A group of admission deans and researchers have banded together to form a new coalition dedicated to studying gap year outcomes.

The new Gap Year Research Consortium—based at Colorado College—will seek to determine how students who take an intentional gap year before college fare upon their return to the classroom.

“As long-time supporters of the gap year movement, we believe that creating a clearinghouse for the research that is going on at colleges and universities around the country is the logical next step in better understanding the positive outcomes that can come from taking a gap year,” Colorado College Vice President of Enrollment Mark Hatch said in a news release.

Other institutions that are part of the consortium include Colby College (ME), Duke University (NC), Florida State University, Harvard University (MA), MIT (MA), Portland State University (OR), Stanford University (CA), Tufts University (MA), and Yale University (CT).

At Colorado College nearly 10 percent of students in each year’s incoming class take a gap year, according to school officials.

“CC’s Admissions Office has taken steps to encourage prospective students to consider whether they might benefit from a gap year that takes them out of their comfort zone and gives them real-world experience before starting college,” Hatch said.

Read more about the new consortium and learn more about gap year options.

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.