Happy first day of spirit week everyone! Congrats to you juniors :P
Next item of business: over break I decided I would work on a bunch of the informational blogs, then save them as drafts and just click "publish" when I was ready. I discovered an awful truth though...Google is insane. Half the time I want to chuck the computer out the window in frustration because my blog is malfunctioning. Maybe I'm malfunctioning. Anyway, I wrote a blog about financial aid, but since I began it on January 5th, it published it as such. Here is the link http://collegecorner-celinda.blogspot.com/2011/01/f-is-for-financial-aid.html
Today though, we are discussing a really fun topic: Gap Year!
Every year, at least a few students decide to defer their acceptance for a year in order to travel, work, volunteer, or rest before another four grueling years in college. Most of the students do a Rotary exchange, and the two (FABULOUS) interviews I have are from Class of 2010 students on Rotary, but it isn't the only option. I will provide you some other suggestions/resources, if this isn't the program you aspire to. To start though, enjoy these two interviews from Chris Yoder and Tianna Pittenger!
Tianna (Brazil)
-Why did you decide to take a Gap year?
I wanted to take a gap year ever since my sister went on her foreign exchange to India. I saw the good that it did for her and realized that it would be the experience of a lifetime if I did so as well. She had so much fun and learned so much about other cultures while she was away, and she ended up growing into more of an adult. I wanted the same for myself.
-If you are abroad, what is the process like? When should they begin?
The process for the program that I'm with, Rotary International, is fairly tedious. You need to start applying some time in November, I think, and before that, you need to have interviews and such. The application is daunting: 16 pages, and you need to have 6 copies, all color, with original photos. It's all explained in the meetings, but even so, it's a task, and some people don't even get past that. But it's totally worth it. If someone wants to do a gap year with Rotary, they need to start asking in September or October about the program. Lisa Micele is in contact with representatives who will tell her about meetings and such that they have. Just ask her, and she can generally hook you up.
-How do you deal with colleges and deferring a year?
The college deferral process is fairly painless. But before you apply to a college that you really want, you need to make sure that they allow deferrals and are cool with the program that you choose to be with. But after you get in to whichever college you choose, you need to make a deposit to secure your place, then fill out a deferral form that basically tells them what you're doing and why. The "why" is important, because they could just say, "Eh, this doesn't really seem like a good enough reason." But other than that, it's easy enough. Finding the form on the website was the hardest thing that I had to do.
Chris (India)
Rotary Youth Exchange – Nagpur, India
Hey Celinda,
First, I want to say that this year has been the best thing I have ever done with my life. Now for the questions:
I originally applied for this exchange in November, when it was just another option for the 2010-11 year, like the seven colleges I applied to. I wasn't set on taking a gap year, I was just going to see what happened with my application and see what happened with college.
The further I got into the process of Rotary Exchange, the more committed I became to taking a gap year for the program. My initial application was submitted in November, after two interviews and five copies of a really long paper application. We were given 40 countries to rank, and most of us received one of our top five choices. (India was my fourth choice.) The district which Uni students would apply from (6490) has a 100% acceptance rate. I got my country assignment in January, and I learned my city assignment in April. If I recall correctly, Ethan Stone (class of '08) applied in the spring and was accepted, although there is less flexibility with countries the later you apply. It's still not too late now though!
Rotary Youth Exchange, in a nutshell, is a one-year cultural exchange program. Students live with host families in another country in an attempt to learn the foreign culture and make connections with people abroad. We're not so much students as we are cultural ambassadors: school is not the primary purpose of our exchange.
The financial commitment for the year is also very reasonable: our host families and Rotary clubs account for most of our living expenses. We only have to pay for plane tickets, the July conference in Grand Rapids, MI, and optional tours of our countries/continents.
Of the seven schools I applied to, I was accepted at three (UIUC, Berkeley and USC) and waitlisted at four (Northwestern, UChicago, Vanderbilt and WashU, all to which I was later denied). All but Berkeley and USC said they would definitely allow deferral. As Berkeley was my top choice left, I made a special request to defer, which was granted, and that's where I'll be going after this. Sometimes, it just takes a little extra effort in talking with admissions people. I think most colleges are willing to grant gap years when there's a valid reason to take one.
Rotary Youth Exchange is an excellent gap year opportunity that I think most Uni students would do well with. It's the opportunity of a lifetime and it's the best thing I've ever done.
All the best,
Chris
P.S. Mr. Stone is a good person to talk to about Rotary Youth Exchange.
Chris and Tianna are on opposite sides of the globe, speaking completely different languages, learning completely different cultures, etc. but one thing they have in common: this experience is life-changing for them. Remember though, while I extol the Rotary program, I am not going on an exchange. My personal choice is to go straight to college. Both choices are legitimate and personal. Another thing to keep in mind, if you are considering to do Rotary, is that Rotary is an intense process that starts in November of your senior year (you can begin later, as Chris says, but it becomes more difficult). If you are considering it, have a serious discussion with your parents this spring/summer and check out http://www.rotary.org/en/Pages/ridefault.aspx
Remember, though the Rotary's main purpose is to provide you a cultural experience, you will be expected to attend school. However, from what I hear, Uni kids can handle the school part easily enough.
Not all Uni students decide to go on Rotary. Some decide to stay here and work to raise money for college, some volunteer either locally, regionally, or internationally, and some just...take a year off. Uni is five incredibly intense years, and the idea of jumping into another four years of school is sometimes a little too much to bear (TOTALLY. UNDERSTANDABLE. You have no idea how hard it was to go to school today). Here are a few resources to look at if you are considering the Gap Year, minus the Rotary:
http://globalcitizenyear.org/
http://www.nols.edu/courses/find/byage/gap_year.shtml?gclid=CNSZkMP406YCFY64KgodFWbxHw
http://www.squidoo.com/gapyearlinks
IMPORTANT: Like with scholarship scams, be careful and smart with your research. Avoid shady offers/websites/organizations. If you aren't sure, check with Lisa. If a program needs an interview, bring a trusted adult to the location (you will do the actual interview alone, but you should bring an adult in case something is wrong).
Anyway, soon we are going to discuss Housing and a blog I am really excited to write about...The Ivy Leagues. (cue dramatic music!). Plus, this week, expect to see Sheela blogging her little heart out :]
-Celinda :D
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