The Foreign Service Journal, June 2006

66 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 0 6 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT had few friends in the area during her gap year, and she found that the German part of Switzerland was not very accepting of foreigners. In their book, The Gap-Year Advantage (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2005), Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson write: “Students who have been on the fast track, who are burned out amassing credentials on the way to college, or who just want to explore the world, may need a break before plunging into a multiyear commitment to the academic grind.” In the essay “Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation,” three Harvard adminis- trators write about how today’s stu- dents are at risk for burning out. “Perhaps the best way of all to get the full benefit of ‘time off’ is to postpone entrance to college for a year,” write the administrators. (The essay is post- ed for prospective students at the Harvard College Web site and also at http://www.educationalexpeditions. net/time_out.html.) Lucy Terrell, who is now 21 and studying at Carnegie Mellon Univer- sity, says: “I wanted a break from the stress of school work. By the end of high school, I was pretty worn out. [During the gap year] I calmed down and took time to put my life in perspective. I didn’t realize how much stress I had been under in high school until about four months Continued from page 64 [During the gap year] I put my life in perspective. I came to college much more focused than I would have otherwise. — Lucy Terrell Gap Year Resources Books The Gap-Year Advantage: Helping Your Child Benefit from Time Off Before or During College , Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2005, $14.95). This book provides parents with tips, advice and information to help students develop a gap-year plan. It includes anecdotes from gap-year students and parents. The last part of the book gives program options that include travel, interning, and working and volunteering in the United States and abroad. The Gap-Year Book, Joe Bindloss, Charlotte Hindle and Andrew Dean Nystrom (Lonely Planet Publications, 2005, $24). This travel-oriented guide on planning and taking a gap year includes pre-trip planning advice, info on gap-year organizations, and advice from “gappers” as well as industry experts. Taking a Gap Year (4th edition), Susan Griffith (Vacation Work Publications, 2005, $21.95). Griffith covers the rewards and risks of taking a gap year. Her book also has information on timing, discussions with schools, fund raising, etc., and includes a country-by-country guide of gap-year opportunities. Taking Time Off , 2nd Edition, Colin Hall and Ron Lieber (Princeton Review, 2003, $13). This book tells you how to make the most of a break before or during college. It features stories of 26 students as well as practical advice on planning a gap year. A resources section lists jobs, programs, etc. Delaying the Real World , Colleen Kinder (Running Press Book Publishers, 2005, $12.95). There are still opportunities for taking time off after college graduation. This book discusses short-term opportunities, such as traveling overseas, during the years following college. Web Sites www.findagap.com A comprehensive gap year directory (jobs, travel, expeditions, etc.). www.gapyear.com This site’s tagline is “your complete guide to taking time out.” It includes ideas for things to do, gap-year money advice, info on jobs overseas and message boards. www.gap-year.com From U.K.-based Peridot Press, this site has information for “gappers,” with an emphasis on travel to locations such as Tibet and India. Slogan: “All you need for planning your gap year.” www.interimprograms.com The Center for Interim Programs is a counseling service that helps young people identify gap-year programs. The center has been around since 1980, and has designed gap years for more than 5,000 individuals. www.yearoutgroup.org Offers information for young people and their parents and advisers.