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Is Mansfield Hall A
Gap Year?
Yes. And No. And Yes!
Traditionally, a Gap Year is a year of experiential learning, generally after high school and before college, focused on building a student’s skills and self awareness.
The most traditional Gap Year experience is also explicitly non-academic – but the focus is still on growth, learning, and personal development.
We find that many students choose to utilize Mansfield Hall as an intentional “Academic Gap Year” as a way to build confidence by practicing and internalizing the specific skills of college success – in an authentic-yet-supported collegiate setting – before choosing to attend their college of choice.
A Unique Gap Year Experience for Students with Executive Functioning Disorders
When a student uses Mansfield Hall as a Gap Year experience they have often made the Mansfield Hall enrollment decision first, but have subsequently applied to, been accepted at, and then deferred enrollment from their college or university of choice. We also have some students who have been accepted at their school of choice – but have concerns about making such a leap independently. We can accommodate these students, and other late-deciders, as space allows.
Most colleges and universities will grant a one-year deferral – with the allowance to accrue transferable credits while on a Gap Year without affecting freshman status upon enrollment a year later. This allows students the option to postpone their entrance into the college of their dreams, and instead take a year with Mansfield Hall to practice and perfect the skills needed for success at the college level. The non-matriculated/open enrollment access to our local colleges ensures that students will be able to take college-level courses, prove their college-level skills, accrue transferrable credits, and build important real-world confidence – regardless of their application status at local schools.
While traditionalists might argue that anything which involves formal academics is, inherently, not a “Gap Year,” many others support the notion that Mansfield Hall provides students “a year of experiential learning, generally after high school and before college, focused on building a student’s skills and self awareness.” Additionally, for students who struggle with generalizing skills, practicing college and college-level skills in an authentic collegiate environment can be a critical step in building the confidence needed for a successful transition to independence.
So is Mansfield Hall a Gap Year?
For the right student: Yes!
Give us a call today to learn more about how you can use Mansfield Hall as A Structured Academic Gap Year.
Please Note: It is important to investigate a school’s deferral policy. While many schools offer a very accommodating approach to students accruing and importing transferrable credits on a Gap Year, other schools (like those in California’s UC/CSU system) reclassifies a student as a Transfer Student if they take interim credits – and require them to re-apply under Transfer Student admissions requirements. For many families and students this approach is still preferable to a false start, and we invite you to reach out to our Admissions Office to learn more.
Meet Madison based life skills coach Alyssa is on deck for today`s Staff Spotlight!
A fashion icon, bug enthusiast, and creative problem solver extraordinaire- tell us what you love about Alyssa in the comments!
Winters here, we couldn’t be happier!!!!
This week at Mansfield Hall, Madison student Cory created a hand-drawn coloring book for a fundraising initiative; each creature is based off of the delicious recipes inside, (available for adoption) Madison Cat Project cat Leila tried to find a new purr-spective on shelter life, and our Dominion League dominated in Burlington.
See ya next week!
Autism is not a single experience – it is a broad spectrum of neurological differences in how people communicate, learn, and connect.
At Mansfield Hall, we focus on strengths, self-understanding, and supportive community.
We had a pretty grape Halloween this year!
Just a good ole fashioned photo dump because we`re living in the ~moment~
Happy Halloween everyone!
What are you dressing up as?
