege.

However, the Department of Educationstudy included all students wbo didn't godirectly to college; it did not examine theexperiences of gap-year students who electto temporarily postpone college and have aspecific plan for that time. Haigler's study,although smaller by comparison, specificallyconsiders that group. And his study found thatthe majority of students who take an inten-tional, planned gap year return to school tocontinue their studies.

2 8 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Fall 2009

But even those who do return to com-plete their education point to some of thechallenges that arise. "It's difficult to readjustto being at school because you've beenon your own, doing something that has animpact," says Hendren. "You're not exactly inthe same place as everyone else."

You also might not be in the same placeas your peers when competing for futureeducational or career opportimities. Althoughmany colleges and employers look favorablyon a well-structured gap year, others may takeissue with the break in continuity. Gap-yearparticipants should be prepared to answerquestions from school representatives andprospective employers about what they didduring their gap year and how their experi-ences influenced them.

Taking a gap year isn't for everyone.People who aren't fully committed to theirreasons for taking a gap year might not behappy with the experience. For example,students shouldn't pursue a gap year simply toprocrastinate applying to schools or becausesomeone else thinks it's a good idea. A year is

a long time, so carefully choosing activities isessential.

Planning a gap yearExperts say that the most important part ofa successful gap year is to have a plan. Themore people look into their options and un-derstand the consequences—good and bad—of taking a gap year, the happier they are withthe outcome.

"Preparation is critical to having a goodgap year," says career counselor Green. Thosewho have taken a gap year agree. Kohut, forexample, started her gap years not know-ing exactly what she was going to do andacknowledges that she could have done abetter job of planning beforehand.

Before deciding to take time oft", it's help-ful to think about what to do prior to leavingschool, expenses associated with a gap year,and activities and goals for the time off.

Tasks before leaving school. Potentialgap-year participants who are still in schoolshould do several things to ease their post-gapreturn.

Fall 2009 . Occupational Outlook Quarterty 2 9

I

If students plan to pursue an undergradu-ate or graduate education, ideally they shouldapply to schools, be accepted, and then askfor a 1-year deferment, experts say. This isespecially true at the undergraduate level,where many schools allow or even encouragestudents to defer their admission. Studentswho have been awarded scholarships anddefer admission are often allowed to retainthem after a gap. Each school sets its owndeferral policies; students should familiar-ize themselves with the rules at the ones thatinterest them.

Students are also advised to get referencesand take school admissions tests—such asthe SAT or the GRE—before leaving school.Gap-year participants usually have less accessto high school or college guidance officesthat help with school applications, career oreducational counseling, and job placements,so consider visiting these offices before leav-ing campus.

Expenses. It is also important to lookinto the costs associated with time off. Costs

can include not only living expenses but alsohealth insurance premiums, because cover-age usually is not available through parents'plans for adult dependents who are no longerstudents. To mitigate the risks associated withthis loss of insurance, temporary insurance isavailable. But this option is usually expensive.

Working full or part time is one way toearn money for gap-year travel and otheractivities, and many jobs provide insuranceand other benefits. Service programs mightoffer a stipend and pay for housing, education,and other costs, but participants often mustlearn to get by with less than they are accus-tomed to. Some businesses and consultantsspecialize in arranging gap years, but manyof the programs require payment to coverparticipants' expenses—which may includetransportation, lodging, and food—that add tothe cost of taking time off.

Activities and goals. Although somepeople might view the gap year as an escapefrom a structured environment, the betterorganized a gap year is. the better the experi-ence promises to be. Start getting organizedby determining the types of activities to bepursued and tbe overall goals for the time off.

For example, a recent college graduatemight work with a volunteer teaching orga-nization to test his skills, and consider hispotential, as a teacher. Or a high school gradu-ate might travel and work in restaurants, tak-ing a break from her schooling to get hands-on experience useful for deciding whether tostudy hospitality management in college.

People often do more than one activityduring their gap year; for example, they mighttravel for several weeks and then get a job orthey might participate in a service programwhile taking a class in an area of interest.Some gap-year participants do differentactivities during the fall and spring, breakingup their time like a college semester, some-times with another activity during the summerand winter breaks.

Popular options for gap-year activitiesinclude travel or cultural immersion,volunteering, public service work, and full-or part-time jobs or internships. Service

3 0 Occupational Outlook Quarterly . Fall 2009

organizations, such as AmeriCorps, are a goodsource to begin research. The AmeriCorpsWeb site, for example, allows people to searchfor programs by area of interest and State.(For a list of other organizations that offerpossible gap-year experiences, see the box onpages 32-33.)

Almost anything can make a gap yearrewarding, say experts, so long as the timeis well planned. What is important is that thechosen activity or activities be of interest andbenefit the gap-year participant in some way.Each person's experience will differ.

Likewise, the sources of satisfaction willvary. For some, it's the sense of accomplish-ment they get from following a different path."The best part," says Kohut of her 2-yearbreak between undergraduate and graduateschool, "is being able to say that I did it. Iwent out there on my own, kind of against thegrain, and I made it."

More informationStudents should visit their school's careerguidance office to find out more about gapyears and possible gap-year activities. Public

libraries have books about travel, intern-ships, careers, and other subjects thatmight be helpful to people consideringwhat to do during their time off". AndOne-Stop Career Centers have infor-mation on short-term job, service, andinternship opportunities. Find a centernear you by visiting www.servicelocator.org or calling toll free, I (877) 348-0502orTTY 1 (877)348-0501.

Career seekers sometimes take a gapyear to help them determine the type ofwork they're interested in doing. You canexplore career options without taking agap year—or even if you decide to taketime off—by using the OccupationalOutlook Handbook or OccupationalOutlook Quarterly, available online atwww.bls.gov/ooh and www.bls.gov/ooq,respectively. The Handbook providesnearly 300 occupational descriptions,along with detailed working conditions,earnings, and job outlook information.The Quarterly explores work and careersthrough a variety of topics.

Fall 2009 . Occupational Outlook Quarterly 3 1