Every gap year is different, so there is no one way that gap years help success. On a gap year survey conducted by Gap Year Students at Middlebury, students wrote that their gap years allowed them to be more self reliant, and gave them better communication and leadership skills.

No! You can do one thing, multiple things, hundreds of things, whatever you want. Your gap year is just that, yours. 

No! Everyone spends their gap year in a different way. If you want to spend time at home, that is perfectly fine!

Nahh, college is different than high school. Plenty of people take time off before college or during college, so the age differences in age are not that significant. 

There is no one way to take a gap year. Some gappers choose to work for the year, earning money instead of spending it. Travel does not have to be as expensive as it sounds. Talk to former gappers on our "advice" page about traveling internationally for cheap. Scholarships are availiable for many programs which can help to cut down the cost of travel.

Middlebury is totally chill with students taking a gap year, or time off during college. The process is super simple. 

All you have to do is email the admissions office with a plan for what you want to do with your time off. It is as simple as that. 

Not without turning down your Middlebury acceptance! 

You have come to the right place! Check out our "planning" page for news articles that show why gap years are important, and a list of gappers who would be delighted to help you plan your year or answer any questions you might have about taking a gap year.