A gap year means time off plus valuable experiences like volunteering, travel, or learning new skills. A gap year is a high-impact, real-world learning experience where students develop life skills like budgeting, resilience, cultural awareness, and confidence. These are qualities and employability skills companies and universities actively seek. A gap year is an incredible life experience and time invested into real-world, experiential learning. A gap year is your confidence and emotional intelligence growing. A gap year is gaining 21st-century skills like adaptability and teamwork your future employers will appreciate. 20 Life Skills Gap Year Checklist
Illustration of key life skills gained on a gap year. Hand-drawn illustration for editorial use. Why Life Skills Make Gap Years Transformational Alumni report understanding the value of their gap year after returning to school, acknowledging how it shaped their personal growth and understanding after reflecting on their experience. Top Life Skills Gained from a Gap Year Skill Area Examples of Real-World Practice Long-Term Benefits Confidence & Independence Solo travel, problem-solving abroad Preparedness for college or job interviews Cross-Cultural Communication Living with international roommates Interpersonal fluency in diverse workplaces Budgeting & Self-Management Tracking expenses, booking travel Financial literacy, time management in school Emotional Intelligence Managing homesickness, reflection journals Greater resilience, focus, and empathy A gap year volunteering abroad, working a job, traveling, or reflecting through personal development will teach you more than any textbook could. Taking a gap year will ignite the fuse for achieving professional development, career readiness, and personal success. Additionally, you’ll be able to work on your critical thinking and self-management skills. Research shows: 95% of gap year participants say their gap year prepared them somewhat or very well for their next step (Gap Year Association 23) 90% of gap year students attend college within one year of their break (Shellenbarger) Gap year students graduate college at higher rates than peers (Birch and Miller; Crawford and Cribb) Effects are strongest for students with lower initial academic achievement (Crawford and Cribb) These are experiential learning outcomes that will help you stand out when you enter college or your professional career. Confidence, Independence & Problem-Solving Outdoor adventure activities help gap year students gain resilience and courage. The change from school structure to self-guided growth is difficult, awkward, or even uncomfortable for some people. But that’s how the learning happens. This process also involves being in touch with one’s feelings, which is crucial for personal development and emotional well-being. During a gap year after graduating from high school, students face various situations that challenge them to adapt and grow. According to Mariana Espósito Lima, who documented her 14-month gap year experience, strategic planning allowed her to live across 20 Chinese cities and 4 countries on just $8,000. “I literally took note of every expense and knew exactly in which week I spent too much with online purchases or when I saved and made enough money to afford a trip to Hong Kong…I gained valuable cultural insights from my Chinese roommates and language partner. Learned to play Mahjong with the coffee auntie. Was taught Tai Chi for free. Got to know all the things you can do with a simple rice cooker. I even got a better understanding of Chinese dating habits from a 3-day failed attempt” (Espósito Lima). Educational research identifies four critical soft skill categories: socio-emotional skills, cognitive/meta-cognitive skills, basic digital skills, and adaptability skills. Soft skills are “life-long learning skills that are not necessarily developed in a classroom environment; they can be better developed in an informal setting” (Mwita et al.), like gap years. In fact, students who take a gap year consistently demonstrate personal growth as a core outcome of their experience. “A better sense of who I am as a person and what is important to me” was recorded as the the highest-rated outcome in alumni surveys conducted by the Gap Year Association. This suggests that the less formal, real-world environments offered by gap years are the ideal setting for soft skills development, which classrooms tend to overlook. Tip: Reflective practice is a must here. Journaling or asking for feedback will help you gain new perspectives, identify your growth, and stay aligned with your personal goals and vision. “Alex grew immeasurably from this life-changing experience… She thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in different cultures, the various service projects and the adventurous nature of the trip, challenging her to face her fears. She made lifelong friends.” — Robin Adelson, Parent of Rustic Pathways Gap Year Alumni Cross-Cultural Communication & Adaptability Language immersion and cultural exchange are key gap year life skills. Travel and language immersion during a gap year introduce you to different perspectives, values, and social norms. At least it’s what it did for me, deepening my interpersonal skills substantially. Here’s how it all went down. Real Gap Year Story: From Language School to Cultural Fluency A gap year abroad offers opportunities to connect with students from around the world. After completing all my university course requirements, I delayed graduation by a year to study Korean at a language school. I started at level 3 and worked my way up to level 6, the final level. In each level, I was placed in a new class with different students from around the world. By the end, I had met classmates from the following countries: Level 3: Spain, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Uzbekistan Level 4: Japan, Hong Kong, Canada Level 5: Russia, India, the Netherlands Level 6: Norway, France, Belgium, Germany I learned about different countries and their unique cultures, all while communicating in a language none of us had grown up speaking. How much cross-cultural can it get? Choosing language immersion as my type of gap year program was the best decision I made. But personal stories like mine reflect a much larger trend backed by data. How Gap Years Boost Academic Success and Cultural Intelligence Gap years can motivate students academically. In a study by Nina Hoe, 54% of students reported taking a gap year influenced them to take foreign language classes later on (“2015 National Alumni Survey”). Top Skills Gained from Volunteering Inspired me to be an active volunteer globally 72% Inspired me to be an active volunteer locally 69% Increased interest in attending college 59% Helped determine what to study 57% Influenced me to take foreign language classes 54% Increased chances of completing college 38% Placed out of foreign language in college 27% Source: Gap Year Association 2015 NAS Survey But the impact goes beyond academics. Gap years also inspire active participation in the community through: Collaborating with teams abroad where customs and communication styles differ. Adjusting to environments where internet access, timekeeping, or feedback norms are unfamiliar. During my time at language school, this is exactly what I experienced. I collaborated with other students who had different customs and communication styles. These experiences helped me develop emotional regulation and cultural intelligence. These lessons are important to consider when thinking about taking a gap year vs going to college. Budgeting, Planning, and Self-Management Living independently for a year while traveling requires you to master the basics of adulting in your personal life, fast. Gap years introduce structured approaches to budgeting, planning, and self-management. Key areas of growth include important skills such as: Time management: Planning travel, work schedules, and downtime. Budgeting: Tracking expenses, setting limits, and making trade-offs. Logistical planning: Booking flights, applying for visas, organizing volunteer commitments. Time management is an important skill, as it involves planning and prioritizing tasks to make the most of available time. Additionally, you will begin learning about budgeting as you start planning how to afford a gap year. These transferable skills create a solid foundation for future academic and career planning. This, in turn, can support greater success in college, where self-discipline is a MUST-HAVE. How a Gap Year Helps Students Build Maturity Before College Cultural exchange experiences help foster emotional maturity and empathy — key gap year outcomes. An overlooked benefit of taking a gap year is how it helps students develop self-discipline, independence, and a stronger sense of personal responsibility. This helps close the student maturity gap: the divide between academic and real-world readiness. According to a testimony from a student whose journey was documented in a study following 73 young South Africans after university enrollment: “Now that I think about it, I think for some people it is better for them to first take a gap year so that they can build up some level of maturity, maybe through work in the gap year or something. I feel it might have been better for me at that point, because I would have been more mature and know what is more important to me. Like I’d have known not to go and waste money on Mr Price clothes. Now that I have a family I know the value of money, but at that point I didn’t know that” (Marshall et al. 28). This kind of self-awareness and growth is one reason why gap years are becoming more popular. Did you know? Online search and book references to “gap year” have risen dramatically since the early 2000s, reflecting growing public awareness and mainstream acceptance (Google Trends; Google Books Ngram Viewer). Emotional Resilience & Decision-Making Gap year adventures lead to new friendships and unforgettable experiences. BOO! Gap years can be scary. OUCH! Gap years can be uncomfortable. COMFORT ZONES? Gap years will put you outside of them. Unpredictable schedules, homesickness, cultural fatigue. I’m not trying to scare you. I’m letting you know in advance which types of challenges you might encounter, and which challenges you will overcome. In doing so, you’ll have built your character and emotional resilience. But most importantly, you’ll have realized that gap years are good for your mental health. Practicing mindfulness, reflection, and self-awareness during tough moments will teach you how to: Manage stress and emotions in real time Make informed, values-based decisions Recognize emotional triggers and respond constructively Making choices that align with your values and aspirations is crucial for personal development and genuine growth. “Gap years should be the norm, not the exception…ninety percent of kids who defer and take a gap year return to college and are more likely to graduate, with better grades.” — Scott Galloway, NYU Stern Professor These emotional tools will stick with you as you head into college, work, and your relationships. Employers are actively looking for candidates with emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and an ability to adapt to fast-changing environments. Fun Fact: Acts of kindness, laughter, and even journaling can all enhance psychological well-being and reduce anxiety during emotionally demanding experiences. How These Relevant Skills Impact College and Career Success Service work helps gap year students build responsibility and teamwork skills. Research from multiple studies shows gap year students outperform their peers academically. In the United States and United Kingdom, students who took gap years graduated with higher GPAs than similar students who went to college right away (Birch and Miller; Crawford and Cribb). Gap year students “almost always overperformed academically in college, usually to a statistically significant degree,” with positive effects lasting all four years (Gap Year Association). On top of academic performance, students who take a structured gap year report: A stronger sense of direction before choosing majors and planning their careers More effective time and stress management in school Increased self-confidence in navigating classroom discussions, internships, or interviews A clear career development plan informed by lived experience In competitive environments, this results in advantages. For example, though not always translating to a successful match, a recent study of dermatology residency applicants found that those who took a gap year for research had about double the number of research projects on their applications compared to those who didn’t (Zuberi et al. 7). Taking time to set goals leads to measurable progress. What Employers Really Want from Gap Year Graduates More and more, employers are looking beyond just degrees. You need to stand out. In a recent survey, 75% of HR leaders said college graduates are underprepared for the workplace, with 77% of graduates reporting they learned more practical skills in their first six months of work than during four years of college (Hult International Business School). So what do employers actually care about? 95% say critical thinking is a top priority when it comes to hiring Leadership, teamwork, and self-awareness are considered essential traits for job readiness Digital literacy and continuous learning are expected baseline competencies In fact, only 12% of gap year graduates did not report that their gap year significantly added to their employability (Milkround). One of my cousins, she is from China and she took a Gap year in Australia, and she went to work on a sheep farm because they have.. No, not Australia, New Zealand! They have a specific visa for a lot of Chinese students who go there and work on sheep farms. So she had this visa, and her specific reasons for taking this excursion of a Gap year for her, was to learn English. To improve her English, expand her world view and she did it right after undergrad. So this made her a very attractive hire. Because once she was done with this program, she went back to China and employers looked upon this favorably because they said ‘Wow, here is a girl that had the guts to go to New Zealand of all places and sheer wool and watch sheep give birth.’ She had so many amazing stories that made her stand out and was a conversation starter. For her, it was a very positive experience and helped her land a fantastic job at a consulting company. @dandanzhudg TikTok Final Thoughts: Why These Skills Matter for Life After Gap Year Many gap year students visit iconic destinations like Machu Picchu during their travels. How boring life would be without complications? Taking a gap year means stepping into something messy. It also means experiencing a meaningful and unscripted life. The personal life skills you’ll build by taking a gap year will prepare you for, and give value to, your personal and professional lives. Maintaining a positive perspective during your gap year can enhance your personal development and well-being, setting you up for future success. Whether you’re navigating uncertain waters, leading groups of people, budgeting for your trip, or building new friendships, taking a break after high school to go on a gap year will bring you soft and hard skills no classroom could replicate. Download the 20 Life Skills Gap Year Checklist
Gap Year Citations & Research Sources @dandanzhudg. “some really like some don’t but it definitely makes you a more interesting candidate prospect!!!” TikTok, 2 Feb. 2024. View Video Birch, Eryn R., and Paul W. Miller. “The Characteristics of ‘Gap Year’ Students and Their Tertiary Academic Outcomes.” Economic Record, vol. 83, no. 262, 2007, pp. 329–344. Crawford, Claire, and Jonathan Cribb. “Gap Year Takers: Uptake, Trends and Long Term Outcomes.” Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2012. Espósito Lima, Mariana. “5 Takeaways from My Gap Year in China.” LinkedIn, 14 Feb. 2023. View Article Gap Year Association. 2020 Gap Year Alumni Survey Report. 2021. View Report Gap Year Association. “Data & Benefits.” Gap Year Association. Accessed 27 May 2025. View Source Google Trends. “gap year.” trends.google.com. Accessed 21 May 2025. Google Books Ngram Viewer. “gap year.” books.google.com/ngrams. Accessed 21 May 2025. Hoe, Nina, et al. “2015 National Alumni Survey.” Gap Year Association and Temple University, 2015. Hult International Business School. New Study: U.S. Grads Are Missing the Mark on Workplace Readiness. 2022. View Study Milkround. “The Value of a Gap Year.” Milkround, 2017. Mwita, Kelvin, et al. “Soft Skills Development in Higher Education Institutions: Students’ Perceived Role of Universities and Students’ Self-Initiatives in Bridging the Soft Skills Gap.” International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, vol. 12, no. 3, 2023, pp. 505–513. View Source Shellenbarger, Sue. “Delaying College to Fill in the Gaps.” The Wall Street Journal, 29 Dec. 2010. Zuberi, Hafsa Z., Nathan Steele, Jonathan Aldrete, and Cloyce Stetson. “Increasing Importance and Costs Associated With Publishing for Dermatology Residency Applicants.” Cureus, vol. 16, no. 8, 2024. View Source