Despite the popular belief that high school seniors cannot wait to start college, an increasing number in St. Louis and elsewhere are deferring the start of college to take a gap year after graduating from high school.

Gap years involve many different activities. Some students within the Jewish community choose to go to Israel while other students, both inside and outside of the Jewish community, choose to work or perform community service. Gap years have become increasingly popular in many countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

A former member of the Ohr Chadash teen page staff, Jeremy Lang chose to participate in a community service gap year this past year. First, he applied to universities as if he would be attending them the fall after his senior year of high school at Parkway North High School. Once accepted, Lang talked with the colleges about deferring his admission for a year.

Along with applying to colleges, Lang had to decide what to do during his gap year. His high school did not help with his decision; he researched and applied to volunteer organizations on his own. He finally decided to spend his year working mostly for AmeriCorps, a national program focused on bettering all aspects of selected communities. Lang served in the educational corps, teaching mainly a group of first graders in the St. Louis public schools, who needed help preparing for second grade. During his gap year, Lang also helped run a homeless shelter during the winter, coached basketball, worked with tornado response in Joplin and St. Louis, and led a group of volunteers in refurbishing a community center for St. Louis Serve Day.

“I liked the countless opportunities. We had the chance to solve an issue or help someone in need.” Lang said.

As more high school seniors choose to participate in community service gap years, some question whether the a gap year should be required for all high school seniors. Last May, several students at John Burroughs School debated the subject of a government-mandated community service gap year. Following the debate, many students stated that they had no interest in delaying their admission to college, while other students warmed to the idea.

“It would be in the best interest of the U.S. government to have mandatory community service but not necessarily right out of high school,” said Lang. “There should be a commitment required but maybe with an age precedent or a timeline rather than a graduation date. I think it would not only benefit the country but the individuals who serve as well.”

Lang feels he benefited from his experiences and is now ready to go to college. When he first applied to colleges and spoke to admissions officers about a deferral, many disliked the idea. The responses of the various colleges swayed his final decision. He chose to attend the University of Evansville, which enthusiastically supported his plan to defer a year, and started college this fall.