Gap Year, American Style: Journeys Toward Learning, Serving, and Self-Discovery

A gap year – taking a structured break before or during college – is a growing trend but still a road less travelled for students in the United States. Gap Year, American Style explores the impact of taking time off on the path to and through higher education. Through a survey of approximately 300 gap alums and dozens of interviews with gappers and their parents, gap year parents and authors Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson explore questions such as: • Why do students take a gap year? • Do they return to college? (The answer should be encouraging to parents!) • What is the impact of gap year experiences on young adults in the areas of education, financial awareness, careers, community service, global citizenship, and self-discovery? Throughout the book, readers encounter the personal stories of numerous gappers who describe in their own words the power of their experiences. The authors join parents, students, educators, counselors, and other stakeholders who find that a gap year can be a transformational experience that (re)ignites a passion for education and learning and leads to personal growth and global awareness. The book also includes practical advice, tips, and resources for those interested in pursuing a gap year option. About the Authors Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson have a combined forty years of experience in the fields of education policy and practice. Karl served as Director of the Adult Literacy Initiative for the U.S. Department of Education and as Special Advisor to the Governor of Mississippi on literacy issues. Rae served as Associate Director for Education Policy at The White House and as Executive Director of the Center for Workforce Preparation and Quality Education, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They are co-authors of The Gap-Year Advantage: Helping Your Child Benefit from Time Off Before or During College (St. Martin’s Griffin).