Gap Year Decisions and ensuing mental turmoil

Sifster
Mon, 03 Sep 2012 12:30:49 +0000

Hey you guys! I never thought I would do this, but I’m starting to feel a little faint and I really need an honest opinion.

I’m studying outside the US. I’m not an amaaazing student (I’ve gotten As and my fair share of Bs in high school), though by the end of my senior year, I should be able to pull up my grades to all As (we don’t use the same G.P.A. system, so I’m not sure how my grades will translate to a G.P.A.)
I’ve taken 4 years of sciences (which would be AP level or more in the US) and my school doesn’t offer history and humanities (weird I know).

Extracurriculars:
-I’ve worked at a national newspaper for their teen section for 3 years now.
-I’m senior editor at my school newspaper.
-I’m on the yearbook committee.
-I’ve done backstage work for school plays.
-I’ve done a youth leadership program (BYLC) for 4 months.
-I’ve taught street kids about various issues as part of a 2-month long program.
-I’ve raised funds to help street kids, including this one time when we took all of them to an amusement park on Universal Children’s Day

I do other stuff - like swimming, camping, biking and sewing outfits, but they don’t really sound worthy of mention.

I haven’t given my SATs yet and everything seems rushed, so this is where all my indecision stems from:

I went to visit Smith this summer and I COMPLETELY fell in love. I know for sure I want to apply E.D. But, I’m also planning on taking a gap year to do volunteering work in another country (I’m really passionate about the environment and the issues to do with food [go organic!], so I aim to work with those issues and am garnering all the experience I can get) and to focus on immersing myself in the Bengali culture. (I’ve lived in the US for more than half of my life now, but I’m originally Bangladeshi so my father thinks, and I agree, that it’s important to get a sense of where I and the common people come from.)

My counselor has been telling me not to take a gap year and since I’m uncertain about my chances of getting into Smith, she’s been reassuring me that I don’t need to do “a bunch of stuff in my gap year” to get in. I’d also been thinking that a gap year would give me more time to put everything together. But is this a bad decision?
One of my teachers also said that I could apply now and defer my acceptance for a year. Is that a better choice? I’m worried I don’t have what it takes to get accepted, otherwise I’d definitely try to do that. I’m just kind of confused and want a few more opinions before I decide.

Thanks a lot!