Gap Year Options Open to More U.S. Students Across Socioeconomic Spectrum

There was a time when taking a year out was reserved for a select group of kids from well to do families, but that isn’t the case any longer, as affordable gap year options are becoming more prevalent, and students are working to pay for their own gap years, and finding options that pay them!

According to the article, "more and more students in the United States across the socio-economic spectrum are opting to take a break from the competitive treadmill of their high school years to travel, volunteer or work before entering college. Some of them use the time to burnish their resumes so they can reapply to a college that might have rejected them previously, while others want to immerse themselves in another culture altogether. Others need to make money, and still others just want time to think."

Gap Years can cost thousands of dollars depending upon the activities undertaken, location, program costs etc..so how is it that students of limited economic means can afford a gap year? One option for those interested in community service, is to take take the gap year right here in the U.S. with AmeriCorps. You serve your own nation and make a difference. Not only are all living expenses covered, but Uncle Sam writes a significant check at the end of the committment to put towards higher education. AmeriCorps represents possibly the most affordable gap year option available to U.S. students, and is in fact opening the gap year option to more students across the socioeconomic spectrum.

I recently met with Heather Dirck, Community Relations Specialist at AmeriCorps NCCC in Denver, CO. She said that gap year students ages 18-25 are playing a significant role at AmeriCorps and filling many of the approximately 700 positions in the Central U.S. region. These gap year students work on service projects like restoring hiking trails high in the Rocky Mountains, working to bring relief to communities in the midwest devastated by recent flooding, to teaching English to Hispanic mothers in inner cities so they can help their kids do beter in school.

In exchange for 10 months of service, members receive an education award of $4,725 to help pay for college, graduate school, or to pay back qualified student loans. During their service, members receive lodging, meals, uniforms, health benefits, loan forbearance and a living allowance of approximately $4,000. A gap year of service helping others, and serving the nation is open to anyone between the ages of 18-24, whose committed to applying theri skills and abilities through hands on experience, team oriented, and not afraid to get dirty and have some fun. Search our Gap Year Options database to learn more about AmeriCorps NCCC programs.