lovinmyboys Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 I’m not sure that this is exactly the right board, but I’m hoping maybe someone has an idea. We are living in Poland until summer 2025, when we will go back to the states. My oldest son will graduate from international school here in 2024. He has a summer birthday, so he is on the young end. He is starting to lean toward the idea of a gap year. However, he doesn’t speak Polish so I have no idea what he would do for that year. I’m trying to think of something he could do here while he is living with us. Some kids take classes at the university here, which I think is good. I’m thinking it is better to start as a freshman in the US rather than a transfer student, but maybe I should research that more. I don’t really want him just hanging out for a year (he will work out and play baseball with his polish team). But I also understand that at just turned 18 he may not be ready to be that far away. I’m regretting not saying he was a sophomore when we moved here. That would have been ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Does he have any interest in learning Polish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmyboys Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 48 minutes ago, maize said: Does he have any interest in learning Polish? That would be ideal, and he did when we first moved, but he is taking Spanish at school and I think that is what he wants his second language to be. The school wouldn’t let him take Polish because he moved here in 11th grade and they said 10th grade is the last year to start. He goes to an English speaking school and he plays on a Polish baseball team, but they all speak English so he doesn’t really have enough immersion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Would he consider an exchange to spain? I know some students who repeated their senior year in a foreign language with an exchange program. Or does he specifically want to be home with family? That is really hard. Do you have local expat communities you could ask around to for ideas? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 11 minutes ago, lovinmyboys said: That would be ideal, and he did when we first moved, but he is taking Spanish at school and I think that is what he wants his second language to be. The school wouldn’t let him take Polish because he moved here in 11th grade and they said 10th grade is the last year to start. He goes to an English speaking school and he plays on a Polish baseball team, but they all speak English so he doesn’t really have enough immersion. I had a very similar experience, moving to a German speaking country in 11th grade an attending school in English. I never did learn much German (something I have always regretted). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 (edited) You might check out the linked threads on PAGE 6 of the big thread "College Motherlode" pinned at the top of this forum board. Here are the threads linked there. While much of the info might not be a fit for your student due to you being overseas, the main idea would be similar: - make a plan so that the time is not wasted - consider volunteer work, or get a job -- gain experience/skills in responsibility, networking, etc. - what are his future career plans or current interests? find experiences/opportunities to build on those - Europe has a lot of travel and volunteering gap year opportunities to look into - list specific skills you want the student to mature in and how that is going to happen - make sure to take NO college classes (for credit OR for audit), so your student will maintain freshman eligibility (biggest financial aid awards are made to freshmen, rather than transfer students) - if you know where he will be attending college, contact the school(s) and find out what their gap year policies areGAP YEARLet’s chat about gap years Revisiting the gap year concept Talk to me about a gap year after high school Gap year ideas: have we lost our minds (specifically a wilderness experience)When to apply for college when a gap year is being planned?Gap year and financial aid Edited March 22, 2023 by Lori D. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malam Posted March 28, 2023 Share Posted March 28, 2023 I would definitely suggest against taking college classes after graduating highschool.any scholarships are for incoming freshmen only, and freshman status is often defined as having not taken any college classes after receiving your diploma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted March 28, 2023 Share Posted March 28, 2023 I've heard it can be a good idea to go through the college application process, and then request a deferral for a year once he is accepted. This might be worth researching because then the college application process happens while everything is still fresh and he is living at home so you can help. I don't know what the downside would be outside of the actual process of doing the application. It would also make the end date clear and the shift into college more seamless. I wonder if he could potentially get permission to take classes at that point, I've no idea what the school would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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