The Gap-Year Advantage

Check out our book, one of the best resources for students and parents who are looking for more information about
Gap Years.
The Gap-Year Advantage. Karl and Rae are co-authors of The Gap-Year Advantage: Helping Your Child Benefit from Time off Before or During College (St. Martin’s). A complete resource, this book helps answer commonly asked questions such as "What do colleges think of gap years?" and "Can I be certain that my child will go or return to college after taking time off?" With anecdotes from students across the country who have taken gap years, this valuable guide also provides extensive information on program options in the US and abroad that include volunteering, travel, interning, and specialized study. Our work has been noted in the New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Time magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The Washington Post, among other publications.

Contact us for more information or to speak to your organization about The Gap-Year Advantage!

Gap Year, American Style

Check out our most recent book with interesting data and compelling stories about the impact of
Gap Years in the lives of young adults.
Gap Year, American Style. Based on a survey of 300 gap year alums and dozens of interviews with gappers and their parents, Karl and Rae explore the impact of taking time off on the path to and through higher education. Throughout the book, readers encounter the personal stories of numerous gappers who describe in their own words the power of their experiences. Results of the authors' survey and interviews provide a comparison of data from the UK and give the reader a richer sense of gap years as a global phenomenon. The book also provides practical advice, tips, and resources for those interested in pursuing a gap year option.

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Education

Professional Development for Educators: Schools in Maryland and California have engaged Haigler Enterprises’ principals to provide workshops on the ethical issues related to biotechnology. The Granada Hills Charter High School, the largest charter school in the U.S., brought together teachers across disciplines to develop a discussion guide based on the workshop’s focus on bioethics as seen in works of literature, science, and philosophy. A year-long series of workshops at the Key School in Maryland focused on the issues related to genetically-modified foods, culminating in a town hall debate for students in grades 8-12.

Contact us for more information or to conduct professional development for your educators!

Literacy

Technology Transfer of Federal Investments in Courseware: Karl led a federal interagency initiative to convert the U.S. Army’s $ 10 million investment in job-related basic skills software—the Job Skills Education Program (JSEP)—to a licensed civilian product for use in job training, adult education, and workplace literacy programs. In its initial private sector pilot in Mississippi, the software was used to assist Peavey Electronics when the company discovered that its employees' lack of necessary workplace skills slowed production. Working with Meridian Community College (MCC), Karl helped implement a public-private partnership that resulted in the following positive outcomes: Peavey had an increase in business productivity of 2.1 percent in overall quality, which was sizeable in terms of dollar amount; employee absenteeism and grievances decreased; and critical thinking was exhibited in employees' thoughtful suggestions on how to reduce costs and wastes.