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<p>Hey now, I don’t think it’s fair to label gap years as a “waste” of youth. If you have some sort of plan then it’s definitely useful. I would agree it would be a waste if the OP only wants to take a gap year because he’s unhappy with the level of prestige of the school he has gotten into, especially since re-applying won’t guarantee anything – but taking a gap year in general is far from being a waste.</p>