Seriously worried second gap year will ruin my chances, please advise. INFO INSIDE!

Applying to College
1

<p>Here’s my situation:</p>

<p>Freshman year of high school, I was assaulted. After the assault, I was severely sexually harassed at school until I was forced to change schools mid-Sophmore year. As you can imagine, I spent much of that year depressed and withdrawn. It wasn’t until junior year that I began working and doing a lot of volunteering. The summer between junior and senior year, I decided I wanted to start my own non-profit organization. However, in accordance with state law, you cannot start a charity on your own until you’re 18. I felt very strongly that this was something I needed to do without the help of my parents. It was at this point I decided I wanted to take a gap year. </p>

<p>A few months into senior year, I was offered a job at a local non-profit as Community Director. It isn’t a ton of pay, but I felt the experience would be invaluable, because it would give me much more insight into the field I was about to dive head first into. Taking this position strengthened my belief that taking a gap year was the right path for me.</p>

<p>Almost immediately after I graduated, I started filing paperwork, creating a website and other promotional materials, assembling a board of directors, forming the prevention program that will be the keystone of my organization, and doing all the other craziness that comes along with starting a 501c3. </p>

<p>Come November, and I haven’t received IRS approval for my organization and probably won’t until December-February. It can take up to 13 months, but it typically takes within 6 or 7. Because of this, I am thinking of taking a second gap year. This non-profit is my life, pride, and joy. I have put so much hard work into it, and it’s not even official yet. I want the chance to be able to RUN IT and see it succeed, which I feel confident it will. The time I would have between potentially as late as March or April and August is NOT going to allow me to do that. Taking time off and pursuing a non-traditional path has been integral to developing who I am and my passions, but my question is: In my case, will taking 2 years off be a disadvantage when applying to top colleges (HYPS) and other ivies/Duke/Rice even with the reasoning above? Thanks for reading. All input is appreciated. </p>

<p>STATS:</p>

<p>*<em>Loads of unique, leadership EC’s, explained partially above
*</em>Non-URM - Caucasian
*<em>SAT l (one sitting): 2300 (W: 800, R: 760, M: 740)
*</em>SAT ll’s: 800 (USH), 760 (Lit) 750 (Bio M)
*<em>AP’s: Were not offered at my school, but I choose to take tests anyway to show profiency in certain subjects. Took 7 tests, all 4’s and 5’s
*</em>GPA Unweighted: 4.0</p>

2

<p>No, you will not be at a disadvantage for college admission. Keep working on your passion.</p>

3

<p>^ ^ ^ ^
I agree, and would even go further. Specifically, a unweighted 4.0 GPA and a 2300 SAT I are excellent credentials; add to this the phenomenal essays that should result from what you have learned from your substantial difficulties, and finally the superb recommendations you may well receive, and you’re competitive for (near) any undergraduate program.</p>

<p>I’d generally suggest that two gap years is likely a significant obstacle; however, is your case it may be a major success catalyst. Good luck, and I second “follow your passion.” </p>

4

<p>While I agree with the above posters, prolonging your break from continuing education may have consequences. If you are certain of your conviction and that you will attend school next year, you should go ahead and pursue your passion, but know that you may not end up going to college at all. </p>

5

<p>Please do remember that there are many ways of completing your college education. Attending full-time for four years straight through immediately after finishing college is just one of them. You could attend part-time now while running your non-profit. You could attend college full or part-time after fully establishing your non-profit. It really truly is up to you.</p>

<p>If you look around, chances are you also can find some colleges and universities that would award you academic credit toward a degree based on the work that you have done with and for your organization. That could be a really good thing too.</p>