The Pros & Cons of Organized Gap Year Programs Abroad 

Organized gap year programs have long since been a favorite pastime of wanderlusters the world over, and it’s more widely accepted than ever that high school students take a year off before college. Regardless of what you're into or what you enjoy, there is much to be learned by going abroad, experiencing new cultures, and seeing as much of the world as it is possible to see!

Rather than jump right into your studies, you’re interested in taking a gap year before college.

In the name of independence and stepping away from the confines of your hometown, it can seem odd that enlightenment-seekers often veer towards signing up for formal gap year programs rather than striking out on their own. But in reality, you'll have tons of opportunity to tap into your self-resilience and learn about yourself either way. Both paths are glittered with wonderful lessons, conversations, sunrises, tastes, and laughter (not to mention pushing your comfort zone and juicy self-development), so there really is no wrong "way" to take a gap year.

However, as you look ahead and start to put the pieces together for coordinating YOUR very own gap year experience, we wanted to outline the pros and cons of traveling with an organized gap year program vs. traveling solo on your gap year. 

Read on to weigh your options, learn if organized gap year programs are all they're cracked up to be, and ultimately decide which gap year style / route is for you!

The cons of organized/formal gap year programs 

You will gain valuable work and volunteer experience abroad.

Isn’t the point of taking a gap year before college to spend a little time outside the rigidity and structure of a classroom? Even if your program doesn’t include a study component, you might find the structure of an organized gap year program a little stifling. This might not be the best option for any student looking to go their own way and blaze their own trails.

1. They can restrict your movement.

You can’t move around as much as you would like and this can be restricting, as it means you literally can’t go anywhere else whilst abroad. If you're working somewhere or taking part in an activity in one place, then you will be required to stay there. This can be annoying because the whole point of a gap year is that you're able to not only explore the world, but also find a few things out about yourself. Staying in one place working or doing one activity means that your travel bucket list will have to wait, so be aware of this before you even apply for a program.

2. You might not meet as many new people.

You’re going to meet new people abroad, that is a given. However, there will be a distinct lack of a consistent new stream of people for you to meet. If you're doing an organized gap year program, like a work placement, then you will be working with the same people virtually every day. You’ll need to decide if this is what you want to do, or if you’d rather spend your year hopping from country and city, making new friends along the way.

If you're volunteering through gap year programs like Carpe Diem Education, for example, then you will meet new people in your group who will soon become like your family, but you'll be working a lot and won’t necessarily have time to get to branch out on your own.

You’ll be exposed to new cultures and ways of living.

3. There’s generally less freedom.

In the very early stages of your organized gap year program, the idea of having added support from the people you're traveling with can seem not only enjoyable, but also essential, especially if you want to really learn and grow. As you become more comfortable with life abroad, the handholding or micro-managing of your might start to get a little annoying.

You’ll start craving more independence, and this is essential to achieving what you want to by taking a gap year before college; essentially this means that you’ll start getting the irrepressible urge to “spread your wings,” and you yourself will have to come to the conclusion of whether or not that is a good idea.

The pros of organized gap year programs

For recent high school graduates interested in taking a year off before college, organized gap year programs are the perfect compromise between nagging parents and those restless feet of yours. The structure and supervision gives parents a little relief knowing you’re taken care of, but you still ultimately get the best of traveling abroad for a year with every added advantage, such as:

1. It looks great on your CV/resume.

Taking a gap year can often raise questions in university interviews or in job interviews. What did you do on your gap year? Working or volunteering on your gap year is exactly the thing to have on your CV/resume and something that hiring managers absolutely love to see. It shows you have work experience and it shows that you've taken some time to actually try and learn some new skills, too.

You’ll gain a whole new traveling family and view of the world during gap year programs abroad.

It's very important that you make note of your gap year achievements on your CV/resume, humble brag if you have to; people will not only be very impressed by your participation in gap year programs abroad, they will also count for a lot more in due course. If you learned a language, highlight this accomplishment alongside your work and volunteer accolades.

2. You might find something that you enjoy.

There is a great opportunity for you here to find something that you love. You may find a job that you want to stick with or you'll find a an idea of what you want to study in college. In fact, many people who end up taking a gap year before college have said that that experience is what made them want to study human and family studies (for example) or to look into similar activities at university.

3. You’ll gain unique experience.

The experience of traveling and working abroad is invaluable. It shows that you have experience in the working world, which can help with your CV/resume, but more importantly than that, it helps you be a more well-rounded person. It will help you to learn more about yourself, illuminate what you're going to do with your life, inform you more about how the world works, and it will help you to understand the working world too.

Use these unique experiences to your advantage; learn more about the world and the way that people work, and (if you're working abroad) learn more and more about the way different cultures work too.

4. You won't keep your mom up at night.

The reality is—traveling, especially at a young age, does have inherent danger. When you're halfway across the world, this can be grounds for early onset graying of your mother's hair and some more-frequent-than-usual "Ok" texts from your day. Your parents worry, and gap year programs offer a degree of peace as you will be accompanied by trained professionals every step of your experience. Gap year safety is really, really important to pay attention to, and if you have a group and leaders, it releases you from some of the pressure.

If you’re interested in venturing out on your own, an organized gap year program might not be for you – since most activities are done as a group.

5. You'll have guided learning.

The name of the gap year game is reflection, reflection, reflection. But what if you're not much of a journaler, or what if you're averse to silence and quiet? Will you actually push yourself to incorporate meaningful processing of your experiences so that you can articulate the lessons you learned along the way? 

It's harder to hold ourselves accountable to inner work when we're just going on our own. Your gap year program friends and leaders can provide you with a really helpful framework to support goal-setting (and crushing) and paying attention to the bigger picture of why you're on a gap year.

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6. You'll have instant-besties.

Traveling in community can be one of the most rewarding, fun, awesome, and frustrating experiences of an abroad trip. The highs and lows are equally important, and equal fodder for giving you new insight into how you operate in a group and how to manage group dynamics. Plus, you'll have a community right from the get-go—perfect for keeping away feelings of homesickness or intense culture shock. While going alone has its perks, having a buddy to go with you might have even more.

Which gap year style is right for you?

The pros and cons of organized gap year programs abroad. There are plenty of things (and programs) to consider and a near endless amount of research to do, but hopefully this little list will help get you on the right track and allow you to make an informed decision, so when the day arrives for you to embark on your gap year abroad, you know exactly what you’re in for.

How to Choose Between Gap Year Programs Abroad