Considering a Gap Year? These Experiences Could Really Pay Off

When Malia Obama took a gap year before starting at Harvard in 2017, her plan created a lot of controversy on the internet, especially here in the U.S. But students taking a gap year—before, during, or after college—isn’t new, and the trend is widespread in other countries.

The oldest gap year organization in the U.S., the Center for Interim Programs , has been around for nearly 40 years. While there are limited stats on how many students take gap years here, almost 25% of students in Australia take a gap year and American numbers, which used to be estimated at closer to 1% or 2%, appear to be rising.

Also known as a bridge year, a gap year or gap semester can come between high school and college, after college before starting grad school or a career, or even in between semesters while at college. The idea is to refresh yourself after all those years of head-to-the-books learning, explore potential career interests, and get some new experiences while the risks are low—and when you have no kids and no mortgage.

The idea is you then return to school—or start your job search—with newfound focus and intention. What you do while taking off a gap year depends on you. You can volunteer, travel, work, or some combination. Malia Obama almost 25% of students joined a cross-cultural exchange program to Bolivia and Peru, did an internship with a film and TV production company in New York, and traveled with her parents to Indonesia.

Now, you may not be able to pull off the same itinerary as Malia, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great experience of your own. If you’re asking yourself, “Should I take a gap year?” then here are some of the options and logistics to consider.

Student Loan Refinance – Wag

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Refinancing is a great solution for working graduates who have high-interest, unsubsidized Direct Loans, Graduate PLUS loans, and/or private loans. Federal loans do carry some special benefits, for example, public service forgiveness and economic hardship programs, that may not be accessible to you after you refinance. Check out this blog post that provide more information: When to Consolidate Federal and Private Loans by Refinancing. Or, call us for a free consultation about your particular situation.

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SoFi aims to revolutionize financial services- ultimately improving the system for everyone. Today, we’re able to offer significant savings and flexibility to US citizens or permanent residents who have graduated from a selection of Title IV accredited university or graduate programs, are employed, has a sufficient income from other sources, or hold a job offer with a start date within 90 days, have a responsible financial history, and a strong monthly cash flow.

Q: What is the difference between consolidating and refinancing?

+–

https://www.sofi.com/consolidate-student-loans-vs-refinance/

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A Direct Consolidation Loan is a government program that allows you to combine multiple federal education loans into a single loan. The resulting interest rate is a weighted average of your prior loan rates. Refer to https://www.sofi.com/consolidate-student-loans-vs-refinance/ for more information.

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Mar

2019

There Goes the Neighborhood: How to Deal with Problematic Neighbors

By SoFi | Lifestyle, mortgage | No Comments

When you moved into the neighborhood, everything was wonderful. You were so thrilled to be in a new home in a neighborhood that you loved. You had decorated it to perfection, and revelled in its well-ranked school district. It was your idyllic haven. That is, until you realized you had inherited some bad neighbors.

Mar

2019

Renters Insurance LP

By Dana Jennings Jelter | Uncategorized | Comments Off

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Lemonade is our trusted partner for renters and homeowner insurance. Sharing our values of transparency and forward-thinking technology, Lemonade offers insurance powered by artificial intelligence and behavioral economics, and driven by social good. Available in 23 states, Lemonade uses bots instead of brokers and algorithms instead of paperwork to make insurance instant, simple, and delightful. Lemonade has also designed insurance as a social good, instead of a necessary evil: Lemonade takes a flat fee, pays claims, and gives what’s left to charities our policyholders care about, so you’ll never fight over the same coin.

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Mar

2019

Planning an Affordable Bar Trip

By SoFi | Money, student_loan | No Comments

After 19 years of education—12 years in primary school, four years of undergraduate study, and three years of post-graduate work—you’ve finally done it: You’re a lawyer. Well, almost.

Before any graduate can practice law, he or she must take the bar exam . After years of school and countless hours of studying, your legal career will come down to passing the bar exam. Typically, graduates walk across the stage in May, then take the bar exam in their state of choice the last week of July (although most states administer the bar exam during the last week of February as well).

Then, they must wait to confirm their bar results and start working as a first-year associate. And all that adds up to is a ton of time off with nothing to do between taking the bar and starting a job. Nothing to do but celebrate, of course.

What do students do while waiting on bar exam results? The time-honored tradition of “bar trips” takes place each year during those few weeks after the exam and actually receiving the results.

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Considering a Gap Year? These Experiences Could Really Pay Off

Student Loan Refinance – Wag

Refinance Student Loans

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Q: Who should refinance? –+

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There Goes the Neighborhood: How to Deal with Problematic Neighbors

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Q: Who should refinance?

–+

Q: Can I refinance both federal and private student loans?

+–

Q: Am I a good candidate to refinance my student loans with SoFi?

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Q: What is the difference between consolidating and refinancing?

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Q: What is a direct consolidation loan?

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Q: What’s the difference between fixed and variable rate loans?

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