Harvard University Complete Information
Considering a Gap Year
Harvard University is considering a new policy allowing students who wish to take a gap year before starting school there.
Harvard University is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, with an acceptance rate of just 5%. Students who attend Harvard are typically bright, ambitious young people who have spent their entire lives preparing for this opportunity. But now those same students may be given another option: taking time off before starting college so they can travel or volunteer overseas.
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Students who are accepted to Harvard and want to take a gap year will not be penalized
If you are accepted to Harvard and decide to take a gap year, you will not be penalized. The school encourages it! The only caveat is that students who take a gap year must complete at least one class each semester while away from campus.
This means that if you plan to work as an intern for six months and then travel around Europe for three months before returning home (and then starting classes at Harvard), this may not be possible because there isn't enough time between semesters for all of those things to happen.
If your plans include working abroad or travelling extensively during your break from school, make sure that they are feasible given how close together your semesters will fall when returning, as well as any other requirements related specifically toward taking classes at Harvard University itself.
Students who take a gap year will be required to take classes at Harvard during that time
In the past, students who have taken gap years have succeeded tremendously at Harvard, with some becoming university presidents.
In other words, if you plan on taking a year off between high school and college (or even earlier), don't think you can do whatever you want during that period. The university wants your brainpower on campus while they keep paying tuition dollars!
Students who have taken gap years in the past have succeeded tremendously at Harvard, with some becoming presidents of the university
Many students who have taken gap years in the past have succeeded tremendously at Harvard, with some becoming presidents of the university. John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton took a year off between high school and college to travel around Europe.
However, not all students are convinced that a gap year benefits everybody. Some believe it can be detrimental to your academic performance when you return from your time away from school if you're not careful about planning your activities during this period.