Taking a gap year, also called a pre-college sabbatical or deferred enrollment break, has become a popular decision for high school graduates who are figuring out the transition from high school to college.
But does taking a gap year before college hurt your chances when you eventually apply to enroll? The answer is no! In this guide, we will answer the question “Do gap years help or hurt college admissions?”
Reasons for the transition year vary, but tend toward the following:
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Actually, a well-structured gap year will look good on your college admissions profile. Here’s what the research and admissions officers have to say.
I was rejected from med school 5 times before I got in. I wrote 6 admission tests and took 1 gap year. This year I won an award for Excellence in Medicine. It’s never too late to succeed. Don’t give up.
Yes, top-tier schools like Harvard, Stanford, and Princeton let students take a gap year before enrollment. Colleges just adjust their enrollment forecasts and housing allocations when students defer admission.
These schools know that when students complete meaningful experiences like volunteering, internships, or cultural immersion programs during their gap year, they tend to return with demonstrated academic motivation, as evidenced by higher first-year GPAs and participation in major-relevant activities. This helps them care more about their classes and learn more, no matter what they’re studying.
Read More: Types of Gap Year Programs
There exists a misinformed or overly simplistic understanding of what a gap year actually is. For example, one academic paper analyzing rhetorical strategies in data visualizations highlighted a key limitation: it failed to separate students intentionally taking a gap year from those who were simply unemployed. By grouping these categories together, the research ended up portraying gap years in a more negative light, overlooking the fact that many students use this time for meaningful activities like volunteering, traveling, or preparing for further education (Engebretsen and Kennedy 253).
Gap Year Tip: Many colleges ask if students took a break after high school before starting college. This shows that it’s not just okay, but at times even expected!
| Category | Gap Year Students | Non-Gap Year Students |
| GPA After 1st Year | Multiple reports of higher GPA due to increased focus | May struggle with burnout |
| Engagement in Class | More confident and vocal | May still be adjusting |
| Clarity on Major | Higher due to real-world exposure | More likely to switch majors |
| Graduation Rates | Comparable or higher (case-dependent) | Standard progression |
Taking a gap year will help you do better in school. Although 63% of gap year alumni that took academic coursework during their gap year did not receive college credit for the work (Gap Year Association 5-6), studies show that students who take a break between high school and college are more likely to:
Self-reflection during a gap year results in improvements in students’ focus and motivation levels once they enter college. All of that helps them succeed.
Studies indicate that gap year students maintain higher academic momentum, which can contribute to smoother credit accumulation over time, though results may vary by student and institution.
Yes. Gap Year helps students succeed in college. Taking a gap year improves college success by increasing maturity, motivation, and academic performance. Students who take a year off often return with clearer goals, higher engagement, and better time management skills. These in turn lead to higher retention and graduation rates.
According to research cited by David D. Curtis, a researcher at Flinders University’s School of Education, students take gap years to save money for studies, gain life experience, and decide on their academic path (Jones 2004, qtd. in Curtis 107). Other scholars note that gap years can offer “positional advantages” for university admissions and employment by developing soft skills (Heath 2007, qtd. in Curtis 107-108), which are also an important part of young people’s identity development (King 2011, qtd. in Curtis 107-108).
I used my gap years to build up my med school application. I gained experience, more clinical experience. I dedicated 2-3 months to just studying for the MCAT because I wanted to do it as well. I shadowed and I volunteered and sort of just solidified my interest in medicine. But I also got dinners with friends, I went out dancing, I stayed up way too late and had so much fun. I enjoyed my 22’s and my 23’s. So how could someone regret that time?
Students who wait a bit after high school before starting college are more ready to handle college life. The break gives them time to learn why talking to teachers and joining class is important, and that helps them do better.
For example, the majority of students who start college in the spring (after a gap experience) report better grades than those who start right away after high school. This is true for both two-year and four-year colleges.
Additionally, only 5% of gap year alumni said their gap experience did not prepare them well for their transition to college/workforce (Gap Year Association 11).
Gap years can also help with money. Students learn to budget and how to afford a gap year. Then they use the time to:
Because they plan ahead, these students care more about school and are more focused.
Professors report improved participation and writing quality among gap year students! Students who take a break before college are usually:
These benefits help students handle things faster through college. While not universally faster, multiple gap year students report that entering college with a clearer academic focus helps them stay on track for timely graduation.
Pros
Related Reading: Mental Health Benefits of Taking a Gap Year
Cons
For the best outcome, match your gap year with your intended college course or long-term career path. Structured experiences such as service learning, internships, or academic study shows a clear commitment to continuous learning.
Did you know? Interest in “gap year” is not just concentrated in Western countries: in 2025, South Africa, Nepal, and Indonesia were also among the global top 10 for search volume (Google Trends).
Colleges like it when you’re clear and honest about your gap year. When you write about it, make sure to explain:
At competitive schools, students even write about their gap year in extra essays or use it to show how their grades got better.
Tips from College People
“I am convinced that one’s college education is greatly enhanced by the maturity, experience, and perspective a student can bring post gap year.”
– Fred A. Hargadon, former Dean of Admissions, Princeton University
“We encourage admitted students to defer enrollment for one year to travel, pursue a special project or activity, work, or spend time in another meaningful way.”
– Harvard College Admissions
“The feedback from students almost all the time has been that this experience was transformative. The more life experience you bring, the better off you are in school.”
– William R. Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Harvard University
“A gap year between high school and college can be a very productive, meaningful opportunity to engage in an activity that provides greater clarity to an undergraduate experience.”
– Vice President and Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid, Dartmouth College
These experts say a gap year isn’t just good for growing as a person, but it also helps students do better in school, fit in well, and contribute to college life.
Students can strengthen their college applications with a gap year by gaining college credits, improving test and interview readiness, and increasing classroom confidence. A gap year moves you leaps ahead by boosting motivation, deepening academic focus, and preparing you for future career paths.
Related: What Is a Gap Year? Benefits, Programs, and How It Works
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Gap years can positively affect college acceptance if and only if they are used for meaningful activities.
Meaningful means things like volunteering, working, or traveling coupled with a compelling narrative about why the student did whatever they did. Colleges value applicants who demonstrate personal growth, initiative, and real-world experience, but you have to demonstrate it.
Colleges prefer gap year students, especially when they return more mature, focused, and engaged. A well-used gap year helps students clarify goals, gain life experience, and enter college with stronger motivation and readiness, leading to better academic and campus involvement.
Completing all necessary steps for a successful gap year ensures future college students gain valuable experience, meet academic or program requirements and stay on track with future goals. Proper planning prevents poor performance, as my college coach used to say. Prep helps turn gap year into a structured, goal-oriented break that supports college and career success.
Curtis, David D. “The ‘Gap Year’ in Australia: Incidence, Participant Characteristics and Outcomes.” The Australian Economic Review, vol. 47, no. 1, 2014, pp. 107–114.
Engebretsen, Martin, and Helen Kennedy, editors. Data Visualization in Society. Amsterdam University Press, 2020. Project MUSE.
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Gap Year Association. Gap Year Alumni 2020 National Survey Report. Gap Year Association, 2021, pp. 5–6, 11.
Google Trends. “gap year.” trends.google.com. Accessed 21 May 2025.
@itsaghogho. “You’re not too old and it is never too late 🤍 ib: @med lo👩🏻⚕️.” TikTok, 23 Nov. 2023.
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@mezonthemove. TikTok, 14 Jan. 2023.
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