Q: I've been thinking about taking a gap year. What kinds of things do students do?

A: While many students choose a structured gap year program that offers travel, service, and adventure, there are other options -- many at a far lower cost!

Apprentice: Undecided about your college major? Your future career goals? Your gap year can be a great time to explore a variety of areas. It can also be a wonderful time to gain a skill. Carpentry, glass blowing, filmmaking, fashion design... you may not have this opportunity again! 

Intern: Working for a business or a non-profit agency can help inform your direction for the future as well. Don't be afraid to go out of your comfort zone a bit and try something different. Sometimes learning what you don't enjoy can be as illuminating as learning what you do. Besides, you might surprise yourself! 

Study: Many college-bound high school seniors graduate wishing that they had more time to explore electives and other academic areas of interest. If that is you, your gap year can be a great time to learn a new language, discover the joys of web design, or try your hand at blogging. However, if you have deferred your college acceptance for a year, as most students taking a gap year do, you will need to read the fine print of the deferral agreement. Most colleges prohibit you from taking credit-granting courses during your year off. 

Travel: Seeing the world, immersing yourself in a new culture, remains the most popular gap year plan. “To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” — American-British writer Bill Bryson

Volunteer: Whether it is a formal volunteer program like City Year, The Student Conservation Association or Habitat for Humanity or pitching in to help a group in your community, volunteering can nourish the mind and the soul.

Work: Want to start putting some cash away for your college years? Get a job!