The Voices Project: Parents on the Benefits of a Gap Year

The Gap Year Association is excited to unveil the first in a series of written pieces and videos that we’re calling “The Voices Project.” The goal of this project is to amplify the voices of people impacted by Gap Years. The impact of a Gap Year reaches far beyond the student. In this piece, parents share their thoughts on the Gap Year experience of their students.

If you’re a parent who’s been wondering whether the investment in a Gap Year would be “worth it” for your child, read on, and be encouraged!

Peter van der Kun… on leaving a legacy through Gap Year

My wife and myself know the Warriors Academy as our two oldest children have stayed there for the gap-year program. Both have had a wonderful time and have grown, especially mentally. The biggest change that we’ve seen in our children was the fact that they became mature young adults, with a better appreciation of who they are and with greater awareness of their own capabilities.

Warriors Academy helps young people find their physical and mental limits and make them exceed their boundaries; enabling them to discover what they really can do and how they can further develop those abilities. They gain skills and life experiences, allowing them to build a better future for themselves. Our third child will shortly be able to participate in this adventure.

My wife sadly passed away in 2017. Knowing that people usually bring flowers at funerals, we both felt that this money could serve a better purpose and asked for a donation to the Warriors Academy instead. I am convinced that with the help of our donation, the amazing Warriors team has been able to make a substantial and life-changing impact for at least one other child: that will last for a lifetime.

Sylvie Azadian… on developing maturity and independence

My daughter graduated high school one year early. She took a gap year before starting college in 2017; best decision she’s ever made!

She could have done a number of things; work, study part-time, learn a new language, travel.She chose to travel while doing community work. This experience was so rewarding. She became a more compassionate individual, an independent woman and a conscious environmentalist.

She will tell you, taking a year off before becoming a full-time student again is the way to go. High school was not her thing; the drama, competition and stress all merited a break to recharge her energy and spirit. Doing community service put life in a whole different perspective for her. Coupling that with global travels opened new avenues.

Our daughter found her niche and is now working towards degrees in Intl studies and the environment. She also discovered a love for art along her travels, something she probably wouldn’t have time for if she had followed the mainstream path (high school graduation and college in the fall).

We see how a gap year has changed our daughter in so many positive ways. Her ‘gap’ friends all agree it’s the best decision they’ve made and all wish more kids would consider a year off before college.

Jane McConnell… on getting more out of college after a Gap Year

Gap year experiences have been pivotal in both my older boys’ lives. When the kids were little we took a year to travel around the world while I homeschooled them—an experience that I think changed them in a lasting way. They came to love learning by doing, putting things in a context and viewing the world from a more global perspective.

Our oldest son, Henry, was rarely very stimulated in a classroom setting. Starting in high school, he took a year halfway through and then again his senior year to travel around the world with a whitewater kayaking school. In college, he spent part of his sophomore year doing a NOLS program in New Zealand, and then spent all of last year in Panama interning and then working in a sustainable community in the jungle. All of these experiences helped deepen his goals to share his passion for the outdoors with others. He will graduate this spring with a degree in business and real experience pursuing his career goals.

Our middle son, Jack, deferred his admission to USC and planned a gap year that included a three-month NOLS program in Patagonia in the fall, teaching in a school that served township kids in Capetown, South Africa in the winter, and then traveling through New Zealand on his own in the spring. When we saw him at Christmas after three months off the grid, I barely recognized him. He had put on 15 pounds, grown a beard, and was more appreciative, thoughtful, loving and mature than he had ever been. His experiences in Capetown gave him an interest in international work and a perspective on his place in the world—not to mention an international group of close friends.

Both my boys have gotten so much more out of college after their gap experiences, because they have a clearer idea of what they want to do after school, and a deep appreciation for the gift of education. Particularly for boys, I believe a gap year affords an opportunity to mature and get clarity on what’s important. I already know that their younger brother will follow their lead, and I look forward to seeing how his gap year shapes him.