<p>I will be a freshman this fall (actually in a couple of weeks) and was struck by an urge to take this year off and start rice next fall instead. Would this be at all possible, assuming I have a layed out plan of what I want to do this year (which I do)? Or is it pretty difficult seeing as how school starts in less than a month? Thanks.</p>
<p>WHy do you want to take a year off? That will be the determining factor as far as what is best for you. </p>
<p>You can cancel the day before classes start, if you feel it’s necessary. People back away from marriage right before walking down the aisle, when they know in their hearts that the marriage is wrong!</p>
<p>I don’t know how possible it would be to defer your admission at this point. I assume (but I don’t know) if you’ve already paid bills like housing, tuition, insurance, etc., it’s going to be very difficult to get a full refund or have it all applied to your account a year from now.</p>
<p>I’m not trying to convince you if you already have your mind set on taking a year off right now, but there are ways you could try to work a year off into your career at Rice. For instance, you could take a semester or a year abroad as early as your sophomore year, which in a way is a break from the academic rigor of Rice/a way to vacation in a different part of the world but still be a student. You could also do study abroad programs in the summer or just take next summer off to do whatever you want. You could take a light semester (12 hrs) in the fall if what you want to do can be done around Houston. Alternatively, you could take a year off after Rice - that way, if you wanted to work before, say, grad school, you would probably be making substantially more money than you would as a high school grad, and if you just want to travel, you could try for a program like Fullbright.</p>
<p>I’d call Rice Monday morning and ask if it’s still possible to defer at this point. The admissions office usually handles deferments, though I’m not sure if they’d still be the people to talk to at this point … they could probably at least point you in the right direction though.</p>
<p>As to whether (assuming you can defer at this point without some financial consequences) taking a year off is a good idea … I’ve known some people who did it and had what they considered to be one of the greatest experiences of their lives. I’ve also known one or two people who did it and had a mediocre time while they basically spent a year in a holding pattern waiting to start college. Make sure that whatever you’re going to be doing during your year off is something that you really want to do and that this isn’t just a last second “Oh no I’m going to college in about two weeks and I don’t know if I’m ready to handle it yet” doubts … pretty much everyone has those about this point and pretty much everyone gets over it pretty quickly once they actually get to college.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. I don’t have a concrete plan layed out, but my year off consists of me spending a year in my native country, where I have spent this whole summer at my summer home. Sure, I could study abroad in this country later on, but I would prefer to have more freedom and do a variety of activities I have in mind, ones I wouldn’t be able to do with a study abroad program. And as for the year off really being because I feel I’m not prepared for college, I went to boarding school so I think I’m prepared. It may more be a cry for summer not to end, though I’m sure everyone is having that feeling right about now</p>
<p>One more thing I meant to add:</p>
<p>You can actually take a year (or semester) off while at Rice. You don’t have to do study abroad - I’ve known people who’ve done it for various reasons: desire to travel, really great internship happened to come up, or just needed an extended mental health vacation. So if you go ahead with your freshman year now, it’s not like you’re giving up your chance to ever take a year off.</p>