Worn-out high school seniors are getting fresh encouragement from a range of sources to take a break â?? a “gap year” â?? before plunging into college. But to be beneficial, it needs to involve more than rest and relaxation.
This spring, high schools in seven metropolitan areas hosted their first gap-year fairs to acquaint students with options for spending a year away from the academic treadmill. Earlier in the year, Princeton University announced plans to formalize a “bridge year” program for admitted students to do service work abroad before enrolling.