Considering a Gap Year?

If you are already planning on taking a gap year, it is your choice whether you apply to PLC now or wait until next fall. You are allowed to defer your acceptance into PLC for one academic year and you will not lose your seat in the cohort or the merit scholarship associated with acceptance into the program. You must, however, contact the program in the spring of your gap year (no later than March 1) to re-establish contact and confirm your intent to join the program in the fall. It might be to your advantage to apply during your gap year so you can use your new experiences in your application and so you don't forget to contact the program to ensure your enrollment.

Taking a gap year, depending on what you do during your gap year, can greatly improve your chances of getting into PLC. If you enroll into a culturally immersive program such as Global Citizen Year, you will grow personally, professionally, civically, intellectually and in your cultural awareness. This type of growth can only help you express yourself as the potential leader and problem solver that PLC looks for in the application process.

The CU Office of Admissions neither encourages nor discourages students from taking a gap year. You can defer your enrollment into the University for up to one academic year.

There are many gap year programs that are worth your attention and research. At PLC, we love highlighting Global Citizen Year as an option for your gap year. The Global Citizen Year program is intense, immersive, culturally sensitive, and life changing. As a program it can improve your confidence in decision making, ability to assess risk and benefit of certain actions, critically assess the impact of your actions on the lives of others in a culturally sensitive way, and will push your assumed limits of comfort and control.

There are multitudes of gap year programs - and they are not all equal in terms of experience. PLC suggests these tips when looking for a gap year experience:

You are not a tourist - if the program includes surface level visits to tourist heavy places, orphanages, refuges, etc. then you will not be getting the immersive global experience that best helps you grow as a person.

This is not spring break - if the program is all about fun, excursions, outings that cost extra, etc. you are not going to experience the depth of culture that is necessary to build your global awareness and cultural sensitivity.

Get outside the classroom - if the program is focused on classroom instruction and learning, then it is more of a study abroad. While you might grow academically, you will not get the opportunity to get truly involved with the global community.

This isn't temporary - while your gap year will only last a year, make sure that your program lasts 2-3 months at the very minimum. Cultural immersion and awareness takes time and exposure. Make the committment with your time to build bonds with community members you encounter. True understanding of other people and other cultures takes a lot of time and a lot of patience - allow for both.

These program attributes all exist in Global Citizen Year. Take a look here!