American students starting to embrace gap years

An increasing number of American students are choosing to take a gap year between high school and university, it has been claimed.

Robert Clagett, former senior admissions officer at Harvard College, said there is "burgeoning interest" in taking a year out, despite - and perhaps as a result - of the pressures placed on young people to succeed in education.

Writing for the New York Times, he commented on the cultural significance that Americans attach to the college admissions process, which gets "ratcheted up year after year".

"It can frequently seem as if where we go to college has become more important than what we actually do with the opportunity once we get there," he stated.

"For some, getting into the perfect college has become an end in itself, rather than a means to an end, and finally having the brass ring in hand can sometimes lead to a sense of letdown and even underachievement once they arrive on campus."

Mr Clagett suggested that the increase in US student gap years may represent a voluntary removal from the "lock-step mentality" that too often characterises the high school experience.

He noted that gap years are practically the norm in many parts of the world - such as the UK - but the convention in the United States is to graduate from high school in the spring and head off to college in the fall.

That said, more and more students are "stepping off the educational treadmill", pursuing interests, talents or jobs for reasons other than just helping them get into their college of choice, Mr Clagett added.

In the process of doing so, they are reminding themselves of what their education is really all about, he told the news provider.

"There has also developed an industry of programs, books, gap year fairs, counselling services and sometimes even financial aid to help students pursue their passions during a year away from their formal education," he stated.

Mr Clagett explained that most high school students planning to take a gap year still go through the college admissions process when they are seniors in high school, then request a deferral of their enrolment.

"But as long as those students are proposing something worthwhile for their year off, most colleges are open to approving these requests," he noted.

"They realise it can only lead to a more focused and mature student body."

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