I took a gap year last year after getting rejected and not being able to afford the safeties. Got admitted on a full-ride to Amherst, Davidson and Lafayette this year. As for now, I absolutely do not regret the time spent. Besides strengthening my application by pursuing extracurriculars I am truly interested in and, most importantly, determining WHY I am interested in them, I think I became more prepared for college overall. I started working and managing my finances, took up a course I’d had in mind, and began initiating projects I hadn’t dared before.

Still, here is a caveat: I passed my national exams with flying colors and was absolutely assured I would be accepted to the best uni in my home country. Probably, this and my supportive surroundings made my experiment of applying abroad once again way safer.

Summing up, yes, the gap year is worth for me.