I had an incredible opportunity for a gap year, and I took it. I will be going to another country and helping my relatives educate their children, as well as helping around the house and (probably) doing some “grunt” work. I will be staying there for the full school year, and maybe a bit after. The most common language in this country is not my birth language, so I will be learning another language, and I will probably be pretty fluent in it by the time I leave.
Here’s the problem, though. I’m afraid that colleges will see it as just another rich white girl who’s going on this trip because her wealthy parents are forcing her. I would really, really love to do this; these are my favorite relatives, I don’t have to worry about being waitlisted (like I might if I tried NCCC), I could really focus on my writing, I could become proficient in another language, understand another culture…the list goes on. However, I’m afraid that the gap year will hurt my chances of acceptance into a good school, or that I’ll just look horrible because I’m not doing really amazing work like I would in NCCC. What should I do?
if you write about the experience in an accomplishment type way (e.g. come proficient in another language, understand another culture) then it probably won’t go over that well. But if you write about it in a heartwarming and endearing way (e.g. helping educate children) then it should come off pleasant.