Frequently Asked Questions
"I soon realized that no journey carries one far
unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal
distance into the world within."
- Lillian Smith
Some questions may be answered in the following articles:
- How do I pay for my LEAPYEAR program?
- What can I (or my son/daughter) expect to get from LEAPYEAR?
- Why is LEAPYEAR needed?
- What colleges have LEAPYEAR students gone to, to complete their college education?
- Will my LEAPYEAR credits transfer to my next college?
- Who leads the group semesters in India and Latin America?
- How is the second semester internship chosen, and how much structure is provided?
Listen to a 20-minute Podcast about LEAPYEAR and hear LEAPNOW Founder, Sam Bull, interviewed about the program.
What colleges have LEAPYEAR students gone to, to complete their college education?
The great majority of LEAPYEAR graduates continue on to complete college after LEAPYEAR. A partial list of the colleges that LEAPYEAR graduates have gone on to follows:
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The following are links to colleges whose philosophy or method of learning is in line with LEAPYEAR - i.e., that have and experiential, alternative, contemplative or international focus. Since LEAPYEAR students learn to direct their own learning, they tend to be happiest after LEAPYEAR when they attend a college whose learning style is student-directed and interdisciplinary. These colleges also tend to be very happy to enroll LEAPYEAR graduates, since they come in with a clearer sense of their purpose, greater maturity, and a greater ability to direct their own learning.
- College of the Atlantic (COA) - A small college in Maine focused on human ecology, sustainability, natural sciences & the environment. COA thinks so much of LEAPYEAR that they give a $10,000 per year scholarship to LEAPYEAR graduates that are accepted for admission for up to 4 years.
- Evergreen State College - A progressive state college in Olympia, Washington, with an emphasis on theory and practice, student centered learning, and public service.University of Redlands - Johnston Center for Integrative Studies - A residential community within the U. of Redlands within which students design their own majors and write contracts for courses. Located near Los Angeles.
- Warren Wilson College
- A small college in Asheville, North Carolina focused on
changing the world. Students find a balance between
academics, service and work. Strong environmental
and sustainability focus.
Fairhaven College at Western Washington University - an interdisciplinary college within Western Washington U. where students design their studies and evaluation process - focus on the development of leadership. - Prescott College - an experiential and self-directed interdisciplinary curriculum in the Arizona desert.
- Global College (formerly Friends World Program ) - An internationally focused college with campuses in Costa Rica, China, India, Japan, South Africa, Australia and New York City.
- Naropa University - The only Tibetan Buddhist inspired university in the U.S. Contemplative education - and a school where East meets West in Boulder, Colorado.
- The New School - a progressive university in NYC focused on social change - 8 colleges with diverse emphases - theater, social research, urban policy, design and music.
- Eugene Lang College - A progressive interdisciplinary college in New York City - student-directed curriculum - part of the New School.
- Green Mountain College - A small liberal arts college in Vermont that focuses on environmental sustainability.
- Hampshire College - A small liberal college in Massachusetts specializing in self-designed majors. It is known for facilitating the study of film, music, theatre and the visual arts.
- Quest University Canada - a new university founded in 2005, located just north of Vancouver, B.C. The first two years are a foundational curriculum with 16 six week blocks. The last two years are formed around a question that each student identifies to direct the remainder of their study. Very engaged, engaging curriculum.
Looking for a college that will change your life? Check out the Colleges That Change Lives website: http://www.ctcl.org/ Based on a book by the same name, this website lists 40 schools that have characteristics that enrich and empower students, year after year, generation after generation. These are schools where:
- learning is collaborative, not competitive
- there is a discussion of values in the classrooms and elsewhere on campus
- there is a sense of community and connection that goes well beyond 4 years of attendance
- students are there to learn, not to just get a degree
- students want to tell the story about how the college has changed them
- admission is holistic and the focus campus wide is on the transformation between orientation and graduation, rather than on the accomplishment of admitted students
Some LEAPYEAR program graduates have continued working and traveling abroad prior to continuing their college studies. These students have studies with artists and artisans in Asia, have worked with a circus, lived and worked at intentional communities, and more.
Will my LEAPYEAR Credits transfer to my next college?
LEAPYEAR credits have transferred to the broad and representative range of colleges on the list above. The LEAPYEAR groups beginning in 2012 will be the eighteenth and nineteenth full year cycles of the program, and the curriculum has been thoroughly reviewed by two regional accrediting institutions (WASC & NCA). That said, it is always at the discretion of the institution accepting you for admission whether they choose to accept any credits. If you are considering a college that is not on the list above, the only way to definitively know whether credits will be accepted, is to ask their admissions office. To support you in this inquiry, our office can provide you with LEAPYEAR course descriptions and syllabi, and you can have your desired college admissions office pre-review these materials to determine the exact number of LEAPYEAR credits they will accept. In this way, you won't have any risk that your credits won't be accepted.
Who leads the group semesters in India and Latin America?
Visit the General FAQ.
How is the second semester internship chosen, and how much structure is provided?
During the summer before the start of LEAPYEAR, students are provided with a representative list of over 100 internship possibilities to get an idea of what is available to them.
During the first week of the program, our internship coordinator introduces the range of internship possibilities to the full group.
This is followed by one-on-one meetings with each student.
Our internship specialists then dialogue with each student during the fall semester to decide upon the specific internship that a student wants to do.
We follow up as needed on a one-on-one basis during the second retreat and winter break to help those having trouble deciding between the myriad choices available in 126 countries.
LEAPNOW has been sending individual students abroad since 1994, and has made over 1500 internship placements - all of whom have come home safely. The solo internship is designed to be a structured educational experience, and as such students are placed with organizations doing social service, educational, environmental, arts and crafts, medical, outdoor recreation, and public health work.
The primary support for each student is their in-country program sponsor, who is responsible for picking them up at the airport, getting them oriented, providing further training as needed, and looking out for their well-being during their three-month internship
Each student is also required to communicate weekly with the LEAPNOW office and their group members by email, and relates directly in their country of choice with a program sponsor.
Every students carries a laminated card with LEAPNOW's 24 hour emergency hotline as well as office numbers, and key in-country numbers such as the relevant US consulate.
More Questions?
Visit the General FAQ or Contact Us.
LEAPYEAR Home | Guiding Philosophy | Curriculum | Group Travel | Solo Internship | What Others Say
Admission | Tuition & Financial Aid | Dates & Logistics | FAQ | Application
Additional articles: How to Pay | Outcomes | Why LEAPYEAR? | 20 Minute Interview with Sam Bull