Taking a Break: What are the Benefits of a Gap Semester?
You can take a gap semester and still graduate in four years at Pacific. Spend more time deciding on a major, applying for scholarships, or saving money for school without the stress of falling behind on the pathway to your purpose.
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It’s this confidence that drives nearly 50,000 students each year to take a gap semester or gap year between the end of high school and their first year of college.
Whether traveling, working, or just needing a break before jumping back into school, taking a gap semester could help kickstart the degree that empowers you to pursue your purpose.
Understanding the benefits of a gap semester and how it fits into your college timeline will determine whether deferring your college application is right for you.
Discover the pros and cons of taking a gap semester and how Pacific’s rolling admissions deadline enables you to apply at your own pace.
What is a Gap Semester?
Often taking place after high school graduation, a college gap semester is an opportunity for students to pause before resuming their education at the college level.
While you can spend a gap semester however you wish, many students use the time to discover new passions and choose a major that will lead to a lifelong career.
These discoveries can come in the form of travel, volunteer work, or job shadowing, and can supplement your eventual admissions application with new skills and life experiences.
Policies at colleges vary, but generally taking a gap semester is not the same as deferring enrollment, and you will have to apply and resubmit your FAFSA to schools you're interested in at a later time.
However, rolling admissions, like those at Pacific, enable you to apply throughout the academic year, meaning that you can take advantage of a gap semester without missing the admissions window.
Importantly, a gap semester is not the same as a leave of absence, which students have the option to take during the course of their degree as opposed to before starting college.
Why Would You Take a Gap Semester?
Every student’s circumstances are different, so there is no one reason someone might choose to take a gap semester between high school and college.
Some of the main reasons students pursue a college gap semester include:
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Taking more time to decide on a major. Understanding how your passions relate to a specific major or degree path is the first step in starting a rewarding career and also helps you graduate on time.
The extra time afforded by a gap semester can point you in the right direction, helping to align your passions with a degree that can amplify them.
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To work and save money for school. While the cost of private college tuition is cheaper than you may think, it’s still a significant amount of money.
Having a financial cushion can take much of the stress off of your first year on campus, and some jobs can help you build a resume.
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Responding to life changes. Sometimes the unexpected happens and it can delay starting college.
Taking a gap semester between high school and college can help to accommodate these changes while still enabling you to graduate in four years once enrolled.
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Unexpected application changes. Required online forms, such as the Common App or FAFSA, are subject to change, which means they don’t always align well with everyone’s admissions timeline.
Missing these application windows — like what happened to so many with the 2023 FAFSA delay — does not mean the end of your college journey, as they open every year. A gap semester can help you prepare in advance so that you are ready the next time the application window opens.
What are the Benefits of a Gap Semester?
Research has shown that there are many benefits to taking a break between high school and college, meaning that making the most of your gap semester can have lasting impacts.
Taking advantage of a gap semester can give you:
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More time to prepare for college. Being nervous about the first year of college is completely normal. For some, taking a gap semester can help ease that anxiety.
Having more time to make a college decision can allow you to learn more about campus life, academic programs, and financial aid, all of which can help ease the stress of the college transition.
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Improved first-year performance. Research has shown that students who pursue a gap year or gap semester perform better academically and can maintain a higher GPA throughout the entirety of their undergraduate degree path.
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Extended time to research scholarships. Sometimes scholarship deadlines don’t line up with your college timeline, and taking extra time to prepare for and apply to scholarships that will ease the cost of college can be an excellent use of a gap semester.
Are There Ways to Travel After High School Without Taking a Gap Semester?
There are!
Some students use a gap semester as a way to travel internationally, but many programs, especially those at small, private liberal arts colleges, emphasize travel during school through study abroad opportunities.
Highlighting not only academics but cultural exploration as well, study abroad programs allow students to travel extensively while still furthering their degree.
Scholarships for study abroad opportunities are available, meaning that including travel in your university timeline is more accessible than ever before even without a gap semester.
Just like your regular tuition, study abroad programs can be paid for with the same financial aid that you receive through merit scholarships or from your FAFSA.
Will it Take Longer to Graduate if I Take a Gap Semester?
Not at Pacific!
Contrary to what many believe, taking time off before starting college does not put you behind when it comes to graduating in four years and starting your career.
Pacific’s Four-Year Graduation Guarantee means that, regardless of when you enroll or how far from your senior year of high school you apply, you can graduate on a normal, four-year timeline.
Graduating on time means spending less money and putting your passions into practice sooner with a rewarding career.
Want to learn more about applying after a gap semester? Pacific’s team of expert admissions counselors can help, answering any question you might have about becoming a Boxer.