FSU becomes second public university to fund gap year

http://www.fsunews.com/story/news/2016/01/06/fsu-funds-gap-year/78277856/

With the hopes of giving new 'Noles the opportunity to enhance their upcoming college experience, FSU is now offering a gap year program for incoming freshmen. A recently accepted student can now apply through the Office of Admissions to spend a year between their high school graduation and their first year of college, participating in programs such as internships or volunteering abroad.
In addition to offering this opportunity to defer enrollment, FSU will also automatically consider student – upon receiving their gap year application – for a scholarship of up to $5,000, making FSU the second public university in the country to offer funding for a gap year. According to their gap year website, "FSU is committed to helping make the transformative opportunities afforded by a gap year accessible to students regardless of their family's income."
FSU is in good company, with Yale, Princeton and Tufts among the universities encouraging students to pursue a year of personal growth. The American Gap Association, a broadly recognized nonprofit accreditation and standards-setting organization for Gap Years, lists some benefits on their website of taking a gap year, including "solving issues of academic burnout," "going to college with a purpose" and "developing cross-cultural understanding and competence through cultural immersion."
They also assert that gap years must involve "increasing self-awareness, learning about different cultural perspectives, and experimenting with future possible careers."
Joseph O'Shea, the director of the FSU Gap Year, is very excited about the program and says "research suggests that gap years tend to help students develop stronger and more clear motivations for learning, achieve higher college GPAs and graduate college at higher rates."
To apply for the program, incoming freshmen, transfer students and graduate students can go to the Office of Admissions gap year page at http://admissions.fsu.edu/freshman/gapyear/. The application requires a statement of the student's proposed plans for the year, including the role or project they will be engaging in. Students will also be required to estimate the budget for their gap year and explain how the gap year will support their education.The application period starts in December; decisions are made on a rolling basis until May 1.