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National Decision Day: Some high school seniors opting for gap year over starting college

Posted at 7:01 AM, May 01, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-01 08:01:28-04

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Friday is National Decision Day for high school seniors across the country as they prepare to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives: where they'll go to college.

Some schools are giving students another month to decide because of the pandemic. However, the deadlines at the University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University are still today.

Still, some graduating seniors are choosing to take more time before starting college.

One in six high school seniors is now considering a "gap year" instead of starting school in the fall. An education consulting firm also found 63% of students aren't sure can go to the first school of their choice and 21% say they can't afford it.

One guidance counselor says, during this down time, students still need to get ready for the job market.

While it's not a bad idea to take time off, a big concern is some students may not even go back to school after that gap year.