International students probably will have to gap, or start in the spring at the very least, since it is unlikely this year’s visas could get processed in time for this fall. Unlike American high school seniors, they’re in worse of a holding pattern, and are not going to get a choice. So right there we could see increased competition for post-fall-2020 starts. If I had a high school senior, I would encourage them to start in their college of affordable choice in the fall. It isn’t going to get any less competitive in future years.
Even for a high school junior, my concern would be that, once you graduate high school, you’re “out of sight, out of mind” for guidance departments and teacher recommendations, etc. Gap years can be great experiences if you fill them with quality activities, but in the economy we’re going to be muddling through, there’s almost certainly going to be fewer irreplaceable opportunities.