Students have been pushed for decades to enter college or university straight out of high school, but new initiatives from a number of top-tier institutions are actually giving students financial rewards for putting off college in favor of public service.
Princeton University, for example, kicked off its Bridge Year Program fairly recently. The initiative offers a tuition-free year for students to live internationally with a host family and other Princeton students to expand their global awareness. According to the New York Times, the selected students who are putting off college to be a part of the program for 2009-2010 will be stationed in Ghana, India, Peru, or Serbia.
Other notable institutions that advocate students putting off college in favor of public service are Dickinson College, which offers a $10,000/year credit towards tuition, and AmeriCorps, which offers an AmeriCorps Education Award of $4,725 for a year of volunteer service.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Delayed Education
- Top-tier institutions are offering financial rewards for students to delay college in favor of public service, creating opportunities for students to gain real-world experience before pursuing higher education.
- Bridge Year Programs
- Initiatives like Princeton University's Bridge Year Program are providing students with a tuition-free year to live internationally, allowing them to enhance their global awareness and cultural understanding.
- Volunteer Incentives
- Programs like AmeriCorps are offering education awards for a year of volunteer service, encouraging students to engage in public service and make a positive impact before pursuing higher education.
Sectors Adopting This
- Higher Education
- Universities and colleges are adapting by creating programs that allow students to gain real-world experience before entering college, aligning their education with their interests and goals.
- International Exchange
- Initiatives like Bridge Year Programs are creating opportunities for students to live internationally and gain valuable cultural and global perspectives, bridging the gap between different countries and societies.
- Non-profit and Volunteer Organizations
- Programs like AmeriCorps are incentivizing students to engage in volunteer service, propelling the nonprofit sector and encouraging the next generation to make a positive impact on society.
