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December 25, 2023

USA Gap Year Fairs History to Present


The first prototype gap year fair took place in 1994 at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. Holly Bull, Interim's president, was working on her Masters in Education and she and fellow students formed a campus group called SEEC (Service-learning and Experiential Education Collaborative) which organized this unique event attended by over a dozen local programs drawn from Interim's database. 


Thirteen years later the USA Gap Year Fairs were formed by the Dynamy program in Massachusetts in 2007. These nationwide events, similar to college fairs, have continued under the ownership of Go Overseas, right through the pandemic years (all virtual events), and attendance at the fairs is free and open to all.


As experts in the field, Interim gap year counselors have been keynote speakers at the fairs for the past sixteen years. The coming Jan-March 2024 fair season includes 30 in-person fairs and 4 virtual informational events. 


Holly Bull and Kate Warren are keynote speakers at the following fairs:


Philadelphia, PA

Brooklyn, NY

Scarsdale, NY

Ashburn, VA

Washington, DC

Rockville, MD

Chapel Hill, NC

Charlotte, NC

Atlanta, GA

Austin, TX


Holly and Kate will also present at two virtual Gap Year 101 Webinars on January 22 and March 6th.


We look forward to seeing you at one of these events in the New Year!

October 20, 2023

Honoring Jose Martinez Cruz - "People Over Profits"


Interim had the great good fortune to work with Jose Martinez Cruz for nearly 15 years as he created ideal, fulfilling, meaningful gap experiences in his beloved Costa Rica. Through his company CIME - Center for International Multidisciplinary Education, over 160 of our students were welcomed as “family” and nurtured and mentored while engaging in bespoke experiential learning opportunities. Jose left no stone unturned as he found options shadowing doctors, volunteering with a UN-associated women’s shelter, helping at a sloth sanctuary or sea turtle rehabilitation non-profit, living and working alongside the indigenous peoples of Costa Rica, or learning the art of creating a hand-carved Boruca mask from a local master artisan. His success has been based on service to others, and at the core of every student’s experience was a genuine caring human being whose core mission was to help young adults grow into their full human potential. 

CIME’s business model was a noble one: 

Our priority is people over profits. We pride ourselves on our ability and willingness to redistribute funds and resources to worthy grassroots projects and organizations. Most of the money derived from payment fees to CIME is spent or re-invested LOCALLY. The money is paid out or donated to the families who host students, to sites and projects where our students work or visit and to special community service projects and events. Five percent of each tuition payment is immediately donated directly to children’s rights organizations, women’s groups, community soup kitchens, and animal shelters. A priority donation site is the Community Soup Kitchen of St. Lazaro where meals are served daily to 250 hungry kids. Upon request we would be happy to send a complete list of the organizations we currently help to support.

Student and parent reviews laud Jose and the CIME experience:

Thank you so so so much for everything. This has already been the experience of a lifetime!! I am having an absolute blast! I love my classes and am excited to start my internships next week! I will be working with the turtles in the Pacific for two weeks, then I will return to San José and work in human rights for another two weeks. For my final two weeks, I am going to work in a school in San José! My host family is incredible, and I absolutely adore my friends in the neighborhood. Thank you for helping me find this incredible opportunity. It is truly the greatest
experience of my life! Pura Vida 
~ Student: KM

Jose is extremely organized and (my daughter) was well taken care of and had all the guidance and
assistance she ever needed. She developed a wonderful relationship with her host family and all the families in the neighborhood. The program itself didn’t have that many students this season but she made wonderful friends in the neighborhood and in all places she visited. Her weeks were filled with work and during the weekends the group did small trips to gorgeous places around the country. Her voluntary work was interesting and she really enjoyed her time at Ostional, especially since she was there during the arrival of the turtles. Her Spanish has improved dramatically and she is much more confident communicating verbally and in writing. I will recommend this program to anyone who wants Spanish immersion and a really sweet taste of the wonderful people of Costa Rica. 
~ Parent: AS

Costa Rica and CIME have been absolutely amazing. I just got back from the mountains in Monteverde which was beautiful. We zip lined and rappelled down a 40 meter water fall. My Spanish has absolutely improved. We’ve been spending a lot of time with a group of kids in the neighborhood which has given me a lot of practice with more colloquial Spanish. Today I met a man on the street who thought I was a native Costa Rican because of my Spanish. That was a confidence boost for sure. I think the details about my internship are still being confirmed, but I will most likely stay in San José and work with a human rights group in the city. I will let you know how things go. Sending you the best from me and Abuelito the goat!”
~ Student: TP

It is with great sadness that we learned of Jose’s recent failing health which necessitated the closure of CIME. Jose was cared for at home by his family until his death on October 21.

Pura vida, Jose, and a heartfelt thank you from all of us in the gap year field.

September 2, 2023

So Much To See, So Much To Learn

Gap Years Take Off, And Not Just For Pre-College


Journalist Wendy Greenberg writes an in-depth and thoughtful article on the gap year option (for young and old alike) in this September 2023 issue of Princeton Magazine.


"Within about 10 minutes of chatting with Holly Bull and Kate Warren, you begin to think about all the experiences you want to have, all the places you want to go, and how you can realize what you always thought was beyond your time constraints and logistical ability. You make a note that when ready, you will call Holly and Kate."

April 18, 2023

South China Post article "Chinese are ‘lying flat’, Americans are on gap years as pessimistic youth take a hard look at traditional jobs"


Journalists Ralph Jennings and He Huifeng recently posted this interesting article for the South China Post (April 13, 2023) comparing the response of youth in China and the US.

  • A growing number of younger people in China are resenting the idea of struggling against economic problems, instead opting to join the so-called lying flat movement
  • Millions are also leaning more towards the life side of a work-life balance in the US, with gap years a popular alternative to jumping straight into work after graduating


Holly Bull, gap year counselor at the Center for Interim Programs, is quoted regarding the impetus for American youth to take gap time and what they are pursuing during this break from the lock-step of academia.

April 29, 2022

Seeking College-Admissions Edge, More Students Take Gap Year


This Wall Street Journal article explains what's happening -- see some article excerpts below:

Rising rejections at highly selective colleges and hopes for better luck in a year are pushing more seniors to take a yearlong pause after high school. 

For the 2020-21 academic year, 130,000 students took gap years, according to the nonprofit Gap Year Association, with many of these early-pandemic gap-year students deferring enrollment to wait for the full college experience. That is up from between 40,000 and 60,000 students before the pandemic.

The following excerpt features Madison Kim who worked with Center for Interim Programs' president, Holly Bull. Madison took a gap year and reapplied to college halfway through her year. She was accepted into Cornell University after being on the wait list the first time around.

For Madison Kim, who says she received a score of 1510 on her SATs and played club soccer and lacrosse, last year’s admission season didn’t go the way she hoped. She was rejected from six schools, including her top choice, Yale University, and wait-listed at four others. She received two acceptances, but wasn’t enthusiastic about either, she says.

“I was pretty surprised and a little bit naive,” says Ms. Kim, 18, who lives with her family in California’s Napa Valley.

She worked with a gap-year counselor at the Center for Interim Programs, a consulting firm that helps students design independent gap years, and developed a plan. She would complete a marine-studies program over the summer and an off-the-grid hiking program in the fall while reapplying to colleges with a new major in mind: environmental science. 

“I ended up feeling a lot more like that my essay reflected my actual interest, whereas the first essay I wrote last year was maybe a little bit me trying to write what I thought they wanted to hear,” says Ms. Kim, who will enroll at Cornell University this fall. The school had wait-listed her in 2021.

What we have witnessed here at the Center for Interim Programs (after 42 years of doing nothing but gap year counseling with over 8,600 students) is that taking a gap year does not guarantee admission into college but it can't hurt and will only help, provided one puts thought and care into planning a year that truly matches core interests.

April 19, 2022

Interim Gap Year Student, Jon, Musing Over His Gap Time From 2000-2001


I recall sitting in the office of Cornelius Bull, the founder of the Center for Interim Programs, when he asked me his favorite question, “if you could wave a magic wand, where would you go?” I was only vaguely prepared for this question. I knew I wanted an adventure but frankly it was hard to narrow down my thoughts on the spot. The conversation took many twists and turns, but Mr. Bull was able to suss out exactly what I needed. And it turned out I was looking for what a lot of us are looking for, a bit of adventure, a bit of change of pace, and a whole lot of new scenery. So, the following June, a few weeks after my high school graduation, I got on an airplane alone and for the first time I traveled to a country that was literally the furthest away from where I grew up that I could possibly get. 

My year off took me to many places, and I remember them all quite fondly. But the first place is the memory I revisit the most. After roughly 3 full days of travel from my limited universe in Lexington, Kentucky, I arrived in a small town in the middle of the Australian outback, called Fitzroy Crossing. Here, my boss for the next few months picked me up and drove us the dusty, 1.5-hour drive back to the cattle station, Quanbun Downs. During my time on this cattle station, I worked harder than I’d ever worked in my life. I saw things I never imagined, and I lived a completely different existence. My adventures here included running cattle, working the stock yards, and the age-old cowboy tradition of fixing fences. We worked from before sunup to sundown. It was long and hard work, and it was extremely rewarding. I suppose it sounds like quite a simple life, and it was to a degree. But our tasks changed each day and, I assure you, running a cattle station is anything but simple.



I picked up a lot of Australian slang while I was there, some I had heard before, many I’ve never heard since, but one phrase lingers with me to this day. It has become my mantra of sorts. As an American I would use language familiar to me; I would use the phrase “I’ll try” when someone asked me to complete a task I’d never done before. But to a stockman “try” isn’t the right word. To “try” is not nearly good enough. To a stockman, “trying” might include some effort, or it might not. What they wanted to hear me say was “I’ll give it a go”, which means something completely different. To “give it a go” means to jump in feet first and throw your back into it. To “give it a go” is the right phrase when a hard job must get done but you have no idea how to do it. It’s what you say to your boss when he asks you to help him hold down a bull while he makes it a steer. I took that phrase with me the rest of the year and, well, even up until now in my life. It has served me well. My time at Quanbun Downs supplied numerous memories that I return to often. Some of them are difficult to put into words but in turn are some of the strongest memories, a sight, a sound, or a smell. At night, as I would walk back from the main house to the bunkhouse where I slept, I would stop and take a moment to breathe and look around. The station house ran on solar power and had no batteries, so there was no light pollution for literally a hundred miles. I would stand there and marvel at the stars of the southern hemisphere - truly a sight to behold. I remember that if I listened closely, I would notice a slight humming sound that wasn’t there during the day. As though the desert would come alive at night. Perhaps it was the insects going about their nightly business, I’m not sure. But it was there and very real.  And I remember the sweet smell in the evening. At night as the air cooled, the humidity would drop to the dusty ground and create a strange, sweet smell. It was, and still is, my favorite smell. These memories have taken root in my mind, and I’m grateful for them.

         I had many other adventures and experiences that year. Personally, what I needed was hard work, so I sought that out. I worked as a station hand on a sheep station, was a member of a crew for a conservation trust, I worked among the redwoods in northern California as a member of the state park grounds crew, I worked in the island of Kauai on the state park trail crew. Now here I am, some 20 odd years on and I seem to have made a life of adventures and experiences. I went back to college with a new-found motivation and did quite well, and after a brief, successful stint in the military I am now happily progressing through a career in private industry. But probably my most exciting adventure is that of being a father. Four years ago, we brought our daughter into the world and as any parent will tell you we had no idea what we were doing. But as I told my wife, “I’ll give it a go.”

April 15, 2022

Two Podcast Interviews with Holly Bull

Holly Bull, President of the Center for Interim Programs, was recently interviewed by two college resources:




Enjoy these informal conversations about gap year benefits, stories, process, and more... 

February 1, 2022

How Andrew's Gap Year in 2017 Led to a Successful College-to-Job Transition in 2022

 

Before Andrew graduated from his public high school in New Jersey in 2017, a friend heard Interim's president, Holly Bull, present at a gap year fair and alerted Andrew to our gap year counseling service. We did our normal free 90-minute brainstorming session with Andrew and his mother in the fall of his senior year and mapped out a possible plan for after he graduated. He deferred Lynn University and headed off in the fall on a group program in Latin America which involved Spanish immersion through local home stays, cultural study, service projects, travel, and how to deal with a small group of peers for three months. After a winter holiday break at home, he stepped into a more independent internship program with fellow interns in New Zealand and Australia through the winter and spring. His internships involved assisting at a garden center in Auckland and at a virtual reality store in Sydney. 


Andrew reached out to us this week saying the following: 

I graduate from Lynn in 4 weeks and just got offered a position to work for the Marriott Voyage Program. I am moving to Houston, Texas in July to work at the Marriott Marquis for 10-12 months. I’m getting paid a huge salary and will be a supervisor for the Food and Beverage Department. The gap year definitely paid off, just wanted to say thank you and I’ll definitely keep in touch with you.


The independent living skills accrued during Andrew's gap year, especially from his internship experiences, gave him an incredibly useful trial run into the working world. This is one of the great benefits of gap time because it not only prepares students for a more productive college experience, but also for the sometimes daunting transition from college into finding and taking on a job. For Andrew, it will be far easier since he already knows what it's like to live independently in an apartment, cook for himself, work everyday, and navigate unfamiliar cities. Houston will likely not faze him in the least!


November 17, 2021

Taming the High Cost of College (Podcast)


Holly Bull, President of the Center for Interim Programs and Gap Year Counselor for over 30 years, was recently interviewed by Brad Baldridge in this podcast from October, 2021 covering the gap year and gap time.


"You're a different person when you travel..."


This October 7, 2021 Washington Post article, You're a different person when you travel. Here's why, and how to transform yourself at home, touches on the benefits of travel and includes the gap option for adults as well as students. 


Holly Bull, Center for Interim Programs' President and Gap Year Counselor is quoted as saying:


It’s a chance for people to discover parts of themselves sidelined by career and family life, said Holly Bull, president of the Center for Interim Programs in Princeton, N.J., an opportunity to hop off “this track that people sort of see laid out ahead of them.” The counseling business she leads connects those would-be travelers with a breadth of possibilities, such as baboon research and language immersion. Bull saw a surge of interest in adult gap-year travel during the first year of the pandemic. 

Gap time is for anyone and the benefits are similar no matter one's age.

February 22, 2021

Tips On How to Vet Programs from Interim's Director of Research, Kate Warren


The specific experience I want to share from my 21 years as Director of Research, is the important vetting process of researching gap year program provider websites, often the first step for anyone interested in learning more about gap years. This information will ideally help as you prepare to look at websites. I say “prepare” because the better prepared you are with an understanding of how to vet options, the more savvy you will become about honing in on options of most interest by establishing a sound basis for comparing programs and organizations for quality and best fit. Time spent in preparation will make you a smarter and better consumer and will make for a successful and rewarding gap experience, or series of experiences. 


There has been a steady increase in numbers of US students embarking on gap years which is now sanctioned by an increasing number of colleges and universities allowing deferrals. In tandem with that increase is an explosive emergence of gap year program providers. I recently performed a simple search for “best gap year programs,” “gap year programs for high school students,” and “gap year volunteer programs” with a staggering result of 157-351 million hits. To get a sense of how far the gap industry has grown, by comparison in May 2017 when I presented at the Gap Year Association Conference in Denver, the same search yielded just a half million to 22 million hits, which most of us in attendance thought was staggering!


So where and how do you start to vet and choose program options?


At Interim, in performing due diligence on program websites to identify those programs we may want to share with our families – which is my first step as gatekeeper of Interim’s vast database of vetted options – I allow, on average, 3-5 minutes to answer two key questions:


1. How easy or difficult is it for me to find who, what, where, when, cost? 

2. Is the information clear, concise, compelling, and communicative?


Once I have identified an option that successfully passes that initial test, I move on to the second and most important phase of my responsibilities: performing due diligence to be sure the program is legitimate and trustworthy. You might implement a similar initial test with your specific two or three key questions using a finite amount of time in which to find the answers. 


The second phase of my vetting process is much more time-consuming and requires not only looking at the site but also personal phone calls and/or Zoom chats, as well as staff site visits to programs which we do every year.


Keep in mind that each program type – facilitated group programs, skills-building intensives, internships, and volunteer options - all require a unique subset of due diligence questions – however, they all share my TLC Test. For me, failing any one aspect of the TLC Test sends up a ‘red flag’ and most often ends my interest in the option as a possible addition to our data base.


The goal in performing my TLC Test is to gain a level of comfort and confidence in recommending a provider to students and families. And remember, all the answers to these questions should be easily found on the website. Familiarize yourself with the answers you are able to identify in order to formulate a series of clarifying questions to ask when you reach out to engage in a conversation with the provider. It will provide you with the opportunity to dig deeper into what is shared on the website.


The most important component of my TLC Test is Transparency. Is the information provided in an honest, straightforward manner?


Some of the questions that may be helpful include:

  • Who are the principals? 
  • Does the site provide direct contact information, an email address other than “info@” a telephone number? 
  • Are the principals involved in the day-to-day operations? 
  • How far removed are they from what’s happening on the ground? 
  • Do they operate as a corporation? An LLC? A nonprofit? 
  • Can you find the Terms & Conditions? 
  • Is the cost revealed? Do they share what’s included? Not included? Are there additional costs?
  • What is the refund policy?
  • Is the site current? When was the last update?
  • Do the internal links work? 
  • Is the information current?
  • Is there a comprehensive Menu that directs to you the specific information you are looking for?
  • Can you easily locate the FAQs?

When looking at Legitimacy, I’m looking to see if the provider is reputable, do they have a favorable standing in the experiential gap industry? 

Some questions that may be helpful to you might include:

  • Are they licensed to do business by any state, federal, or educational entity?
  • Is there a Board of Directors? An Advisory Board?
  • Is the program accredited?
  • Are they members of recognized professional organizations? If so which organization?
  • Is there operational outside oversight?
  • What affiliations and or partners have they established?
  • Can you find favorable press?


Online reviews can be somewhat helpful but often can be biased. If you find negative reviews, my recommendation is that you reach out and ask for a corporate response and what, if anything, they have done internally to address the issue. 


When I’m testing for Competency, I want to know about leadership skills and professionalism, experience, and training.


Your list of questions might include:

  • Can I “Meet the Team?” by reading biographies that include educational and specialized training certifications? 
  • Years of experience in the field?
  • Can I see a photo to put a name to a face?
  • Can I reach members of the team directly by a personal business email address or direct telephone number?
  • Is the Executive Director accessible to me? How long has he/she worked for the organization? Where did he/she work previously?
  • How long has the business been in operation?
  • What qualifications are required of staff to work with students?
  • What type of training is provided to staff who work directly with students?
  • Is there a Code of Ethics?


Prior to embarking on your research of program providers, create a checklist, your own TLC TEST, a series of questions that are most important to you so that you can perform your own due diligence. Listen to your gut. Watch for the red flags. 


There are several very helpful resources to aid in your research that include vetting/accreditation bodies committed to standards of excellence and principles and practices as guidelines for good programming and have stringent criteria requirements such as the Gap Year Association, the Year Out Group, and the International Volunteer Association. 


Working with an accredited gap year counselor can definitely be beneficial in helping your family plan and navigate gap time. At Interim we have already done this program vetting for you as well as heard directly from students who have recently attended options you are considering.


February 7, 2021

Successful 2020-21 Gap Experiences in the Face of COVID-19

   

Despite virus restrictions and concerns this year, Interim students have successfully stepped into hands-on programs with peers this past fall, as well as currently this winter/spring. As illustrated by some recent student photos above, they have engaged in cultural study, outdoor adventure, and service experiences in Hawaii, the mainland US, Europe, the Caribbean, Israel, and Central America. The small size of gap programs allows for easier quarantining of students, and the ability to monitor health and safety throughout a program. Gap year program providers deserve huge kudos for continuing to offer options to students in the face of the unknown and responsibilities involved. 


Feedback from students and parents has been consistently positive with many expressing relief  and gratitude over an in-person social life and no more sitting in front of a computer.


We here at Interim have been involved in the gap year field for over forty years and it's remarkable to witness how well it has continued to work in the face of a pandemic. Even with a more limited array of options compared to a normal gap year, the benefits of taking this kind of time are evident: resting and rejuvenating, garnering independent living skills, exploring potential interests for a college major or career, building a resume, and having the flexibility to adjust plans as needed. Rolling with change is a definite skill and we are all getting fine training in it this year!


For the coming gap year, we envision even more options available for students as vaccines take effect. There is no reason why students can't continue to explore their interests and the benefits of a half-step into the world, before heading on to college or other plans they may have in mind. One thing is certain, gap time allows students to practice being independent and proactive about their lives beyond traditional school settings.

December 20, 2020

Three Separate Gaps Since 2002: Trevor Kluckman's Journey

Interim Programs has been integral in my working through three separate stuck points over the course of my adult life. 

The first came about when I was 20 years old. I had dropped out of my second college in as many years, and struggled to feel my path forward after growing up an intelligent student in a small town. My mother heard about Interim Programs in a newspaper article, and we went by car to Princeton and sat down one on one with Holly. I remember questions about what would happen if I could wave a magic wand…I wanted to feel self-confidence. On the other side of this conversation I had 2, separate 3-month-long plans laid out: first, to go to Australia. Second, to go to Europe. I began working in a warehouse and saving for my journey. An unexpectedly long layover in Singapore produced a memory when I’d misread my (paper!) ticket as having a connection 12 hours sooner than my actual flight. I did as much as you could do in 8 hours in Singapore. Landing in Cairns, Australia, I began a 3-month stint that included volunteer conservation work. I helped install an irrigation system and experienced 47 degrees Celsius (HOT) for the first time in my life. I also worked on farms in exchange for housing and food, including a stop at a guy’s place in the bush who rehabilitated local kangaroos that had been hit by cars. I learned to drive a tractor on a coffee plantation. I even helped install a pool at the home of a couple who were nudists. All the while eating mangoes every chance I got. I re-centered and began submitting applications to colleges in the US. I stopped home for the holidays and to audition for theatre programs at the schools I was applying to, and then I was off to France. My time there included a stint assisting an American artist in Paris. She had a beautiful studio and half a century’s residence in the city. My Eurail pass took me to the most beautiful bike ride in the Swiss Alps, the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam, whistle stops through Venice, Brussels, Berlin, and more. I spent 10 days at a Buddhist meditation center, and a few weeks in Scotland visiting family. I was introduced to budget airline travel, toilets of different stripes, and friendly hosts. I remember quiet exhilaration when I ordered a pastry in German at a train station. Apart from getting taken by a guy in a shell game on the street in Nice, I got the hang of traveling through Europe by myself and returned to the US and a new college refreshed, motivated, and refocused. 

 The next Interim chapter for me came after I graduated in 2006. The death of a close friend and the end of a relationship had devastated me. Thankfully, Interim had just the place for me to go. I quit my job as a NYC bartender and headed to Project Vote Smart in Montana. I did non-partisan political information gathering from an office uniquely situated on a ranch in the Rockies. It was absolutely beautiful. Big Sky lives up to the slogan. What a place. I met, bunked, and worked with a great group of fellow 20-somethings, as well as a cadre of retirees visiting from across this great land. We all worked Monday-Friday gathering voting records, fundraising details, and more about elected officials and candidates to be dispensed to anybody who wanted ‘em. On the weekends I visited stunning Glacier National Park, got real good at foosball, and learned a little bit of Thai from a new friend who would go on to host me in Bangkok a year and a half later. 

 Third Interim go-around was in summer 2018. I’d drifted from my pursuits in show business, and had some time free before my well-paid yet unfulfilling job working banquets was to pick up for the season. I was in the market for something that was altogether different from anywhere I’d been before. My lack of Spanish had kept Latin America perpetually out of consideration up to that point in my life. Holly told me about a unique place in Guatemala where a former Peace Corps volunteer had undertaken to build a school from entirely recycled materials. This was as necessary as much as it was do-gooder: the community in Comalapa had no waste management system or facilities. I was privileged to encounter a beautiful campus glittering with the sunlight that cast through green, blue, and brown colored glass bottles recycled to let natural light stream through walls I got to help make with mud, hay, and manure (“cob”). My Spanish improved a little everyday I worked alongside my fellows, and as I began taking 1-hour lessons in town after work. The spectacular highlight of the 10 days I spent in Guatemala was my weekend trip to Antigua (“Old Guatemala”). I hiked through hot sun and freezing hail in a single day of climbing up the dormant volcano, Acatenango. Camping that night 1,000 feet shy of the 13,000+ foot summit, my mind was blown when Fuego – the adjacent volcano – erupted and spewed lava down its front and sides right in front of me. I have been fortunate to continue my Spanish lessons with Angélica, my teacher, via Facebook video to this day. Presently, I intend to use those lessons as a model to do my own tutoring in French via an app. My time in Guatemala also has given me the confidence to take on the challenge of moving to Italy, where my current course-heading is set.

November 18, 2020

Despite COVID-19 Gap Year Students are Enjoying Fall Experiences

 

We just received this great photo from one of our students currently finishing quarantine with a group of fellow gappers on a Welsh farm before heading to Italy. What is gratifying to know as we hear from students and program staff this fall, is that quarantines are working even if socially challenging, and our students are enjoying on site experiences in the company of fellow students in Ireland, Europe, Israel, Hawaii, the mainland US, and soon Costa Rica. 


There have been several positive tests but these cases have been mild and the students have been able to heal on site with support from staff and rejoin their program activities. The gap year program providers have done a truly extraordinary job of preparing for this anomaly of a year and supporting students, parents, and fellow staff  members. 


Gap years are all about facing new experiences and challenges and learning how to roll with change. Our hats are off to our many students and parents who are engaging in this especially intense process, despite the fears and concerns of this particular year. Based on what we currently know, we feel confident that our students will be able to continue exploring interests, hands on, into the winter and spring.

September 27, 2020

COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Health Resources & Effects on the Gap Year


(This post contains sections on Safety, 3 Response Scenarios, & Articles)

Safety:
Interim's primary concern is the safety of our students. Given the current situation with COVID-19, we are monitoring the most informed news about it so that we can share the best information with our families.

The following resources provide reliable and timely sources of information:
The Center for Disease Control
The United States Department of State
The World Health Organization for International Travel and Health
The National Association of International Educators
The EPA released a list of Sanitizers for Use

For updated travel restrictions by country:
IATA - International Air Transport Association and US Dept of State

For rapid testing sites in your area:

3 Scenarios in Response to COVID-19 Potential Restrictions:
We understand that families are concerned about COVID-19 and its effects on the current gap year. It is difficult to know for certain what the landscape will be like into spring 2021 and we have outlined three possible scenarios and how it is possible to respond effectively given the range of available options:

  1. Ideal Options: If students are eager to attend programs out of the US, they apply and see how things go in terms of travel restrictions - this has worked well this fall with students able to attend programs in Ireland, the UK, and Israel, and some are about to step into October programs in Costa Rica.
  2. Backup Domestic Options: Students also apply to US-based program(s) which can range from group gap year options, to shorter skill-based intensives, a few internship options (tougher to find in the US for gap year students), and finally volunteer placements - we have many students this fall on group programs in Hawaii and the mainland US as well as engaged in conservation projects, business and physical therapy internships, and gaining Wilderness EMT training.
  3. Backup Backup Options: Our  ORL (Online Resource List) of over 100 links include courses of all kinds, internships, volunteer work, seminars and certifications, arts, fitness, etc. These options can be utilized as filler, if need be, and allow students to buy time if they have to quarantine again before stepping into the next hands-on experience - most of our students have understandably preferred hands on experiences this year, if possible, but some have utilized online entrepreneurial workshops and internships, language or computer training, and volunteer options.

One great gap year benefit, especially this year, is how much flexibility is involved with swift and easy changes in plans as needed. Program variety allows students to still engage in interesting experiences as they wait to see how the world landscape unfolds, and with increased freedom of movement, they can turn on a dime to step into options further afield. Gap year learning is all about rolling with change and the challenge of becoming comfortable with shifting plans, whether due to internal or external factors. Our current situation with this virus definitely poses one of the more challenging external pressures for change, but we are already witnessing this fall that it is possible to successfully carry on nonetheless with the above array of potential adjustments and options.

Articles:
LATimes (7/16/20) - benefits of taking a gap year this particular year and some of the options and resources available:
https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2020-07-16/college-students-gap-year-best-way-outwit-coronavirus

Chronicle of Higher Education (5/19/20) - see updated list of college decisions about fall classes:
https://www.chronicle.com/article/Here-s-a-List-of-Colleges-/248626

Bloomberg Businessweek (5/15/20) - Holly Bull, Gap Year Counselor at Interim, quoted in this article on the economic implications for this year's gap year:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-15/the-covid-19-college-gap-year-exposes-a-great-economic-divide

Stay healthy and well,

Holly Bull & Kate Warren
Center for Interim Program Gap Year Counselors 

February 9, 2020

“The Benefits of Taking a Gap Year at Any Age”


In this article that came out in the Princeton Packet as well as centraljersey.com, Pam Hersh interviews Center for Interim Programs gap year counselors, Holly Bull and Kate Warren, about the benefits of taking gap time. Whether as student or older adult, the idea is invariably compelling for people of all ages.

December 26, 2019

The Gap Year Edge

A gap year is most typically taken between high school and college, or during college, to explore one’s interests in a dynamic hands-on fashion. Students can combine an array of experiences from group programs focused on cultural immersion and service, to skill-based options such as learning film making or how to run a recording studio, to gaining certifications, e.g. Wilderness EMT. Worldwide internships and volunteer work can also be included in the mix. Gap year options can span a weekend, a month, three months, on up to full year programs. Costs range widely with some placements providing housing and food for labor and others involving fees/tuition.

The benefits of taking gap time are varied and numerous:

  • A chance to choose, create, and own one’s life at an early age
  • The opportunity to relate classroom learning to the world
  • Time to rest/rejuvenate from the onerous aspects of schooling (the gap year is particularly effective for students with learning differences who often thrive outside a formal classroom setting)
  • Exploring an interest in a particular field before pursuing it as a major or career
  • Increased clarity and focus in college resulting in a saving of time and money (the average number of college years is 5-6, not 4, with students changing majors or school in their effort to determine a passion; gap year students are invariably more efficient, finishing college in a shorter period of time than their non-gap year peers
  • Building a resume and gaining practical skills before college or the work world
  • Increased self-confidence from handling new situations away from home
  • Greater financial awareness through having to focus on a budget
  • Smoother transitions into college and the work world post college

There are those who may assume that taking a gap year is now a fairly simple task with the aid of the internet and various books and articles referencing this option for students. The reality is that it is not so easy to do on one’s own. Potential pitfalls include poorly run programs (where safety or insufficient activity for students can be an issue), too much down time at home due to lack of sufficient planning or structure, or socially isolated placements which can negatively color the whole experience.

Founded in 1980, the Center for Interim Programs has been doing gap year counseling work longer than anyone in the US and we are highly practiced at assisting students and parents through the gap year process. We have visited numerous programs in site, know most program directors well, and can offer program feedback from our over 8,000 alumni.

We offer anyone who is interested a free 90-minute brainstorming session where we map out a potential gap year based on a student’s interest. For those on a tight budget, we provide scholarships for our fee and recommend vetted, low cost placements so that the year itself does not have to be financially prohibitive. Even for those who have the means, there is no need to spend a lot of money on a gap year.

Most adults recognize that it is harder to take time later in one’s life to explore interests in this way. The reality is that this is a jewel of a period of time in which to gain personal clarity and power. If students can learn this early on, it will stand them in very good stead no matter what they choose to do in college and beyond.

A recent quote from one of our alumni mothers illustrates the practical effects of taking gap time for her daughter:

She gained much from her semester period in London, and all the courses/workshops she took in film making led to her new career—production first for a topflight advertising agency...where she interned  and then worked her way through the post-production department in both creative and technical roles...she is now head of production at a major production house...a position she recently achieved. She seems to thrive on the responsibility and challenge.

This hands on learning is invaluable and a perfect complement to formal academics.

November 22, 2019

Holly Bull, Center for Interim Programs President, Interview About "Filling the Gap"

Time Out for Students
Holly Bull was recently asked to speak at the South Orange-Maplewood Adult School in NJ about the "Gap Year Advantage": the many benefits of taking time gap time before (or during) college.

Local journalist, Rose Bennett Gilbert, interviewed Holly who pointed out that in the past young women and men who took time away from school were thought to be "indecisive or uncommitted to their educations," which is no longer the case. The reality is that gap time is "a great option for anyone who is trying to figure out who they are and what they really want."

Another benefit counteracting the effects of our current stressful academic culture, is how gap time leads to more rested and focused students who are typically more excited about their studies following some time to decompress, explore the world, and choose experiences that light them up.

Additional advice Holly offers to parents and students:
  • Do your due diligence on possible gap programs
  • Plan carefully so you don't have too many gaps during your gap year
  • Include some hands-on practical experience
Read more gap year insights in Ms. Gilbert's article on the Adult School website.

November 12, 2019

Interim alumna Bathsheba Demuth comments on her 1999 gap year

Bathsheba Demuth engaged in one of the most unusual and interesting experiences Interim had to offer during her gap year in 1999. At 18, she headed off to the town of Old Crow in the Yukon to help train sled dogs, some to compete in the Yukon Quest, a 1,000 mile international sled dog race across Alaska and Canada. Her writing about this experience was fascinating as she noted the combination of old and new within the Gwich'in community where she lived: seeing people wearing Calvin Klein jeans and moccasins, or eating caribou meat with Tater Tots. She went on to attend Brown University and is currently an Assistant Professor of History and Environment & Society at Brown with a new book just out called Floating Coast: An Environmental History of the Bering Strait. She is working on another book drawn from her experience in the Yukon.

Of her gap year she noted, "I can honestly say my gap year experience set the course for the rest of my adult life - from what I studied in college to my choices in graduate school to what I research and write about now, as faculty. I wouldn't be the same person now without it!"

September 25, 2019

Given College Costs, Can You Afford Not To Take a Gap Year? NYT Slide Show on Paying College Tuition

This recent NYT Opinion piece, filled with comments of College Graduates and Parents, highlights the potentially debilitating costs of college and college loans. The fact that students often take more than four years to finish college adds to the debt issue. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students take 5.7 to 6.4 years on average to complete degrees.

In comparison, Gap Year student research reveals that gap year students typically finish their degrees in four, or fewer, years. And their interests are more focused when they land on campus and they are more prepared to step into the work world post college after experiencing a half step into the world during a gap year.

Note the following potential savings when comparing 4 years of college costs to the 6 year average.
q

Public College Out of State:  
4 years = $149,720 versus 6 years = $224,580  
$74,860 extra cost 

§Private College:
4 years = $194,040 versus 6 years = $291,060
o$97,020 extra cost

It is also important to note that the cost of a typical gap year rarely comes close to a year of college tuition.

Feel free to contact us to learn how gap year options can save you time and money.

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