Time Out: Students Defer College Years

Whatever their preconceptions, all four UNC students took a hiatus from school and have returned to campus with new perspectives about college life and a greater appreciation for the benefits of a college education.

Carolyn Cannon, associate dean of academic advising, said her office sees few students who decide to take time off in the middle of their college careers, although it can be a beneficial experience for some. "Some students need the time away, and some have a real growing experience," she said.

Jerry Lucido, director of undergraduate admissions, said UNC is loosening its policy on admissions deferrals for incoming freshmen who have plans to attend the University but not immediately. Although Lucido said his department still isn't ready to recommend deferral, he said, "If it's right for a student and that student is a strong admit, we might defer admission."

Lucido said admissions officials always have believed in the advantages of continuity between high school and college. But opportunities for students outside the University have become so diverse and beneficial that they increasingly outweigh the disadvantages associated with a break.

Nanny Abroad

Lisa Cilento, now a senior, said her first semester was overwhelming. "College wasn't what I thought it would be."

She saw a classified ad in The Daily Tar Heel from a family seeking a nanny to help care for two young children. The family was moving to Singapore for the father's job.

Cilento said she was offered the job. She left school and traveled with the family to Singapore, where she lived for almost a year, helping the mother handle 1-year-old twins. "It was a full-time job," she said.

Once burned out on learning, Cilento said she returned for her sophomore year excited to be in lecture. "I was so ready to use my brain."

Her job in Singapore also impacted her interests and aspirations. Upon her return, Cilento changed her major from political science to peace, war and defense. She also decided her future would involve working on Capitol Hill after observing the political and social differences in the countries she visited.

Overseas Service

Natalie Rich deferred admission to the University for a year to participate in a program called Global Roots through the University of California-Berkeley. She lived with a family in a rural area of the West African country of Ghana while teaching English, science and math to Ghanaian children.

As high school graduation approached, Rich realized how much she dreaded college and lacked any direction for her future. So she sought an alternative to entering college.

Rich said the three-month experience was very challenging -- she lived without conveniences like running water. But it kindled her interest in anthropology and archaeology, and she now wants a career that will allow her to work in developing countries.

A break from academic life convinced her of the benefits of higher education. "I realized school is the way for me to get where I need to go," she said.

Missionary Work

After his freshman year, Mark Sanders spent two years on a mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints to the San Fernando Valley in California. As a Mormon, Sanders planned before college to take a break for missionary work.

Sanders, now a sophomore, said the missionaries worked to "help people understand the point of salvation" and to share a message about Jesus Christ.

The rules of his mission were strict. Sanders was not allowed to see family or friends and could only call home twice a year. But he said, "There was no time to worry about home."

Sanders said he learned much in his two years in California beyond religion, although that was the main focus. He is now fluent in Spanish and hopes to put his ability to use after graduation. He said he acquired much better study habits in his two years away from school because of the rigors of his studies as a missionary.

Work

Although UNC officials tend to frown on the idea of students leaving school to work, some students have no choice.

Joe Hazel was a sophomore working to fulfill major requirements when his father was diagnosed with cancer in 1999. Hazel was forced to drop out for the spring semester and work to help pay his father's medical bills. In his 18-month leave, Hazel worked first as a teller at Wachovia Bank and then as a service representative for Centura Bank. He now works in medical records for UNC Student Health Service.

He said work was a beneficial experience. "Not only was I able to help (my family), but working in a professional environment, I learned a lot of things I wouldn't have in college," Hazel said.

Hazel's experience in the banking industry inspired him to plan to major in business when he returns to school in the spring of 2002. His time away also restored his enthusiasm for learning. He said, "I need to start learning now. I realize learning is a lifelong process."

Looking Back

Now, with UNC back in their game plan, these students say they do not regret their choices and even recommend time off to others in some circumstances. Cilento said she would "without a doubt" answer the classified ad again. "I just needed some time," she said. "It was a total eye-opener."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.