The Gap Experience
Typically, approximately 60 students choose to delay the start of their Colorado College education for a year, and an additional 30 students admitted to our Winter Start program delay their start by a semester. Before joining the CC community to begin their formal college experience, these students take time away from school to make a difference in the lives of others, to spend time working, or to explore a topic or a place they're curious about.
If you're considering a year-long or semester-long gap experience, we are likely to support your gap request. We believe that designing and pursuing a year-long or semester-long adventure of your own making will supercharge your personal and intellectual growth. We see that students who take year-long and semester-long gaps before beginning their time at CC graduate at higher rates with higher GPAs, are more likely to stick with their declared majors, are more likely to be leaders on our campus, and are less likely to have disciplinary infractions while enrolled at CC.
Continue reading below for more about specific program options for your gap year or semester, and information about credit transfer from some of these opportunities. For information on the logistics of a gap semester, like winter orientation and housing, visit our Winter Start page.
If you don't find the information you need, please write to us at admission@coloradocollege.edu!
requesting a gap
For most students, the simplest way to approach a gap is to apply to college during your senior year of high school, accept an offer of admission, and then request to defer your enrollment for a year or a semester. Some students will indicate interest in a gap while completing their admission application, and may be admited directly into a gap year or gap semester. However, any admitted student may request a gap once they've accepted our offer of admission. Plan to make your request in the spring of your senior year, after receiving our offer of admission but no later than May 1.
You can start the request process by notifying us via email at admission@coloradocollege.edu that you're interested in a gap year or gap semester, and we'll send you a link to a form to complete online to officially indicate interest in a gap. On that form you'll tell us about your gap plan. Your gap year plan does not have to be in its final stage at the time you submit your request, but think of your gap request as a thoughtful proposal that you genuinely intend to fulfill but which may require some modifications at a later date.
You should offer some specifics about what you'll be doing, and why.
- Why do you want to delay your enrollment?
- Where will you be?
- Who will you be with?
- What are you hoping to learn?
- What is the timeline of your plan?
We will routinely approve any request provided you satisfy the following requirements:
- Express your gap interest at any time after receiving your admission notification.
- Submit your request on or before May 1 of the year you're admitted to Colorado College.
- Express your gap interest at any time after receiving your admission notification.
- Submit your request on or before May 1 of the year you're admitted to Colorado College.
- Complete and submit your enrollment agreement form within the applicant portal.
- Submit the enrollment deposit if required.
- Agree to enroll at Colorado College after you complete your gap year.
- As a condition of approval, you are not permitted to enroll as a degree-seeking student at a different college or university during your gap year.
- In the month of February of your gap year, you agree to complete an electronic survey acknowledging that you still intend to enroll at Colorado College in the fall. Within that acknowledgement, we'll ask for an update of your gap year experience. After we receive your completed survey, you will receive confirmation of your guaranteed seat in the incoming first-year class.
Sometimes we meet students who have already graduated from high school and started a gap year before applying to Colorado College. This can make sense for some students, but students who choose this path should be ready to navigate additional challenges in the application process. Without easy access to your high school counselor or registrar, arranging for transcripts and recommendations to be sent to the colleges you're applying to can be difficult. If you decide to take this approach, speak with your high school counselor prior to graduation to make a plan for processing your college applications during your gap year.
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Gap Resources
Gap semesters and gap years look different for every student. Some students may create an adventure of their own design, traveling independently or with friends or family, spending time volunteering on a farm or with a volunteer organization in exchange for meals and housing, or splitting up their year by working in their local community (and saving money) for the first half of the year, and embarking on an adventure the second half of the year. Some students find it easier to plan their gap year with the help of an organization that has experience in creating safe and memorable gap years for students, offering a supportive environment and built-in community for a student's gap time.
At Colorado College, we don't have a preference for whether you spend your gap year in a formal program or choosing an adventure of your own design, but we do want to offer some resources to help you think through your gap plans. The organizations listed below are ones some of our students have worked with in the past, and enjoyed their experiences. Perhaps one of them will be a good fit for you!
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Prague, Czech Republic
- London, England
- Florence, Italy
- Seville, Spain
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Financial Aid assistance
Need-based awards
Students approved for a gap year and awarded need-based financial aid must reapply for financial assistance by submitting these required forms by their published deadlines. Completing and submitting these forms will require careful planning and scheduling since the forms must be submitted while pursuing your gap year. Learn more about need-based financial aid options.
Merit-based Awards
In most cases, students selected for and awarded a Colorado College merit-based scholarship will have this merit-based award reinstated upon their enrollment at CC. We encourage you to inquire about your specific merit award by writing to the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@coloradocollege.edu.
If you're interested in looking further into Financial Aid, please click on the buttons below, which will lead you to an overview of our Financial Aid process and take you through a Deeper Dive into how our Office of Financial Aid can assist you.