I've been mulling over the idea of taking a gap year for a while now, and I wanted to ask for advice from adults who are veterans of the process on whether this is the right path.
I'm currently 18 and a high school senior. I'm applying to colleges this year, and I would be deferring admission to do a gap year. I would ideally like to go to Germany or another country where German is the primary language. I originally wanted to start taking German in college, but am now realizing that I thrive in a culturally immersive environment as opposed to a classroom. I'm considering a gap year so that I can dive into advanced/literature classes once I get to college, and, frankly, a year of learning and studying outside of the grind of the school system sounds like an attractive option.
Finances, of course, will be a limiting factor, so I'm looking at full and partial scholarships. These are the options I've found:
- CBYX: I'm just on the cusp of the age limit for the high school program. Would I apply to the high school program (age 15-18.5 yrs) or the CBYX for Young Professionals (18+)?
- Rotary Exchange: I saw on the Gap Year thread that one or two people got a scholarship for an international exchange through the Rotary Club. I couldn't find any info on this exchange on my local Rotary Club's website. How does this work? How can you apply for a scholarship? Do you have to have already been involved with the Rotary Club?
Does anyone else have any other gap year programs they recommend? Like I said, I'm not 100% sure if this is my path yet, but it's something I want at least to consider, lest I regret not doing so in the future.
Thanks!
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