Christine S.’ College Deferral Experience

I’m the youngest of five kids, so when it came time to choose a school after countless college tours with my siblings, I knew exactly what I was looking for; however, taking a gap year was always in the back of my mind.

I was a junior in high school when COVID brought us into a lockdown and felt as if my life had taken a pause—like I lost two years of making connections and memories. I wanted to do something exciting, and after finding EF, I knew taking a gap year would be the right move for me. 

I still applied to my dream school, got accepted, and then contacted my school to learn about their deferral process. They informed me that they would hold my acceptance and the merit money I received over to the next year—I really only had to send an official email saying I would like to defer my admission, and that was it! It was so easy. 

I am fortunate in that my family was helpful and supportive throughout my whole gap year process. Honestly, officially making the decision to take a gap year was the most difficult part!

The advice I have for any students thinking about deferring their college decision to take a gap year is to just do it! Trust that you will learn more than you imagined possible about yourself and the world. When it comes time for college, you will be ready, more mature, and have life experiences behind you that will put you miles ahead of your classmates.

My gap year prepared me to reach my fullest potential in college; by the time I got to school, I was ready to work and so thankful for the year time I had prior. If I didn’t take my gap year, I know I would have been thinking “What if?”, and would still feel the burnout I felt in high school.