High school grads in the 2020 cohort will experience a summer and fall unlike previous generations of grads. Grads who are continuing to post-secondary studies will experience orientation events and the first weeks of classes (if they exist in person at all) in completely new ways. Some grads are deciding to defer their acceptances for a year. (Note: If you are looking to defer but haven’t done so already, you’ll need to check with your respective institution to see if any conditions apply to that deferral.) Other grads made the decision to defer a while ago.  

If you are taking a gap year but aren’t sure what to do, here are some options: 

  • Claystone Certificate at Crandall University: “In partnership with Camp Shiktehawk, ClayStone offers students a year of experiential education while they complete 30 university credits. Each student will have the opportunity to experience outdoor adventure, close community, and mission experiences in Canada and the Dominican Republic.*”   
  • Kurios with Canadian Baptists of Western Canada: “Kurios is a 28–week (7 ½ month) gap year experience for young adults (typically aged 17-22) including a 7-week, immersive cross-cultural experience in Costa Rica.”
  • If a formal program isn’t accessible to you, consider using CBOQ’s Gap Year Template to create your own meaningful experience. 

A gap year can help solidify a foundation to build into your adulthood and beyond.