
Are You Ready for College? Why Going Straight from High School to College May Be the Wrong Decision
One of the first questions we ask of students is, “Why do you want to go to college?” They are inevitably taken aback by the question. As far back as they can remember their parents have made it clear that college will be part of their future. To many of these teens, going to college is just another milestone like learning to read or getting a driver’s license. As a result, they haven’t given much thought to their goals or what they hope to achieve once they …

Gap Year: How to Plan A Rewarding Experience!
For many students, going to college immediately after finishing high school seems like the obvious and expected thing to do. However, immediately jumping from high school to college is not always the best route for all students. For students who are feeling uncertain about college or just want time to have experiences outside of the classroom, a gap year might be the perfect solution. Taking a gap year between high school and college has been the standard option in other countries,…

AmeriCorps Offers Life-Changing Gap Year Experience With No Fee
Imagine graduating from high school and, within months, finding yourself in the midst of a disaster relief effort working alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Peter Spinale, a current freshman at Texas Christian University, spent last year traveling around the USA as part of a year-long, gap year experience with the AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps).
Peter’s team of eleven (including one leader) was one of seven teams based out …

From “Service Learning” to “Learning To Serve”
A new philosophy on service trips abroad
By Nate Marcus
Danielle Papi had become disenchanted. Although her “voluntourism” organization had raised money to establish, build and paint a school in rural Cambodia, the day she opened it to a stream of students, she came to a stunning realization—there were no available teachers who were qualified to teach the students. Papi, in her dedication to creating a school, had assumed they would simply appear.
A desire to do good in the world…

Evaluating Your Choices
You’ve been accepted! Congratulations! However, when the sense of euphoria and relief has gone away, you have some important decisions to make. Before you start panicking or playing Russian roulette with your future, be certain to check out some of the following resources to help you make an informed decision.
“What to Do When Colleges ACCEPT You” by Jeff Brenzel, the former dean of undergraduate admissions at Yale, encourages you to appreciate the opportunity…

Bridging the Gap: What You Need to Know About Gap Year
For many students, going to college immediately after finishing high school seems like the obvious and expected thing to do. However, immediately jumping from high school to college is not always the best route for all students. For students who are feeling uncertain about college or just want time to have experiences outside of the classroom, a gap year might be the perfect solution. Taking a gap year between high school and college has been standard option in other countries,…