User:Abbyervin/sandbox

A gap year is a year spent taking time off between life stages. An increasingly popular option, it provides time for traveling, volunteering, learning a new language, or experiencing any number of other activities for personal growth. Typically, students take a gap year after graduating from high school and before attending college.Gap years have been common in Europe for many years, but they are growing more popular throughout the U.S. While there are no official statistics that track participation in gap year programs, the Associated Press reports that 30,000 to 40,000 students take advantage of the break each year, and the year 2015 showed a 22 percent increase in students taking gap years over the previous year, according to surveys taken by the American Gap Association. It’s important to note that gap years can look very different for different students; some engage in structured programs while others work toward more personal goals.

Parents Perspective
Parents often worry that students will "lose their edge" if they delay school

Some parents push for — or insist on — a gap year