It is an appropriate question for you to ask of the college admissions officer what role the essay will play in the admissions decision. We very often find the essay to be one of the pivotal parts of our decision making process, and one of the most enjoyable and interesting elements of the application review. A recent graduate spent a year teaching on a reservation and then used some of his experience in that community when he enrolled at the college. I remember hearing some stories of class discussions, where the student brought some real life experience into the classroom. Another student who spent a year in Germany was able to increase their fluency enabling them to enroll in a third year German course in their first year of college.
Many students benefit from another year of maturity prior to college.
Other students may develop a greater motivation for their academic work as a result of their experience before matriculation. Many guidance counselors could assist a student interested in exploring a list of activities between graduation and the first year of college. There is an organization called the Venture Consortium that sets up internships for students who would like to have a pre-college experience. Dean Mitchell, College students sometimes find the admissions process confusing. This is a good question and there are a number of things students can do to take some of the confusion out of the process.