Gap years are most popular in white families of middle to high incomes, according to a 2014-15 survey of Canada and the United States by the Institute for Survey Research at Temple University.
Among the 558 gap year alumni who completed the survey, 84 percent were white and 54 percent came from families with annual incomes of $75,000 or more, including 18 percent with incomes of at least $200,000.
The survey was published by the nonprofit American Gap Association, based in Portland, Oregon, that researches the benefits of gap years and whose mission is to raise awareness of and participation in gap years. “While we believe that every student will benefit greatly from a Gap Year, we also maintain that a Gap Year is not the right ‘fit’ for everyone,” its website says.
Eighty-two percent of the respondents had parents with at least a bachelor’s degree. The top five destinations were the United States, Ecuador, Israel, India and Australia, the survey said.
Personal growth and development were the most notable outcomes, and people who take gap years have higher levels of job satisfaction and civic participation, the survey said.
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