Could a gap year be right for you?

As someone whose practice is built on helping students go on to 4-year colleges where they will thrive and ultimately lead lives of meaning, it is my job to help my clients who want this opportunity to consider the many paths they may take to get there. Yes. there are many paths, and sometimes it’s not a direct path right out of high school. 

I share this as I dig more deeply into what it means to be college-ready. When I send someone off to college, I want them to feel confident that they are truly ready to get the most out of their experience and will thrive while there. For a variety of reasons, though, they may not be there -  not yet. 

Not being ready for 4-year college at the end of high school is something we don’t talk about often enough in the United States. We often consider a straight path to be the best way to maintain one’s academic momentum and gain entry into the workforce at a higher pay scale. But this thinking feels flawed to me; it doesn’t take into consideration the many life circumstances that one encounters along their unique path.

I have met with an increasing number of high school students who report feeling stressed and anxious due to the academic and social pressures that surround them daily. These students may seem fine on the outside, but inside they are struggling. For years they have led highly structured lives with little time for pure joy and time to pursue their authentic interests. They’re tired, even burnt out. Going to college three months after graduating high school may not be the answer for all of them. Some may need other experiences to become refueled.

Then there are their peers who need a bit more time to develop. They seem young for their years and for different reasons don’t show the readiness to head off to college. They truly need the gift of time and the opportunities to build self-confidence and to problem-solve more independently. 

Still, others haven’t quite ever loved academics and haven’t fully applied themselves. Their grades don’t reflect their true abilities, and they are unclear on what they want to pursue in college. They just seem to be going through the motions. 

None of this feels good for these students. When they openly share what is on their mind, for many, the prospect of heading off to college upon graduating high school feels too exhausting, too overwhelming, or just simply doing school again. 

I have seen what one gains when given the opportunity to regroup, take an academic pause, explore the world in new ways, or engage in work, volunteering, and activities that hold specific meaning and interest. I am excited for those students who feel and are ready for a direct path to college; I am equally excited for those who feel they might benefit from the gift of a structured gap year.

Let the college years, whenever they come, be filled with purpose, excitement, and desire. Take time to consider your right path.

The importance of exploring majors earlier in high school

Is your child thinking about applying to some colleges and universities where record numbers of applications are taking admission offices by storm? Applications at hundreds of colleges and universities have become increasingly competitive, with some seeing up to a 75% increase in their numbers over the last 4 years. It is daunting.

When considering larger universities, the picture takes on an additional component. You can’t simply look at overall admission rates. You must consider the rates at the specific colleges within these universities. Certain highly sought-after majors such as business, nursing, or engineering can be twice as difficult. Really? Yes.

The good news, though, is that your child can do something about this and increase their chances of gaining admission.

Beyond being deliberate about the courses they choose to take in high school, they can prepare. They can be intentional. They need to be able to show on their application that they have engaged in their desired major beyond traditional coursework and have invested their time to gain the experiences and build the initial skills to know that they are not merely writing down an area of interest on their applications but can show through their activities that this major is a fit for them.

Timing matters.

They shouldn’t wait until the spring of their junior year to start engaging, for they won’t have enough time to explore with any depth. I suggest they seek out these formative experiences earlier in high school and enjoy the learning that will arise. They won’t believe the difference it will make.

Passion and talent do not always go hand in hand.

Discovering and pursuing a passion is important for all of us. Passion gives us joy and energy and provides important references for how we identify essential aspects of ourselves.

For some of us, our passion provides peace in our busy lives. For others, passion fuels us with adrenaline as we carve out our unique path in freshly fallen snow or hike that ever-more-challenging mountain. Others find fellowship through their passion, collaboratively working toward a common goal. It is not the passion that is significant, though; the significance lies in how the passion engages us and fills us in meaningful ways. It is what helps to sustain our psychological well-being.

If well-being is not enough, our passions also serve as training grounds for building perseverance. Very few of us learned to play an instrument without years of hitting the wrong notes. Those who were passionate about their instrument pushed through the discord because something about learning that instrument motivated them to work hard to overcome its inevitable challenges. When something engages and fills us, we “stick with it” and in time we build the skills that help us tackle setbacks that we encounter in other aspects of our lives.

Colleges understand these attributes and value them tremendously. As a candidate effectively relays their passions in their applications, admissions officers learn about the characteristics that they will bring to their campus; they learn how they will engage in the classroom and beyond, and what they will lean on to get them through tough times.

I write about this because so many of the students with whom I work have interests and talents but not necessarily a passion. They have spent years developing a set of skills and may even have received accolades for them. What’s missing for many, though, is that they don’t love what they do. It doesn’t drive them to work hard for learning’s sake or hold much personal meaning. They have not yet discovered their passion – not yet.

It’s never too late to stretch one’s wings and through an open mind and patience discover that which you truly love to do. The opportunities are out there. Seize them, whether big or small.

They may need your emotional support more than ever.

Our job as parents has always been to guide, nurture, and ultimately “let go” so that our children can fully engage with the world. When it comes to supporting our children during a transitional time, such as thinking about leaving home to attend college, our role doesn’t change; it just intensifies for a short period of time.

How we deal with that intensity can make all the difference.

For some students applying to and going to college will feel exciting. Many can’t wait for the new independence it will afford. For others, it will feel daunting, perhaps even overwhelming. And then there are those whose emotions fall somewhere in between.

Toning down the noise is essential for all. As students get closer to senior year, college talk is everywhere for them. There often are no spaces at school where they can find relief from the noise, so they need to have time at home to escape that talk and find reprieve. You can greatly reduce their stress by ensuring that most of your conversations focus on other aspects of their life.

Breaking down the process into manageable parts will also reduce their stress and yours! By starting early enough and “chunking” the stages of the process with them, students will feel more relaxed about researching and visiting schools and determining what feels right for them. Once they have a vision of where they can see themselves, they are better equipped to thoughtfully prepare compelling applications that hook in admission counselors.

Parents should also challenge their own expectations for what they think is the “right” college for their child.

Being open to possibilities is what ultimately opens doors for our children. We must be available on so many levels to explore alongside them what could be.

Passion, Commitment, and Planning: Vet School and One Health

This past week, I reached out to two of my clients who I worked with when they were applying to college to congratulate them on their new acceptances.

You see, I had the wonderful opportunity to support them once again as they researched universities, wrote compelling essays, and submitted applications where they were accepted to top veterinary schools and combined veterinary/Ph.D. programs.

I am incredibly proud of them and know they will play important roles in making a difference in their fields. It wasn’t luck, though, that got them there; it was passion, planning, and commitment on their part, and lots of it.

The most critical components of successful vet school applications are undergraduate GPA, well-crafted essays, excellent recommendations, and diverse and relevant clinical experience. In-depth research experience is vital if you are thinking of combining your degree with a Ph.D.

By engaging deeply with that which they cared about, they sought out opportunities to gain knowledge and experience early on and continued through their college years. They worked on dairy and cattle farms, did rounds with equine vets, and conducted field research on endangered turtles. They were curious and involved.

They were also planners. By attending colleges where they could thrive academically but not be in the middle of the pack in their coursework, they were able to participate in research, be mentored, and ultimately be seen in and known for their leadership, hard work, and intellectual curiosity. Both in school and beyond, they were connected to their recommenders who could authentically share with the graduate school admissions committees the unique characteristics these applicants would bring to their programs and the profession at large.

They are thoughtful and committed and know the importance of setting goals and solving life’s critical problems for the betterment of others. Look out world. We’ve got two wonderful people entering the field of veterinary medicine and One Health.