Meredith Fleming, 22, spent a semester in Chile when she was 16.  She explains that she “knew nothing about Chilean life and could hardly say a single sentence in Spanish”.  However, she went because she “knew that pushing [her] comfort zone would inevitably open [her] eyes and give [her] a new perspective on life.”  She explains:


Why step out during high school?  As Meredith points out, it can help you find out what it is you are passionate about-at a younger age.  Also, depending on the rigidity of your major and/or university, high school may be a time when you have more freedom to not be in school.  Additionally, if you step out during high school, you get to experience all the benefits that come from it (greater self-awareness, deepened understanding of the world, perspective) even earlier on.  

Stepping out during high school isn’t right for everyone.  High school may be too early for you.  Making sure you are ready --emotionally, physically, financially-- for what it is you are planning to do is essential.  Living somewhere new, living on your own, without the comfort of your culture and family, is a big deal.   

Additionally, it is important to examine where you're at personally.  Do you want the consistency of being in the same school for four years?  Are you willing to miss out on sports, plays, and/or dances that are a part of high school?  Are you ready to live without your family for a long period of time?  

You will also have to carefully consider what you want to do if you are under 18.  Many programs except only legal adults or have strict rules and guidelines for younger participants.  If you are planning to travel, you may have problems finding places to stay if you are too young.  Before deciding what it is you want to do, make sure you know the requirements and expectations of both the program and country.

Irene Malarkey, 18, points out a difficulty in taking time off during high school: the difficulty in returning.  She went abroad with an exchange program at age 15 to Mexico, living with a family in a small village, and then the following year she volunteered in Paraguay with Amigos de Los Americas.  Explaining her frustration with coming back to high school, she says:

It is important to consider what it is you want out of life and your education before deciding when to step out.  Taking time off of school can be addictive; if you think you want to go straight through school, after taking, say, a term off in high school, be warned that could prove more difficult than you thought.  


"Gap Year": Between High School and College
   
In Great Britain, one in five students takes a “Gap Year”, a year spent working, traveling, or volunteering between high school and college; in fact, two of the most famous Brits, Prince William and Prince Harry, both took a Gap Year.  Bookstores have a gap-year section, and there are a number of programs to help students find work and volunteer options abroad.  Advantages to stepping out during this time include the fact that you do not have the experience of “missing out” because you are in transition between schools (high school and college). 

Additionally, it is a great time to explore some of the things you may be interested in studying.  For example, if you are interested in forest ecology, you could spend part of your time interning in a national park or working for the Forest Service.   Going between high school and college also serves as a nice break from traditional education.  Jane, 21, explains it like this:


Jane participated in National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a yearlong Americorps program where you live in a small community, volunteering in a series of short-term projects.  She says, “NCCC was perfect for me because I got to live and work on meaningful projects on the other side of the country with energetic young people whose experiences were totally different from mine.  It was unlike anything I’d ever done before”.

Some things to consider before stepping out during this time are both where you want to go to school and when you will apply.  Are you planning to apply senior year and then defer?  What if you change what it is you want to do and where you plan to go while you are out of school?  You may want to consult with a college admissions officer at a college fair or at the schools you would like to attend to learn more about their guidelines around deferring.  Also, realize that some scholarships are only available to high school seniors; before applying for them make sure you are allowed to defer them for a year as well.  (For more information on this, see the how section)


During College
   
Taking time off during college is a great break from university life for many students.   Maybe you started school and are still unsure of what you want to study-now is a perfect time to "try on" different careers.  Or maybe you are burnt out and ready for something new.  

Waiting until college probably means stepping out will not be your first time away from home.  If you wait until you are in college, you've probably already had the chance to be on your own.  Likely you are more mature than you were straight out of high school.  It may be best to wait until this time -when you've had more life experiences under your belt- to take time off.    

Additionally, you may have a better idea of what sort of career you’re interested in while in college.  Stepping out at this time in your life means you can intern in a field of your interest (now that you've had a chance to study or feel out different fields).  Participating in a work experience during college can mean you've waited long enough to know what it is you are interested in, but not too long to change your major if you find your interests have changed.  
   
For many, waiting until college makes sense.  Seth Prickett, 23, recently graduated from college.  He spent a term abroad in Ghana during college, and after graduating spent four months teaching at a local school there.  He holds high respect for people who went earlier, but admits, “I doubt very much that I would have been prepared, personally, to do something like that when I was 18.”

Waiting until college means you may be able to get credit for your experience.  Many colleges and universities offer internships and study programs abroad.  If you wish to go through a program with your school, you may be able to get credit for your time out.   Additionally, you may also be eligible for scholarships or financial aid from your school.
     
Post College:

Sometimes it makes the most sense to wait until you’re done with college to step out.  Maybe your course of study was too intense to take a break from, or maybe you prefer  the continuity of four straight years of university. 
   
Many jobs and programs cater to college graduates.  For example, except in cases where you can show you are highly skilled in a specific field, the Peace Corps only accepts college graduates.  Jesuit Volunteer Corps, a Catholic based volunteer organization committed to working with the poor, also accepts only college graduates. 

If you are planning to go to grad school, stepping out after college can serve as a nice break.  You may choose to wait until after college and spend a year doing work related to your future graduate studies (like a medical internship in Africa if you are planning to go to medical school).  Or maybe you did not get into the school or area of study you hoped for, and want to re-apply a year later.  Having some "stepping out" experiences may help your application be more competitive if you choose to reapply.  Post-college, the concepts of stepping out can be a way to learn more about yourself while preparing for the "real world" that is no longer in the distant horizon.

Or maybe you are just unsure of what to do next.  This happened for Seth Prickett, 23:

The Ultimate Summer: Stepping Out Without Really Stepping Out:

An entirely different option is to step out without taking any time off of school.  You can apply the ideas of stepping out (taking time off for an educational experience) during a summer.

This is a great option if you do not want to miss out on any school.  Cassie Defillipo, 21, spent the summer between her freshmen and sophomore year in Korea.  She says: "Going in the summer worked out perfectly for me.  I was able to actually get ahead in school because I did not miss out on any school and received credits for the program."  Additionally, instead of paying for the credits, she got a living stipend.  

Stepping out during the summer is also a great option if you do not want to do something for a long amount of time.  Maybe you can work for a month, and then travel for another month.  The summer is a great time to get a "taste" of taking time off of school.

So how is this different than any other summer?  The idea behind stepping out, at least in relation to this website, is that you spend the time learning outside the classroom.  It is a concious educational process where you learn more about yourself and your interests while pushing your comfort zone.

How Long Should I Step Out For?
       
This really depends on you and your situation.  Here are a few things to consider:

• Finances.  Usually the longer you do any given thing the more expensive it is.  You need to take finances into consideration when deciding for how long you wish to step out.  Do you need to work for six months, in order to go abroad for three?  Is your only option to do something where you will be making money the entire time?  Figure out your budget, how long you will need to make that money, and how long you can live off of that money. 

• Your school.  If you are in high school, talk with your counselor to see if, and for how long, you are able to miss classes.  Can you take some classes on-line or during the summer?  Figure out how long they are willing to let you be out of school.  If you are between high school and college, find out the deferral policy for your university.  Can you defer a year? Two? Just a term?  If you plan to step out during college, you need to learn your school's policy surrounding that.  Can you leave for a year and pick up where you left off?  Also, make sure there are not any classes that are only offered one term that you need to take for your major or general-education requirements.  

• What you plan to do.  Some organizations require a minimum amount of time that you work with them.  If you need to work first to save money, make sure to facture in that time.  Also, think about how much of your time will be spent doing "structured" activities (like working in one place) verse "unstructured" activities (like traveling around).   In my experience, the relativity of time is huge when stepping out.  Time that flies by doing something structured can seem like eternity if you are traveling or working alone.  Try to factor in the relativity of time (as best you can) when thinking about for how long you plan to step out.

• Personal factors.  Some things to take into account here are: What is the longest you have been away from home before now?  Do you easily get homesick?  Do you have a sick relative/important friend/boyfriend you do not want to be away from for too long?  Are there transitions going on in your family?  Think about your personality, strengths, weaknesses, and abilities to help you determine the right amount of time for you.  

Chart of Advantages and Disadvantages of each Period

TIME	Advantages	Disadvantages
High School	Will not interfere with your college, opportunity to have neat experiences at a very young age, can gain a better sense of what you want to study	May not be "ready" to go out on your own, many programs only accept those 18 and older, will miss out on some high school experiences
"Gap Year"	Nice intermission between high school and college, does not mean leaving in the middle of high school or college, may help you decide what you want to study in college	Need to make sure you have college applications, etc. figured out before heading out, means you will be starting college with a different perspective than "typical" students
During College	You are more mature, may have a better idea of what you want to study, may be able to get credit for what you do, serves as a nice break during your four years	Means you will not go straight through college, need to figure out if there are essential courses, etc. you will miss while gone, might have financial implications in terms of scholarships and/or grants
Post College	Some programs are only available to those with a college degree (like Peace Corps), more options because you are older, does not interfere with any schooling	May have wished you did it at an earlier age, may realize what you studied is no longer what you are interested in, not able to get credit
Ultimate Summer	Get the advantages of stepping out without having to miss any school, sufficient amount of time to "try out" different things, but not too long, lots of programs (like Camp Adventure, etc.) are only available during the summer	May not seem like a long enough time, does not help if your reasons to step out are partially because you are burnt out on traditional education

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