Taking Time Off

by Colin Hall, Ron Lieber

Relates the experiences of college students who took time off to explore other opportunities and offers advice on travel, work, and study options

Genres: Nonfiction

287 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

Reviews

[Roger Smitter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in 2003, Taking Time Off was waaaay ahead of its time. In the decade and half after publication, we are beginning to have serious questions about the value of four more years of classes immediately after high school.

Hall and Lieber provide narratives of 26 high school students who elected to postpone college graduation by taking a year (or more) from formal studies. The stories are nicely grouped into four options to college learning: work, volunteering, studying (outside a traditional college campus) and traveling, that young students elected to supplement their education.

Readers (both students and parents) can read stories about working the Appalachian trail, creating a service that covers politics for campus radio stations, teaching disabled kids to ski, or starting a school in Zimbabwe. Other students recount how everyday experiences as an au pair in France, working as a deckhand in Alaska, or working for City Year in urban schools changed how they learned things a traditional college classroom cannot provide.

Taken as a whole the case studies provide not only an introduction to the challenges of these kinds of learning alternatives provide. Only one of the case studies -- riding freight trains with hobos-- would be out of bounds in my judgement.

The book could be a useful read for students who are bright and curious and learn from experience more than from formal education. More importantly, Taking Time Off could be a good read for parents of children who are smart and inquisitive and find school too confining.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been picking my way through this book for weeks... searching for a clue as to why I did my own gap year at about the time these students did. The answer seems to be curiosity, stubbornness and a deep belief that formal education is not the only way to learn. The authors clearly understand this phenomenon and explain it through a series of stories about students from all over the country who gave it a go. Instead of over analyzing it, they introduce the idea and let the individual stories tell the tale... really what else is out there except that raw human experience. I felt like the students who do try a gap year would approve of this approach.

[Bonnie Limbird · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally finished. This book is so out of date, don't bother as a resource for actually taking a gap year, but if you're looking for interesting nontraditional post high school/college stories this could offer a bit of inspiration.

[Mehul Sheth]

Good stories pre college and during college with associated resources.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I picked up this book because I thought it was saying taking time off to study for the SAT, but it turn to be taking time off to do your own things. I thought it was surprising how some of the stories people went to top colleges and yet they still have time to do great things like one person started a one man radio network, and how a lot of college students worked in presidential campaigns. When I visited colleges everyone seem very busy with homework, and I didn't think they would have time to all these time consuming activities. This is why this book is really surprising. It is also very inspiring, and it makes you feel like you want to do something great in the future. I really liked the stories of how some college students went to other countries to help other people. This is something I would like to do in the future too.

[Kiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It sounds appealing to get a part-time job to pay off debt faster, but not practical. You basically have no life until your debt is under control. Thankfully, that is not my problem. I need to learn how to save better.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

some exceptional ideas from diverse young people