Thinking of a Gap Year or Deferring College Start Date?
By Karen Treon, Senior Editor & College Parent
If your student is thinking of taking a “gap year” (meaning, a year off between high school and college) or deferring their college start date, we have some important tips for you. The details matter, and failing to cross the T’s and dot the I’s can lead to expensive and frustrating consequences.
First, let’s talk about some definitions. The important term here is “deferral.” Students who are admitted to a college or university but seek to start LATER than the semester they were admitted to are seeking a “deferral.” (And yes, we agree that this is confusing given that colleges “defer” students during the admission process and that is a totally different thing. We are talking here about students who have been admitted.) A commonly used term for this is “gap year,” which doesn’t have any official meaning. It can mean that a student plans to work or travel or do a service project or really anything else for a period of time - usually a year - before college starts. We will use the word “deferral” in this blog post because it is the most expansive term. It is VERY IMPORTANT to understand that this post is for students who have been accepted to a college and are seeking to defer the start date. If a student is considering taking a year off and then applying to college, they are in a very different situation and this blog post is not applicable.*
Colleges admit students to start in a particular term - usually the fall after high school graduation. The admission offer is usually tied to that particular start date, and if a student wants to push back that start date, they need to engage directly with the college. Every college has different rules and processes for deferral, so it is vital that your student talk to the college from which they are seeking the deferral and follow those instructions. Your student’s friends or relatives may have deferred themselves and told your student how to do it – but that information is likely not applicable to your student. Your student must talk directly to the school they plan to attend. Students should reach out to the assigned admissions officer at the college, explain that they are considering deferring their start date, and ask about the rules and process for that. Students should also speak to the financial aid office about financial repercussions. Some suggested questions for the college officials follow:
For the Admissions Officer:
“I am an admitted student. I am interested in deferring my start date and wanted to find out if that is possible.” Some schools won’t allow deferrals at all, and may say the student would need to re-apply the next year. Others may say that deferrals are allowed for very specific reasons – military service, a health issue, or a religious mission are three more common reasons colleges accept. And other schools might say sure no problem.
“What is the process for requesting a deferral?” Ask the Admissions Officer to send a link to the relevant page, and ask for needed clarifications from the Admissions Officer. Make sure to identify all forms that need to be submitted and the deadlines for the forms.
“Are there restrictions on the deferral? Is there anything that is not allowed during the deferral period?” It is common for colleges to state that the deferring student cannot attend any other college or university during this period, and by doing so the student would need to re-apply as a transfer student later. This means that doing something like taking a photography class at a community college could invalidate the deferral. This is just one example - different schools have different rules.
“Will my merit scholarship remain in place if I defer?” If a student received a merit scholarship from the school, they should not assume that it will remain available for the following year, and should ask this question to avoid surprises.
“Can I defer by a time period other than one year? What are my options?” (Ask only if applicable.) Some schools may give more leeway than others. Financial aid might also be a factor (see below).
“Is a deposit or fee required? Is it refundable?”
“Do you have any suggestions for me? Are there more questions I should be asking?” Admissions Officers are full of knowledge and eager to help. Take advantage of the opportunity to talk to them.
For the Financial Aid Office:
“I am considering deferring my start. Will this affect my financial aid offer?” If a student received need-based financial aid, this is a very important question. Due to grant cycle schedules, some schools require a fall start for Pell Grant eligible students. Schools that rely on the FAFSA to determine financial aid (which is most schools) will almost certainly require that a student who defers submit a FAFSA renewal, and will likely advise the student that the award level might not be the same if they defer.
“Do you have any suggestions for me? Are there more questions I should be asking?” Just like their Admissions colleagues, Financial Aid Officers want to help you – take the opportunity to get all questions answered.
After talking to Admissions and Financial Aid, students should send confirming emails to make sure they understand the requirements and process. Students should also stay in touch with those school officials in case they have any questions throughout the deferral year.
*If your student is graduating from high school this year and is planning to take a year off and then apply to college, they are in a different situation and category and this blog post is inapplicable. Because there can be significant financial repercussions, we suggest that students considering this talk to their high school counselor or high school college advisor, or if they don’t have one, contact an admissions officer at a college of interest or a nearby public university to ask what the impact of delaying application is. Every school is different and it is not possible to offer broad guidance here, but it is not uncommon for schools to have different merit scholarship categories for students applying later. In other words, a student might miss out on a more generous merit scholarship if they do not apply while in high school. If this is the case for your student, they can consider applying as a high school senior and after acceptance seeking a deferral (as discussed above).
