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High-school graduates are taking a new kind of gap year as the coronavirus upends their college plans

Jul 21, 2020, 02:21 IST
Insider
Two California high-school students at their drive-in graduation ceremony in June.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
  • Many high-school graduates are currently in the process of deciding whether or not they'll attend college in the fall.
  • Though some are eager to begin online classes, others say they'd prefer taking a gap year so that they can one day experience everything college has to offer — including in-person classes — down the road.
  • Some schools do offer programs for students to take gap years, though others are not as accommodating.
  • Insider spoke with three recent graduates about their college plans, how they've decided to spend the next year, and how they feel about their futures.
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Many high-school seniors had the same game plan at the start of the school year. Graduate, enjoy summer vacation, then head off to college.

Now, those same students have to navigate a world consumed by the coronavirus.

A growing number of students are considering taking gap years in place of attending college in the fall. Some say they're doing so because they don't want to take online courses, while others say they'd rather wait to get the full college experience, which isn't possible with social-distancing measures in place.

Insider spoke with three recent graduates about their change of plans and the new gap-year trend. All three asked that we refer to them by their first name only to protect their anonymity.

Colleges admissions are being heavily impacted by the coronavirus

Though each college and university is different, numerous schools are planning to welcome students to campus for the fall 2020 semester.

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In a study of approximately 1,200 schools currently being conducted by The Chronicle of Higher Education, 55% of colleges said they plan to reopen as usual in September. Ten said they'll be offering online education instead, according to the study, and 30% of schools said they're working on hybrid models that will include a mix of the two.

Many colleges have not shared the number of students not attending in the fall.Genaro Molina/Getty Images
However, it's currently unclear as to how many students are choosing not to attend college in the fall. As Anemona Hartocollis and Dan Levin wrote for The New York Times, "admissions officers are reluctant to admit weakness, meaning there is little hard data at this point. But there are clear signs of concern about plummeting enrollment and lost revenue."

Many colleges are turning to waitlists to fill classes this fall. As Allen Koh, CEO of consulting company Cardinal Education, told Insider's Kelly McLaughlin, "people's financial conditions are deteriorating by the day," so some people are waiting to see if the cost of college goes down before making a decision.

"There will still be families continuing to drop out because of finances, and because of that waitlists will be active through the summer," Koh said.

There's also evidence that recent graduates have a growing interest in taking gap years, or a year spent focusing on work, travel, and mental health before starting college. As Forbes' Kelly Anne Smith pointed out, Google searches for the phrase "gap year" began to spike around the same time the pandemic hit its peak in the US, on March 15.

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"The only other time there was a notable spike in the keyword term was in May 2016, when reports surfaced that Malia Obama was considering taking a gap year," Smith wrote.

Searches for the phrase "gap year" spiked in March.Google Trends

A study by consulting and research firm Art & Science Group LLC, which polled more than 1,100 high-school seniors in April, also points to a newfound interest in gap years. Sixteen percent of surveyed students said they'll be taking a gap year as a result of the pandemic.

Schools have varying policies regarding gap years

While there are schools with programs in place to support gap years, many of them require students to volunteer in other countries during that time, which likely isn't possible during the pandemic.

Instead of a full year, some students opt to take semester gaps.

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Elizabeth, a high-school graduate from California, told Insider that she wanted to pause her college career to take a gap semester after learning that her university would only be offering online classes.

She says computer-based classes aren't for her, as she "can't focus" on the material when shared through a screen. However, she didn't want to take too much time off from school, as she still wanted to graduate on time. Regardless, her university only allows students to take gap years, not gap semesters, forcing her to stay enrolled.

High-school graduates told Insider they'll be working, traveling, and focusing on their mental health in place of going to college

Sarah S., a recent graduate from Texas, intended to spend her summer traveling, hanging out with friends, and prepping for Yale, where she planned to attend classes in the fall. Instead, she decided to take a gap year after learning that most of the university's courses will be held online next semester.

"I was initially excited and prepared for the first-year experience, but it was significantly less appealing after college plans came out in early July," she told Insider.

Sarah said she wasn't immediately intrigued by the idea of a gap year, but realized later that it might be beneficial for her mental health to take some time off before starting college. She told Insider that throughout the year, she'll be working at a daycare program and completing a term with AmeriCorps, while also taking time for hobbies like reading, jewelry-making, and learning Arabic.

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"I'm excited because I really like working with kids and having a defined schedule, and this year gives me more time to pursue that," Sarah said. "I'm hoping, if the pandemic fades by late spring, to travel in Europe with money saved from work. I've never been, and it would be a unique time to travel."

Sarah S. from Texas was meant to attend Yale in the fall.Associated Press/Beth J. Harpaz

Another high-school graduate named Victoria told Insider that she decided to take a gap year after a traveling program she was enrolled in at Southern Utah University was canceled.

"During my gap year I'm trying to get a better job, which has been difficult due to COVID-19," Victoria told Insider. "The best thing I can do right now is save money because my plans are up in the air."

She added that she's "pretty worried about what the future holds," and said that "college doesn't seem like the answer right now."

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