The Foreign Service Journal, June 2006

68 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 her student visa and stay in the United States, but she ended up feeling burned out in grad school. “I wish I had felt less pressured,” Maripuu explains. “I would maybe have made different choices about my studies and my career direction. In- stead, I felt pressed to keep on and maybe made my decisions about the direction of my life and career in too much haste.” Finally, taking a gap year can be of special benefit to Foreign Service youth. Although diplomatic kids often have lived outside of the United States and traveled a great deal, they probably haven’t planned travel for themselves. They could learn a lot from actively planning something that is theirs. In addition, if they have not lived extensively in the United States, a gap year could offer an opportunity to volunteer or work in the United States and reconnect to U.S. culture. It’s Not for Everyone There are also some possible downsides to taking a gap year. It can be hard for some students to get back into the routine of study after time off. Also, while some people might be able to earn and save money during their year off, taking a gap year can be expensive. And going to college is more costly after taking a year off. According to CNN/Money, as of 2004 annual hikes in tuition were between 4 and 11 percent, with most schools esti- mating an increase of 5 to 6 percent in tuition per year. Finally, certain schools and certain types of academ- ic programs may not allow students to defer admission. One Foreign Service spouse, Mari O’Connor, says her middle daughter, who is about to graduate from high school in Portugal, doesn’t want to take a gap year. “She feels that taking a year off will make it more difficult for her when she does start her university program, and she’s correct,” says O’Connor. “She has had two conditional offers from veterinarian programs in the United Kingdom, is awaiting word from a third and expects to hear from her American school applications. The A gap year could present an opportunity to volunteer or work in the United States and reconnect to U.S. culture.