<p>I too hope you have a wonderful time & congratulate you on getting a job with this challenging economy! Gap years (like everything else) are what you make of them. It sounds like you have made some good plans and have some ideas that you will work out. </p>
<p>I would really urge you & your family to go & talk with the bank and/or other financial advisors you know and trust about taking on $25K/year for 4 years or $100,000 for your undergraduate education–whether you & your family would even qualify for it and alternatives. That is a LOT of money and as you noted previously will weigh down many of the options open to you upon graduation.</p>