[Telyahnow2*]

I was afraid I'd get no responses!

He does want to be away from home.
He doesn't want to be far from his girlfriend.

He has no car.
1 ski season without money may help him a lot.

I see a kid who is scared of the dedication that it takes to study in college, scared of spending the amounts of money it takes to go to college and possibly having a not so good paying job when he gets out then becoming an overweight balding person stuck in an office.
Who can blame him.

I think he may just need to take a breather.

We helped him pick a school with enough choices to change his mind instead of being stuck where that isn't easy to do.

I also see him changing his mind on his major. Fine with me.

I was young when I went and it cost a year or so of college at least because of that. Who knows if a gap year would have helped or not.
Grades like a C, E and a W were not very pretty letters to get.
Luckily college was quite a bit cheaper then.

[Laura]

[NoOneInParticular]

he could get residency in the state he plans to go to college in.

you could research if it makes sense for him to be considered "independent" for loans and federal assistance.

[jw]

[rsireland3]

If the armed services isn't his bag, then may I suggest a trade? Seriously. Think about it. While he may not see it, it is a perfect fit for his stated goals as you have presented them.
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[ghostofcarl]

[VTnCO]

I think a bridge year can be great, as it is better than going to college because "you are supposed too". As others have said, a key component is learning to be self sufficient. I see so many ski bum kids who's parents are just helping out too much. Parents paying for health insurance is one thing, buying gas and food is another.

If a kid is not sure about college, then a year to figure out the real world and what they may want to do is great. Why spend 40k to 100k for a education with no final goal or ability to pay off loans. I see so many people with $40k in debt after going to college, but never really had a plan, and then the loans are crippling them. Why not get a decent trade job. They pay better than most lib arts type majors anyways.

Regarding what to do for that year - maybe find a job doing something he could find interesting, yet will teach the value (and cost) of taking care of himself. He could look for a summer position doing trail work, etc for the state and USFS. Another option would be to try and work for a green builder learning a trade and doing something he finds interesting.

If HE has savings, I do recommend traveling on the cheap for a portion of the time as well. I traveling around the US by train at one point, and learned a ton about what I wanted in life during the process. You do need some FUN after all. Seeing a third world country can be very eye opening as well.

[Sugarloafer]

[chemman]

Turn him on to Keystone Mountain Biking. See if he can get on building trails with the trail crew he will get a free pass and probably could choose a place near to stay. It won't pay much but could lead to a killer job as a lifty lead job durning the winter. Again won't pay well but is disputably the best position on the mountain. In a year or so sign with the military (Navy or Air Force) get a good trade in computers or something technical he likes, and then a degree. Played right the military will pay the bill.

Kid I know from the front range went to the pacific northwest for college in marine biology. Well he really liked getting away from the parents but managed to pull straight "F"s. Not good for the GPA. He is back on the front range, and in community college. Don't let community college happen to your son, get him some free time.

[img]http://www.keystoneresort.com/~/media/Keystone/_Matt%20Bike%20Park/hero%20extreme.ashx?w=960&bc=000000[/img]
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Il n'y a que moi qui a toujours raison.
BF's French lady.

http://cleardarksky.com/c/LkDllnObCokey.html

[stevesliva]

He should get a job. Where he gets it, that's up to him. Typical age to decide whether you want to stick around home or not.

If he stays at home an goes on packaged month-long eco-humanitarian-do-gooder trips that you pay for, I'm not sure how that would help anything.

He could actually get a job as a parimutuel at Saratoga june through labor day... step 1.

[chemman]

Keystone job info








MMmmm, DropZone.
_________________
Il n'y a que moi qui a toujours raison.
BF's French lady.

http://cleardarksky.com/c/LkDllnObCokey.html

[miked]

[miked]

^^^^^

You think those mtn bikers bought the $4,000 worth of gear in those pics with the extra money they earned working in a restaurant or as a liftee in Keystone CO??????????????? Get a life man!

[ghostofcarl]

[klaus]