planning

The following story was contributed to Planet Gap Year by Holly Bull, a Gap Year Consultant and President of The Center for Interim Programs in Princeton, New Jersey. Interim is a service that enables one to pursue structured alternatives to formal education or work by matching interests with over 5,000 internships, volunteer positions, apprenticeships, cultural study programs, etc. worldwide. This "time on" can provide new direction, sharpen hazy career goals, rejuvenate those on the verge of burnout, and offer a much-needed break to students between high school and college, or in college.

"Why Use a Gap-Year Counselor?” by Holly Bull

For a number of years, Gap Year fairs have been popular in the UK, and are now catching on in the U.S. A gap year fair is actually a place where students and parents come to meet the representatives of organizations that provide productive time out options to students. Time spent at a gap year fair is an ideal way to get started on planning your own gap year, and getting a handle on what you want to do, and how much it will cost. You can meet face to face with program providers, consultants and other gap year experts.

This video was shot on location at a high school in Portland Oregon. It documents one of the first organized Gap Year Opportunities Fairs for US students, parents and educators.The gap year is becoming more widely accepted as an option before and during college for increasing numbers of US students as reported by high school counselors, proponents of the gap year, and organizations offering gap year options to students. Information on upcoming fairs around the US are available in the blog entry lower down this page titled "2008 Gap Year Opportunities Fairs in the US."

The Director of Admissions, Greg Cappello, at Dynamy Internship Year in Worcester, MA has organized a series of eight gap year opportunities fairs around the US. The first fair kicked off in Chicago two weekends ago attracting nearly 200 very interested high school juniors, seniors and recent graduates, their parents and educators. The Chicago Tribune subsequently ran an article about the fairs and gap year in general. More fairs will be held in Portland (OR), Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Greenwich (CT) and DC before wrapping up in Boston on April 6. Entrance to the Gap Year Opportunities Fairs are free and open to the public.

A friend recently asked me what was the difference between AmeriCorps’ Vista and AmeriCorps NCCC programs? I had a hard time explaining so I decided to check out the AmeriCorps website Here’s what I found out: