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Taking a year off before college.

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sktrkdo7
Posts: 1920 - Karma: 182
I want to go to CU but im thinking about taking a year off and living out in Colorado so i can establish residency and qualify for in state tuition so i wont graduate with a shitload of debt. Has anyone had an experience like this that they can speak to or are any of u guys planning on doing this next year. Obviously it would be cool to chill and bum it for a year but i would still have to work a ton and live there all offseason to. Itd be cool to get some input from ns
Apr 12 2009 7:26PM
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Loges
Posts: 1928 - Karma: 21
the only thing about taking a year off, is that you might get out of the "school routine". and so when the following year comes around, you might have less motivation to jump back into schooling. just my .02 cents.
Apr 12 2009 7:29PM
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*V-Love*
Posts: 500 - Karma: 19
I havent had the experience personally but out of the few people that I knew that took a year off, it didnt go well and they got into a routine and such and 2 of the 3 didnt go back to school at all. However, i think that they just took the year off cuz they didnt know what they wanted to do in school which seems different than your case because you seem to have good reasons for taking the year off. Good luck with whatever you choose
Apr 12 2009 7:34PM
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Jake...
Posts: 11976 - Karma: 296
a very smart way to approach it is to be accepted and PAY for your first year. Once you do this, deffer. Say that you have paid for your spot to reserve it, but you want to take a year off to expand your horizons etc. (obv check with the school that you can do this, they are all different - most allow it).

That way after your year off, you are forced to go back, or are 10 g's (or what ever it is) SOL.

That was my plan, only once I was accepted and paid I said fuck it lets just do the 4 years then you can tour what ever the fuck you want. Half way there now, and to be honest I don't really regret it. These two years have felt like 2 days.
Apr 12 2009 7:43PM
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michelle
Posts: 6290 - Karma: 428
I took a year off! Instead of going to school, I've been working full time so that I can save money so I won't have that much debt. I do work at a rock climbing gym, so it's pretty fucking awesome. And I also actually like going to work, so it's sweet for me. If you get a job that you dislike, I feel like it won't work out, or you will be miserable.

I'm heading to school in October though, so I definitely didn't fall into a 'routine'. I can see how some people would, especially if they lived on their own. I'm at home right now, so of course I wanna get the fuck outta here and start life on my own at college

Try it out! Probably the best thing I did. If you either don't know what you wanna do, unsure of where you wanna go, or you don't want to end up with a shit ton of debt, taking a year off is a good option for you
Apr 12 2009 7:45PM
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drumbumocdp
Posts: 3229 - Karma: 1,098
i want to do something similar. i got into school in Vermont, but really want to take a year off and ski in Colorado for a season. looking for someone to split a rent with so i can make it happen. wanna go?
Apr 12 2009 7:58PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
I'm pretty sure someone made a thread on here a while ago about how he did his first two years of college online and worked at a ski resort to establish residency in colorado and qualify for in state tuiton.

I took almost two years off after highschool and it was the best decision of my life.
Apr 12 2009 8:01PM
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Dosh
Posts: 1818 - Karma: 14
yeah if you're motivated to begin with, then fuck anyone who tells you that you won't want to go back to school b/c that is complete bullshit. you will see how lame the mindless work routine is and be sprinting back to school after you get a dose of that. and if you don't end up going back, then no big deal either.
Apr 12 2009 8:09PM
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montageskier
Posts: 4725 - Karma: 126

I am currently in a gap year. I graduated from high school last year, and am working until August when I start school. It was easily the best decision I have ever made. I blew high school off, and didnt care about my education.

Over the past few months I have learned so much about myself. I have held several jobs, to get a feel of what I enjoy. I have been an apprentice in the electrical union, concert promoter, cook, and worked in a call center. I found out, I hate working in manual labor field, and call centers. Cooking is ok, but not worthy of a career. I am currently thinking about being a marketing major,and get into the concert field. My cousing works for Livenation, and has the best job in the world. Any concert for free, makes contacts with artists and professional athletes, gets paid to go to shows, and gets paid a good salary.

And also over the past few months, I regained a new respect for education. In high school I didnt care. Now I want to learn and suceed in life.

Apr 12 2009 8:11PM
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sarahskis
Posts: 1587 - Karma: 41

I'm in the middle of my "get in state" year break. Living in colorado, doing the same thing. I feel like it can work real well for some people or work against others.  you just need to make sure you enroll into school again, or else you just become a statistic.

Apr 12 2009 9:11PM
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gnarlygoodski22
Posts: 429 - Karma: 18
dude, i'd say deal with the first year and just take the hit. with my friends when they "took a year off" they never went back. In this day in age, it does pay to go to college. good luck! don't blow your future!
Apr 12 2009 9:13PM
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InkShrink
Posts: 1079 - Karma: 30

I am currently enrolled in a community college, staying at home and staying out of debt. I'm getting all my core classes out of the way and leaving with an Associates Degree of Art. I'm switching to all online classes this summer from here until I get my degree, that way I can travel. After that, I'm taking a year or two off. Don't do it if you're confused about what major you want, taking core classes can help give you an idea of what you like and don't like.

My best friend's mother died right after high school and he's taking a year off, he hasn't really made any effort into returning to school. I doubt he ever will.

Apr 12 2009 9:25PM
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montageskier
Posts: 4725 - Karma: 126
The only problem going to a community college is that most of the credits will not transfer into a college or university.
Apr 12 2009 9:29PM
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DHogg
Posts: 3462 - Karma: 237
Thats one thing i really wish i did before i went to University. People say you get out of the learning mindset and never go back but thats BS, you learn what you actually want to do with your life as well as making heaps of friends and more.

I'd go for it. Biggest regret i have.When i started uni i didn't really want to do what i was doing so didn't try that hard and now i know what i want to get into and i'm having to work really hard to get my average up again after first and second year of not caring.

Do it.
Apr 12 2009 9:38PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
If your an idiot and you take non-transferrable classes
Apr 12 2009 10:23PM
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sktrkdo7
Posts: 1920 - Karma: 182
bump thanks alot for ur responses guys and girls
Apr 13 2009 2:54PM
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steezerampage
Posts: 2171 - Karma: 214
all my friends that took a year off either never went back to school, or only went to school for a semester or 2 before they quit.
Apr 13 2009 3:00PM
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BlueSteele
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
You should try to validate a shit load of bogus classes during your year off.  That would be most pro.
Apr 13 2009 3:35PM
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InkShrink
Posts: 1079 - Karma: 30
The good thing about my communuity college is that it is known for its transferable credits. They have a program called TAG, Transfer Admission Guaruntee. Which is amazing! I don't need to use the program because i'll be leaving there with an associates degree and can easily get into the program I want at the university of utah, my only problem is out of state tuition. :(
Apr 13 2009 4:59PM
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010
Posts: 1427 - Karma: 14
I believe there is another thread out there to which I contributed, but I took a year off before college as well.  Not really for any of the same reasons as you.  I did it partly because my parents didn't think I was really mature enough for college (which may have been true), but what sold me on the idea was that I didn't get into any college that I was in love with.  So I just worked through the summer, and in the fall, I traveled to Mexico and Costa Rica for 3 months or so.  Then came back and worked for the winter and skied.  Come spring time, I traveled again, this time to South Africa for a photography internship.  You can find things like these on the internet if you look.  All in all, I had an amazing time on that year off, and I came to college with a lot more interesting experiences than I would have the year before.  It also allowed me to apply to more colleges, and colleges love the whole traveling for the rich experience story.  They eat it right up.  So I got into a bunch of much better colleges the second time around. 

PM me if you want to know anything else. lata
Apr 13 2009 5:43PM
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Casey
Posts: 7849 - Karma: 24,323
I wouldn't recommend taking any time off from college before going, or going and then taking a break and coming back- which is what I did. I say this because I am 24 now and still in college, which is a lot different than being 19-20-21 in college because at 24 you are basically ready to live your life and are expected to be self sufficient, so school has to be in addition to work, not instead of it. You will be wishing you sucked it  up and got it over with right after highschool.
Apr 13 2009 5:50PM
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Campeador
Posts: 7516 - Karma: -1,227
If you're going to CU then yes take a year off and work there to establish residency. It'll probably be one of the better decisions of your life. You'd have to be a fucking idiot to pay 30k a year to go to a public university. You can even take a couple of classes at a local junior college just to get some bogus classes out of the way for cheap while you're establishing residency. Just make sure to get a full-time job, that is key.
Apr 13 2009 5:55PM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
What I say you do is meet somewhere in the middle. I say you go to a community college for a year which is very little tuition to begin with especially if you commute. This way you can get a nice well paying job, but still get the credits that you would normally get if you went to a state college or university. Then you would transfer into school with a majority of the credits you would have normally received and you would have a lot more money in your pocket and in the bank. Most state colleges accept credits from community colleges so you should be fine. Thats my two cents for ya. I know its a hard decision and i hope it all works out for ya bro.
-Brewski
Apr 13 2009 8:44PM
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Campeador
Posts: 7516 - Karma: -1,227
The problem with that is for many state to establish residency the primary purpose of your residence must be other than education. You can still take some community classes but not that many or they'll assume your primary purpose for residence is education. Its fucking dumb but that's how it works.
Apr 13 2009 10:45PM
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Gnarshred
Posts: 5670 - Karma: 18

LISTEN TO ME:

 I was in the exact situation as you last year.  I'm 18 years old, and I am currently finishing my season in Breckenridge.  I am attending CU in the fall.  I can tell you it was a great choice to do this.  I am not in school at all (for once in 12 years!) and it is fantastic.  I am a fairly intellectual individual, and self motivated, so I am excited to go to school in the fall.  I have multiple friends going to school this year with no idea of what they wanted to do, and most are on acedemic probation this semester.  I had a year to refresh myself, and genuinly chill before college, and next year i will go into it with a great attitude, totally ready to learn.  I highly recommend it. 

Hope that helped

PM me if you have any more questions.

~Gnarshred

Apr 13 2009 10:54PM
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Z_rob
Posts: 3076 - Karma: 152
i wish i didnt have such shitty grades right now.

i really wanna go to the U of U but idk what grades it takes to get in
Apr 14 2009 12:51AM
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sktrkdo7
Posts: 1920 - Karma: 182
thanks for ur responses people
Apr 14 2009 3:56PM
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vinnyvan
Posts: 132 - Karma: 24
     its all about how motivated you are in doing the college thing.. throughout all of highschool i never planned on going to college parents wanted to my older sister did and such, but i never really wanted to because i hated school work and stuff like that it was a waste of time for me. i never did all that great in highschool just messed around rode my bike, fucked around, and snowboarded. after i worked the whole summer i moved to washington to ride my bike.
     i got sponsered out there bye a company called fringe clothing, just a little thing, u wear a t shirt we will help u pay to go to a contest style thing. didnt get paid. was pretty much poor as hell. had to have my mom buy me bike parts when i broke and bent em.
     long story short i took like six months off, never planned on going to college, realized i was going to be a bum/ not make very much money to do the things i like and live comfortably, so now im here going to msu.
     some people can make it work not going to college, but not alot of people can. thats why i am, here. the break was a motivater for sure. but for some it cant. it doesnt help taking a break if you are in a fun place like colorado haha. but like i said the break was a motivator for me because i was so fuckin poor. haha
Apr 14 2009 6:32PM
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Beans13
Posts: 441 - Karma: 12

Well I did an "alternative program" through the community college this year for my senoir year so I could go road tripping for a few months, it worked out great, didnt have to got to school, still graduate with everyone. I got to work and ski all winter... hella fun.  And I was planning on taking a year off to do it again but without the little school I had to do. One day I was baked and thinking that I better fill out some college apps soon(this was about a month ago) cause deadlines were rolling up fast.  So i scrambled, got my ass in gear, got accepted to a few, now I am just trying to figure out financial aid. I figured if I took another year off I would get to far out of the routine to ever want to return.

Long Story Short: I think I am going to go this year. If I dont now,  I doubt I ever will...

Apr 14 2009 6:41PM
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jeff.
Posts: 182 - Karma: 14
Do it. Hesitation will kill you.
Apr 14 2009 7:29PM
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JeremyClarkson
Posts: 1599 - Karma: 1,934

you cant go back to college after

its the rule

Apr 14 2009 7:39PM
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Campeador
Posts: 7516 - Karma: -1,227
Definitely listen to this guy. I also have friends that went right into 4 year schools thinking it was going to be like high school, now they're on academic probation.
Apr 14 2009 8:34PM
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jca
Posts: 4171 - Karma: 6,311

For starters, I am graduating high school next year if that matters.

I plan on taking a year or two off to backpack around europe, asia, africa, auz and see/learn as much as possible.  I'm super self motivated and do all my classes online right now so I'm not worried about not being able to go back to school.  My main reason for this is that I will need to get a job right after school to pay off my debt from Uni which will tie me down and prevent me from being able to travel around to do what I want.  I from people I've talked to who have taken a year off and people who haven't, the general consensus is to take a year off to travel, work little jobs and live for little coin.  That being said, I dont mind not being able to afford many luxuries, I get my happiness from experiences and accomplishments rather than money and material "things".

Good Luck!

Apr 14 2009 9:37PM
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