This Sat., a Regional Gap Year Fair will be held between 12:00 and 3:00 at New Trier. It is completely free of charge and is completely open to anybody who wishes to attend.

It will be hosted by USA Gap Year Fairs, a national circuit of events that bring together reputable gap year organizations with interested students and parents. As one of the most well-attended in the nation, the Fair hosts over 40 different organizations, ranging from a “seamester” on a boat to traveling abroad learning a language, with program lengths spanning three to twelve months.

To kick things off will be a question and answer session with gap year advisors, student representatives, and parents whose children took a gap year. This panel will cover the whole gap year process, from applications to financial aid to re-entering college, and be about half an hour long.

After this, attendees may enter into the main room, which will hold individual tables and displays, with program participants and representatives ready to answer any questions.

With so many different experiences available it can be difficult to choose the correct one, but according to Mary Collins, Community Service Coordinator, “The best way to look at the gap year idea, is to be open to the different types of experiences that are organized and structured; there are a gazillion different ways to do a gap year.”

For more information, please visit usagapyearfairs.org.