gap year

Last week we covered a story exploring the potential benefits of a gap year – postponing the start of college.  In our interviews, we reported that although the gap year may be important in helping some young students mature and realize their ambitions in life, the privilege of affording this experience is very much contingent on one's economic background. Today, we hear some of your comments on our report to get a better idea of how people feel about gap years.

The idea of a gap year, postponing the start of college, has become a bit more common in the U.S. and a handful of colleges and universities are now actually encouraging accepted students to take a year break before starting classes. While the experience is still out of reach for most students, more schools are expected to support and even help pay for gap years.