Academics
Mind The Gap Launches LIFE READY Program
Mind The Gap (MTG) has officially launched the Mind The Gap LIFE READY Program according to a recent press release. Mind the Gap is a team of educators, parents, students and researchers who believe education has a purpose, one that helps others find success in the real world — not just in college.
The LIFE READY Program is a 15-week semester, empowering an online learning community that was developed to provide a journey of self-discovery and fill gaps in traditional higher education by giving its participants skills to find success through dedicated experts and resources.
“This pandemic has created a great deal of uncertainty for students who are clearly not going to be met with the full on-campus life experience; but yet, would still be paying the full price,” says Abby Brody, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Mind The Gap.
The program was developed due to the impact of COVID-19 as many high school graduates and those who have already matriculated at colleges across the country are dealing with a lot of unknowns. These students are struggling to make smart decisions on how to best approach the upcoming 2020 college calendar year, with many choosing to defer college admission. And, currently, the higher education system presents challenges to young adults who graduate into the workforce burdened by student debt, lacking workplace and life skills, and reporting high levels of mental health concerns.
“We created the LIFE READY Program to approach the concept of a gap year in a novel way, and not as a traditional year ‘off,’ but instead a step into the future, providing students with the skills that are not taught in school but are necessary for success in the real world,” explained Brody. “At the same time, LIFE READY will also allot time and provide tools for our ‘Fellows’ to dive into their personal development and life goals. As obvious as it seems today, this has never been done.”
Research shows students who take a gap year are 60% more likely to take their academics more seriously and know what they want to study while also reporting a higher sense of self-awareness and feeling “more mature” than their peers. Remarkably, 75% note that their gap year played a substantial role in their first job placement.
“The gap year market in the United States up until now has mostly served the wealthy who capitalize on this clear advantage. We are changing that. The research is clear, all students would benefit from this time,” says Brody.
The LIFE READY Program has been developed for those who have graduated high school in the last five years, and are looking to enrich their lives by investing in themselves. Fellows will be assigned a certified life coach to receive personalized direction for their future path and will learn a multitude of life skills currently not taught in school, such as digital organization and security, personal finance, and the analysis of basic contracts. LIFE READY graduates are confident, equipped, and ready to make their next move in the world — and they trust themselves.
The initial LIFE READY Program semester will begin on September 8, 2020, and run through December 18th, 2020. To start, the LIFE READY Program will accept 30 groups referred to as “Tribes,” with each Tribe comprised of approximately 10 Fellows, designed to provide small-group and personalized development.
The application process will officially open on Monday, June 8, 2020, and applicants can visit https://www.mtgnow.org for further details on requirements and costs.
For more information on the LIFE READY Program and MTG’s efforts to help today’s students as they make future education decisions, visit https://www.mtgnow.org/.
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