Incoming College Students Could Take a Gap Year Over Covid-19 Uncertainty

George Ma in Tanzania near Mount Kilimanjaro. If his gap year is accepted, and restrictions are lifted, he plans on using the time to travel more.

Many newly accepted college students are considering taking a gap year because of covid-19. Parents and their kids are looking at the different options in consideration of college campuses not being able to open for Fall 2020 because of the pandemic. A gap year is typically a year where a student takes time to grow and explore before they start college, it can usually include international travel, internships or participation in various programs. This year, it seems like an option many students are willing to take. 

Many college counselors and gap-year consultants are getting phone calls from parents who are worried about how college courses are going online and worried about the quality of education their children might not fully get because of online classes. Mostly everyone is waiting to see how the summer goes to make any final decisions. They are also worried about the price of tuition, and wondering if colleges will lower tuition if they do decide to take the online route. 

Most students who decide to take a gap year have to resubmit financial aid-applications to colleges for the following year and some colleges don't usually give credit for courses taken at other schools, so the student would have to apply as a transfer. The external market environment for most colleges is definitely being affected by the pandemic and how students make decisions for the upcoming fall semester. 

Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/incoming-college-students-could-take-gap-year-over-covid-19-uncertainty-11588687598