About
We built this because parents and students wanted to know more.
A mother who spent a hundred hours figuring it out, and a daughter who is living it right now.
Leah · Isla’s mom, the one who has done the research
The Nordic Gap Year is one of the greatest secrets out there.
When I found out about the concept it seemed too good to be true…
My daughter is a high achiever. She reached the pinnacle of success in high school and had the college acceptance letters to prove it.
Of course I was proud of her. But what I really wanted for her right after graduation wasn’t move-in day at one of the top colleges in the state. It was something VERY different.
Something without the academic pressure. Adventure. Travel. Completely new experiences. I thought she needed a break.
A reset.
I wanted her to take a year to grow personally, explore other interests, and maybe discover a deeper part of herself.
I wanted her to take some time to just LIVE before she had to decide her future.
And I had just the thing that I’d been quietly researching for 2 years in hopes that I’d have the opportunity to offer it to her.
College would be there waiting for her afterwards.
Everyone I tell is intrigued and wants to know where they can find out more.
I spent well over 100 hours researching and piecing the process together.
With 75 different schools to choose from, 75 different websites in all different formats, some I had to translate page by page—it wasn't quick and simple.
There was no one-stop resource for an American parent.
So I decided to build one.
If you’re curious, have a look at the free intro to the Nordic Gap Year that I put together—it’s just below.
Introduction to the Nordic Gap Year
What these schools are, what a year really costs, and whether its a fit for your kid.
Isla · in Ålesund right now
I’m in Norway, and I’m having the time of my life.
I’m so glad I picked the Nordic Gap Year.
In my senior year of high school I spent tons of time on college applications. I worked really hard in school, top 10% of my class, athlete, clubs, you name it. I definitely felt the pressure to go to college straight after graduation. After all, that was why I'd worked so hard, right? But something didn’t sit right. I wasn't excited. I was burnt out from pushing so hard, and I wasn’t sure yet what I wanted to do in life.
The more I learned about the Nordic Gap Year, the more it intrigued me. After all the college decisions came in, and I was on the decision deadline, I told my mom I didn’t want to do it. I chose this instead. College could wait a year.
I’ve only just started, but it’s been the best experience of my life so far.
If you’re a student in 11th or 12th grade (or a parent of one) and if you're burned out or not quite sure what you want to do yet, I’d really recommend checking out the guide my mom put together.
I’m journaling about my experience almost every single day to give kids who are curious about it a glimpse of what its actually like on the inside in real time. Feel free to opt into my postcards below to get the daily updates.
Postcards from Isla
Almost every day from Ålesund — her photographs, and what actually happened. Free, and you can leave any time.