Wildcat Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Does anyone know what impact, if any, there is to a student applying to university the year AFTER high school graduation? Specifically, this student would not take a 'gap year' in the sense of traveling/missions/etc, but would just spend the year working, volunteering, and maturing. The student and parents are wondering if there is a downside to freshman scholarships if one does that. The student isn't sure about going to school right away, and doesn't have a specific college in mind (hence the reason for that extra year). Extra info: The student would only be applying for merit scholarships at mid-sized public schools that have generous AP, CLEP, and cc transfer policies (so not a 'snob' school--- for lack of a better word!) Would any ACT/SAT scores need to be taken before high school graduation, or could they be taken after high school graduation? Or is this one of those "ask the school" questions? I tried googling for my friend, but only found info on a "gap year", which isn't what applies here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryJen Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Hmm, I think you can define a gap year however you want. Working, volunteering and maturing all sound like a gap year to me. We thought about doing it, because ds1 was not overly sure he was ready to go to college. I basically forced the first application, and he got on board with the rest. As the year as gone on, he has gotten excited about college. It might be easier to apply when you are a senior and then ask for a gap year. But lots of people wait as well. I can't imagine that it would affect freshman scholarships (unless you take classes during the gap year). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Does anyone know what impact, if any, there is to a student applying to university the year AFTER high school graduation? Specifically, this student would not take a 'gap year' in the sense of traveling/missions/etc, but would just spend the year working, volunteering, and maturing. A gap year is just a year between high school and college. I don't think the colleges really care what the student does in that year, and I know a lot of kids who would have benefited from a year working a full time, dreary, entry-level minimum wage job before entering college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 It might be easier to apply when you are a senior and then ask for a gap year. This is what I have heard recommended. Some of the applications specify "the last four years". A year of working/volunteering/maturing would have to be pretty spectacular to compete for a scholarship against a current student with a full class load. Whereas, if she won a scholarship, it might be possible to postpone it for a year. If they won't postpone it, she could always apply again the next year and wouldn't be any worse off than if she had not applied the first year at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 That is a gap year. Take the tests senior year while the material is fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Some of the applications specify "the last four years". A year of working/volunteering/maturing would have to be pretty spectacular to compete for a scholarship against a current student with a full class load. "The last four years" just refers to the last four years of high school — i.e. they don't want to see middle school classes on there, even if they were "high school level" classes. So the student would still be judged based on four yrs of HS work, not 3 yrs of HS + the gap year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 My youngest brother didn't have any issues, he graduates from Michigan State this May :) he took a year off to work so that he would have the money for his books and what not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara H Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 A couple of considerations.... The student needs to understand that for freshman scholarship eligibility they should not be taking any college courses after high school graduation. So that gap year can involve anything of interest - volunteering, travel, etc. but college courses could be a problem at many colleges. Also, if financial aid is a concern keep in mind that student earnings are weighted more heavily in financial aid consideration so the student's earning that year may cut back on their financial aid eligibility the next year, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share Posted February 25, 2014 That is a gap year. Take the tests senior year while the material is fresh. I know it is technically a gap year, but everything I have seen refers to a 'gap year' as one that involves things like missions trips, volunteering, camps, etc, which is why I worded my post/title the way I did. Everything I found also only talked about applying to colleges and asking for a deferral, and you have to have your 'gap year' activities approved. My friend's kid doesn't even have a school/major in mind, so they were wondering about taking the year off, so to speak, then applying the next year. I'll tell her to get all tests out of the way senior year. My youngest brother didn't have any issues, he graduates from Michigan State this May :) he took a year off to work so that he would have the money for his books and what not. That's good to know! Thanks for sharing. A couple of considerations.... The student needs to understand that for freshman scholarship eligibility they should not be taking any college courses after high school graduation. So that gap year can involve anything of interest - volunteering, travel, etc. but college courses could be a problem at many colleges. Also, if financial aid is a concern keep in mind that student earnings are weighted more heavily in financial aid consideration so the student's earning that year may cut back on their financial aid eligibility the next year, I know college the year after high school is a 'no no' at most places, as does my friend, but my she was wanting to be sure that freshman merit scholarships wouldn't be affected. My friend said they won't qualify for merit aid, so it's purely merit they would get. Do you know if taking the SAT/ACT after graduation would be of any benefit, or if schools would only want scores while in high school? I read on a few schools' web pages that a freshman applicant over 24 years of age didn't need an SAT/ACT score, so I'm thinking there is no downside (to those particular schools, anyway), of taking the ACT again in case a higher score is achieved? Thanks everyone, for your help/thoughts!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara H Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Do you know if taking the SAT/ACT after graduation would be of any benefit, or if schools would only want scores while in high school? I read on a few schools' web pages that a freshman applicant over 24 years of age didn't need an SAT/ACT score, so I'm thinking there is no downside (to those particular schools, anyway), of taking the ACT again in case a higher score is achieved? Thanks everyone, for your help/thoughts!! No problem at all with taking the SAT/ACT after graduation. Colleges will consider those scores just the same. In fact occasionally students will retake the summer before entering college if they have some specific purpose (like getting the score needed to be admitted to a particular major or avoid taking a remedial course). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 The only thing I can think of is for the TN HOPE scholarship (lottery funded) - it specifies that you are eligible for the scholarship if you enroll in college within 13 months of graduating from high school. So in that situation you'd just need to time the official graduation date with the college enrollment date. I don't know if any other scholarship funds are like this, but I thought I'd throw it out there fwiw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 No problem at all with taking the SAT/ACT after graduation. Colleges will consider those scores just the same. In fact occasionally students will retake the summer before entering college if they have some specific purpose (like getting the score needed to be admitted to a particular major or avoid taking a remedial course). Thanks so much! My friend is quite relieved to hear that a 'wait year' shouldn't be detrimental. The only thing I can think of is for the TN HOPE scholarship (lottery funded) - it specifies that you are eligible for the scholarship if you enroll in college within 13 months of graduating from high school. So in that situation you'd just need to time the official graduation date with the college enrollment date. I don't know if any other scholarship funds are like this, but I thought I'd throw it out there fwiw. Ohh... thanks for that. I came across a scholarship just yesterday while looking for my dd that mentioned the applicant had to be enrolled in a 4 year uni within 13 months of high school graduation. I don't know if that means the student has to already be on campus and in classes, or just accepted & registered. Like, if a student graduated in May, waited a year to attend uni, and was starting classes in Aug 15 months after high school graduation, but had registered and paid in April, well before the 13 month time limit, is that student still eligible for that scholarship? So much confusion!! :willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elisabet1 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Could you call it a super senior year? Unless my child's age were way off, activities and such, I might shuffle dates on the transcript to show a later graduation date. I feel like my daughter actually did this with public school. In 8th grade, she took high school geometry, biology, PE, and something else...totaled 5 credits. Then this year, she has taken so little and done tons of volunteer work. I think her 8th grade work just got called 2010 instead of 2009-2010. Now she is being called graduating 2014. It has not hurt her at all. All she is really taking right now is AP English Lit and finishing up Ap Chem. Our school is on a block system so in the fall she started AP Govt/econ, and started AP Chem. She also has been in advanced French, but she really just helps the teacher with stuff and helps other students. So if this is acceptable with the public school, then I think it is fine at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rieshy Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Tn Hope Scholarship says 16 months after graduating from High School: https://www.tn.gov/CollegePays/mon_college/lottery_scholars.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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