Some high school students do take gap years

Cleveland Magazine spoke with Teneisha Dyer, assistant dean for student recruitment and marketing at the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services and Information Technology, for a story about high school students considering taking a gap year after graduation.

“A gap year is not a delay. It’s a tool, but it has to be mission-driven,” Dyer told Cleveland Magazine.

From a higher-education perspective, she says, the year must be intentional and structured, with a clear re-entry plan that ensures students return stronger, not stalled. But many educators say the decision to take a gap year remains uncommon.

The idea of a gap year has expanded in some everyday conversations. It could be interpreted as not applying to college at all, taking time off to travel or work, or taking a break. While on the surface, a gap year might spell freedom, there are parameters.

Technically, a gap year is granted to a student after applying and being accepted to a school. With this approval and a plan, a student can defer enrollment and dedicate a year to learning service or an experience tied to growth, Dyer explains.  

She suggests that students should meet with college admissions to discuss how taking the time off could affect merit aid, deadlines and eligibility. 

“Every situation is different,” Dyer told Cleveland. “It’s always best to meet with admissions counselors, learn more about the institution, their priorities, their rules when it comes to a gap year and how it might impact them academically and financially.”

Read the full story with CECH’s Teneisha Dyer in Cleveland Magazine online.