Post Graduate Year for Young Men–An Extra Year to Prepare

I recently spoke with Jennifer Gaworski, Associate Director of Admission at Bridgton Academy about the benefits of taking an extra year before college.  This practice is not altogether uncommon in the northeastern part of the US, where many students make a decision to take an extra year of secondary school to continue to develop themselves academically before entering college.

Bridgton Academy, located in rural Maine, is an all-men’s, dedicated PG (or “post graduate”) program.  Many of the boys who attend are also athletes who aspire to play at a high level in college.

In this short video, Ms. Gaworski gives a bit more information about the benefits of doing a PG year before college.

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GAP Year Abroad–A Great Way to Prepare for College and Learn About the World

I recently attended a GAP year fair to learn more about the growing number of excellent programs for students who want to take a year out between high school and college to pursue something different. Some students engage in community service, some travel the world, and some opt for another sort of educational experience.

At the fair, I met Chris Stakich, the co-founder and executive director of “Thinking Beyond Borders.”  This is an eight month GAP year program structured to expose participants to several key global issues.  I was so struck by the content of this program that I took Chris aside to ask him a few questions about his program.

This interview appears in the video below.


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The Benefits (and Risks) of a GAP Year In Tough Economic Times

The New York Times carried an article yesterday, entitled
Delaying College for a Year Could Have Benefits, which lays out a few creative reasons for putting off college for a year.
The financial arguments boil down to this:
1.  President Obama’s proposed changes to federal student aid may put a few hundred dollars more per year in a student’s coffers (of course, the plan will have to get through Congress first…but perhaps, “yes, it can”).
2.  The economy could get a bit better, meaning that money Mom and Dad have set aside might be worth a bit more tomorrow than it is today (of course, it could also be worth less…but who wants to think that way?).
As the article attests, it is tough to get many students pumped up about a Gap Year, because it just “isn’t the norm.”  However, I like the idea of a Gap Year for many students who really don’t have a solid direction, who maybe don’t love school so much and need a break, or for kids who want to take advantage of their youth while they still have it.
If I had it to do all over again, I’d certainly take a Gap Year.  In fact, I’d like to take a Gap Year now.
What is that quotation about how youth is wasted on the young?  Who said that?
Mark Montgomery
Educational Consultant
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Directory of Summer Opportunities and Gap Year Programs

A client asked me the other day where she could find a directory of summer opportunities for high school students. I told her the best resource is maintained by Phillips Andover in Massachusetts. You can find the directory of summer programs here. It includes some excellent “gap year” or “interim year” programs, as well.

Mark Montgomery
College Search Expert and Counselor

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