George Wildridge ’17 hikes during his gap year.
Choate seniors are currently deciding what they will be doing after graduation. Most students decide to go on the typical college path, which means going to a four-year college in the United States. There are always, however, students in each graduating class who choose less conventional paths. These unique options include attending a school outside of the United States, attending art conservatories, and taking a gap year.
At Choate, students are assigned a college counselor during their fifth form year. Each counselor is vital to a student’s process. Ms. Marcia Landesman, Director of College Counseling, said, “We have highly individualized counseling. Everything we do is geared to help students find their best personal fit post-Choate.”
On taking the international school route, Ms. Landesman explained, “A student would meet with their counselors, and if they wanted to apply abroad, we would guide them on how to do that correctly.”
The process of applying to less conventional schools does differ from the standard path. There are certain things students have to look out for when applying to schools outside of the United States, such as different application deadlines and requirements. Ms. Landesman believes that students who wish to focus on one area of study or have specific educational goals are usually the ones interested in attending school outside of the United States. Many schools in the United Kingdom and Canada offer focused study, which is why a large pool of Choate students who attend school abroad go to those areas.
On the application process, Ms. Landesman said, “The process depends on the school. Most schools in the U.S. use the common application. However, most in the U.K. use the UCAS application. If a student wanted to go to a school abroad, we would give different advice for this application than for the common application. Schools outside of the U.S. prioritize different things, so we want to make sure students aren’t using techniques for the common application in the UCAS application.”
Many artistically gifted students consider attending art conservatories. Students who want to apply to an art conservatory face a similar process to applying internationally in the way that both require support and specific advice from college counselors. Ms. Landesman said, “If a student wants to apply to an arts school, it is because they are very devoted to art. The students tend to also apply to traditional four-year colleges in the U.S.. We have had students accepted to very selective arts programs, and sometimes they’ve had to make a choice between the traditional program or the art program. We’ve helped them make that decision.”
A gap year is another option some seniors gravitate towards. A gap year between secondary school and higher education usually allows for students to develop new skills and explore new things in life. Ms. Landesman said, “The students who wish to take a gap year are interested in higher education, but they want to take a break from school. Many reasons for this are specific to the individual.”
Those reasons can be anything, from wanting to do volunteer work or an internship to simply needing a break from schooling. Ms. Landesman recommends that seniors apply to schools normally, and once they are accepted, to ask the school for a gap year if they wish to have one.
What a student wants to do after graduating from Choate greatly depends on the individual’s personal educational goals and desires. College counselors are there to provide students advice and guidance on how to best reach those goals. The college experience is not “one size fits all,” so it is very important that students know that there are other options than just a standard four-year college in the United States. Although the process of applying to schools outside of the country, applying to arts conservatories, and taking a gap year can seem like a hassle when compared to the standard college process, it is definitely possible and can be completely worth it.
