“… Many colleges are encouraging the delayed entry to give students time to recharge after the stress of high school and build upon life or work experiences with a structured program of volunteer work, part-time employment or travel and internships in foreign countries.” …
The article pretty much says it all for me. I have no regrets taking time off to recharge and get to experience life a different way in my gap year. The most important thing I got to learn in my gap year was being able to work with all sorts of individuals. I feel pretty humbled to have worked in a restaurant at $10/hr and working with employees I never would have met in high school. Working a job definitely made me more mature and appreciate life a lot more. The job made me more empathetic to those barely scrapping by in college and life, even though I was so fortunate to get lots of scholarships for college. It also made me value life more when a former coworker died in a car accident at 17… It made me realize how precious time was and how we all need to do what is right for our well-being, health, and goals. Gap years as a concept had a little stigma when I told my peers since most were going to elite schools immediately but the year off was for me, not them or anyone else. Asides from working it’s so nice to be able to sleep 8 hours a day, exercise regularly, hang out with friends frequently, have time to read, play video games, travel in my state, learn some new skills I always wanted to invest time in, and being more mentally healthy. Had I gone straight to college after high school I don’t think I would have made it…I was at the breaking point with anxiety and depression and I feel like my decision saved my life.The gap year was a blessing and I look forward to college in the fall 
I personally didn’t see the benefit in a gap year; coming out of high school, I had a pretty empty resume with nothing to show but a decent GPA and a high school diploma so I doubt I would’ve been qualified (professionally or otherwise) for some the more interesting gap year opportunities available.
Now as I approach the half-way mark in my undergraduate education, I am definitely considering gap year(s) between undergrad and professional school; as I procure more experience in my field of study through volunteering, internships, and employment, I think I’ll be better able to pursue some sort of opportunity relevant to my interests and career goals.
Most people I know who went to college, but not immediately after high school, went to work or military service after high school. It is not like gap years are a new thing*, though, at least on these forums, “gap year” sometimes has the connotation of a structured program funded by high SES parents more than typical post-high-school activities that are not college.
It is also quite common for students graduating from college but planning to go to graduate or professional school to do something other than school in between – usually working to pay off student loans and/or build up savings, though some types of professional schools (e.g. MBA programs) also favor those with post-college work experience.
Another variant is the gap semester during college in the form of a co-op job.
I took a gap year after high school but I regret it. I feel like I missed out on a year that I could have been in college and made memories.
There is a financial aspect as well. If one has a sibling a year or two younger, a gap year would allow their time in college to overlap and potential increase financial aid for both of them.
I took multiple gap semesters and graduated in six years. I spent most of my gap semesters travelling the world, and I credit that with changing my life for the better. I am 100% sure that if I hadn’t done it the way I did, I would not be the person I am today. Not every teen is ready to plunge right into four years of intense education after having spent the previous 13 years being educated.
As far as I can see, there really aren’t that many gap-year opportunities in the US as far as internships, volunteer work, etc. that you don’t have to pay for. Many programs want you to be a student. I worked at McDonald’s in high school, but they never let me work more than a few hours a week. I don’t know if it’s because I wasn’t 18 or because I was a crummy employee due to my lack of experience, but I figured if I took a gap year to work I would just end up with a job like that.
On a more pragmatic note I forgot to mention that at least in my circumstance the decision to take a gap year meant going to college…period. When it was April of my senior year I was looking down the barrel of more than $60,000 of student loans (at least) if I was to stay in-state and go to school. All the other out-of-state schools were not pragmatic either…until I found Alabama. I found out about Alabama and realized how amazing their deal was for someone like me with a 32 ACT. Unfortunately, I missed the scholarship deadline by then. However, I contacted admissions and they let me know that I could apply in the fall of a “gap year” in order to qualify for the scholarship. So my options were 1) go to college straight away, take out soul crushing debt on my family who was already underwater in credit card and mortgage debt, risk not graduating if I don’t get the loans I need, and destroy the future of my brother who is only 4 years younger than me since I would eat away the only finances left my family has or 2) chin up, take the gap year, apply to Alabama in the fall, get the scholarships I need for college, work full-time to help with living expenses, and be able to say I can graduate college without destroying my family with debt in the process.
I chose option 2, even though it was an emotionally difficult decision to make and I had to watch my peers go off to college and have fun while I worked. Ultimately though I did not regret my decision because I will be going to college without the debt and I can rest easier knowing 1 year of sacrifice meant the best chance of graduating college with a better footing.
Was my choice the best for everyone? Probably not. You need a special level of dedication and focus to not become lazy during a gap year, especially without a guided academic gap year program. But I kept myself busy working full-time at a restaurant, saving what I could, and taking up new hobbies for my spare time. Now I am ready to start college in 2 months. The choices I made were the best for my situation. Everything needs to be evaluated by individual circumstances.
To me gap year after undergrad makes sense but after high school it has limited value for limited number of people. Most don’t do anything meaningful and have to struggle remembering concepts when they restart education. You are wiser after undergrad and more oppurtunities open up with a degree.