Options for someone taking a year off from college...?

Question

I am a student at a four-year university, about to finish my sophomore year. I'm at a point where I feel like I need to venture off on my own for a bit and possibly take a year off from schooling. My only issue is that I am not sure I will receive as many government grants if I take a year off and then return to college, compared to just sticking it out for all four years. I am looking for options that can involve traveling, workng, etc. Has anyone ever been in this situation/have any ideas for me? Serious answers only please! Thank you for your help!

Answer 1

You are not alone in your feelings of treading water. Try the peace corps. You can go for a year or two and then return to college. You might want to see if you can study abroad. Most school offer programs such that you can earn college credit while not actually attending school, but gaining real world experience. You could also see if you could get an internship with a company. You could almost work full time though some companies don't want you until you are a senior, but I do know that there are opportunities for juniors. Talk to your campus work study office about options. Once you get some ideas, you can also look online for corporations looking for students. You may do better if you look for jobs in your field. You can already have your dream job before you graduate, just not at a pay that you can expect once you get your degree.

Answer 2

If you want to travel and are worried about governmental grants you could always do study abroad. You want to make sure with your financial aid office if your grant money could be used in study abroad programs then you wouldn't really have to take a year off from school.

If your grants are need-based and your need is the same after you take a year off as it is now then I think your grant should be about the same. And if you do take a year off and work then it would be based on how much you save.

I think the you should talk to your finacial aid counselor about if you take a year off from school if and how that would affect your grants. They deal with these matters all the time and your fin aid counselor would know the specifics to your circumstance.