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Are schools or employers looking at gap years?

I've got a few years before I will need to decide, and I am not completely leaning towards taking a gap year anyways, but I was wondering if this has an effect on applications?

I just want to know more about how my options will affect the future.
Thanks!

#college #JULY20

july20
Thank you comment icon My comment is solely based on the people I've known. One of my relative went back to college after eight years. On the other hand, I'm currently interning and even my supervisor has almost five years gap between his grad and under grad programs. The most important thing is you should be able to provide all the documentations like high schools transcript if your applying for a college whereas while applying for a job you should demonstrate the skills your employer is looking for. So, gap year shouldn't be any kind of hurdle to anyone. Babita
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Laura’s Answer

At our company, we are looking at the total experience an individual brings to the workplace. Taking a gap year to travel and explore the world is viewed in a positive light, since having a global perspective is a valued trait.
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Cheryl’s Answer

My only suggestion to add to this, is to consider applying to college PRIOR to taking a gap year. That way, you will not have the difficulty of applying to college without easy access to your transcripts, current test scores, etc. Once you are accepted to college, you can ask to defer your entry until after your GAP year. Most colleges will accept this request.
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Linda’s Answer

I taught at a private, liberal arts university that valued what students had done and achieved beyond academics. We looked for well-rounded students who had participated in extra-curricular activities, community service programs, employment, etc. In our case, a student who had chosen to do a gap year would not be penalized. It would actually be advantageous to that individual in the review of her/his application especially with respect to the "real world" experiences that might enhance classroom learning. On a personal note, I often lamented the fact that more students had not taken a gap year, since they came to us more mature, more grounded, and more interested in learning.
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D’s Answer

It depends what you do with your gap year and how you present it. If you can say during the course of it, you picked up some new skills and achieved various things, that will always look good; even just talking about travelling or volunteering

People will ask what did you got up to during your gap year as part of the interview process so if you are thinking doing it, i would figure out what you want to do in that time
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Laura’s Answer

Hi Nadia! In my opinion, gap years can be of your advantage if spent correctly. Schools and employers would look into your reasons for taking a gap year and what you actually do during that time. A lot of people lean towards a gap year to obtain a more hands on experience in their field of interest, such as an internship. This would be a plus point if your next step is applying for a full time job in the same area as you would have previous experience. People also take the chance to spend their gap year by giving back to the community, such as through overseas volunteering. I believe schools and employers would really value this experience as well.
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