Going to college straight out of high school isn’t right for everyone. In fact, a year of doing something else can help you grow and mature in ways that will enhance the value of your college education.

There are many worthwhile opportunities ranging from volunteer organizations, study, travel, work to a post-grad year. The web site FindAGap is an excellent resource for anyone considering a gap year. The site features an excellent search engine specific to gap year opportunities.

Going to college straight out of high school isn’t right for everyone. In fact, a year of doing something else can help you grow and mature in ways that will enhance the value of your college education. A popular gap year opportunity is learning another language while living abroad. There are a number of language immersion programs such as CIEE. Many of these opportunities involve living with a family, studying and improving fluency in a foreign language.

Taking Off is personalized program which works with young people (ages 16-25) who are taking time off from a traditional classroom setting either before, during, or after college.

Dynamy, Inc. is a not-for-profit experiential educational organization focused on gap year opportunities.