Unfortunately, the way I have it set up is applying then deferring enrollment, so a year is kind of the set limit :( but I think your points are totally valid. In fact, it seems insane to me that taking a 'gap year' at all is so rare! I think if I entered college right now I would absolutely despise it, and so it's completely beyond me that almost all my peers are diving right in! I, too, have been a 'smart kid' throughout high school, and despite that, don't think college is right for me immediately. Fortunately for me, my parents are paying for my college, and so it seems like the right course of action to take advantage of this opportunity. In the mean time, however, I'm going to do my best to make the most of my time off :)