Gap Year

Typically, students complete the college application process during their senior year, then apply for a deferral from the college they select. Most colleges will grant deferments as long as the student provides a clear, thoughtful plan for the gap year. If students decide to apply to colleges during a Gap Year, they will need to adhere to any policies regarding the deferral. Most colleges prefer that students not apply elsewhere during their gap year; unless otherwise indicated by the institution itself, students should plan to withdraw at the college to which they deferred enrollment before submitting other applications.

Each winter, Hotchkiss hosts a Summer and Gap Year Opportunities Fair, where students can learn about various programs and options. Below are programs that have attended our fair and our students have considered in the past few years. These programs are not officially endorsed by Hotchkiss.

Ahilya School English Teaching Apprenticeship
Richard Holkar ’62 is the head of the Rehwa Society, which supports a historic hand-weaving center in central India. The Rehwa Society founded the Ahilya School (Maheshwar, India) in 1989 and hosts Hotchkiss graduates who want to spend a semester or year teaching English in the school. 

ARCC Programs
ARCC Programs runs programs across the U.S. and in 20 countries on 6 continents. The programs are intentional, immersive, and provide students with transformational learning opportunities alongside one-of-a-kind adventure and fun, all while exploring off-the-beaten-path locations worldwide.

Baret Scholars
Baret Scholars is a global gap year program that brings together a cohort of just-graduated high school students from around the world to journey across 7 regions, on five continents, over the course of a year. These scholars will explore their personal interests in different regions via prominent local speakers, curated traveling Fellowships, and optional volunteer opportunities. Baret's mission is to provide students with a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the world, paving the way for years of fulfillment and achievement.

Carpe Diem Education
Carpe Diem Education provides life-changing gap year and summer programs for students aged 14-22. These transformative experiences, spanning diverse destinations like Nepal, Thailand, Ecuador, Italy, and Greece, emphasize immersion and experiential learning. Participants engage in community projects, explore diverse landscapes, and delve into local cultures, fostering personal growth and global awareness. With a focus on sustainability, social justice, and cultural immersion, these programs empower individuals to seize the moment for meaningful global experiences.

English-Speaking Union
Hotchkiss receives a student from an ESU school in the United Kingdom each year, and our students also have the opportunity to spend a year at an English boarding school between graduation and college. Students apply in the fall of their senior year and must defer college acceptance in order to attend.
 
Kaiserin Friedrich Gymnasium
Kaiserin Friedrich Gymnasium is a public school in Bad Hamburg, Germany with which Hotchkiss has partnered for cultural exchanges. Gap year participants will live with a German host family, study the German language, and teach conversational English classes to younger students.

Round Square School Gap Programs
An association of more than 55 schools on five continents, Round Square is founded on six core tenets — internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, leadership, and service — also known as the Round Square "IDEALS." Hotchkiss graduates can apply for gap placement at Round Square schools for an academic semester or year in which they can support a school’s co-curricular program, help with classes, and provide leadership in the dorms.

Sea Education Association (SEA)
SEA's range of programs immerse students in hands-on learning and foster a deep understanding of marine ecosystems and the global implications of human impact on the ocean. Students learn sailing and seamanship while living coed aboard 50-foot yachts and cruising the British Virgin and Leeward Islands.

Rustic Pathways
Founded in the outback of Australia in 1983, Rustic Pathways is one of the world's leading student travel brands, with a renowned reputation for creativity, innovation, and adventure. Through purposeful design, Rustic Pathways creates culturally immersive programs that develop globally-minded, self-aware students to identify their interests and passions, gain confidence, grow as individuals, and create a positive impact at a local and global level. 

Where There Be Dragons
Founded in 1993, Dragons runs immersive travel programs in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The unparalleled 3-month Gap year semester gives students the opportunity to travel with intention & create meaningful connections with the people and places they visit.

WISER (Women’s Institute for Secondary Education and Research)
WISER is the first girls’ secondary boarding school in Muhuru Bay, Kenya. Gap year students can apply for positions with the WISER programs, including WISER Bridge and WISER Social Entrepreneurs.