Another consideration: does she know where she wants to go to college, or at least study? She can always move to a state with great skiing AND a school she's interested in, or one that has a major she's interested in, so she can gain residency.
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Just because someone has reached majority by 18 doesn't mean they are an adult. I can think of plenty who still aren't adults who are decades older.
PS if anyone can tell me how to edit the thread title, I pressed return and posted it when I meant to press delete.
Thanks to whomever for the fix!
I'm writing for some friends whose daughter might want to take a gap year (or two!) after high school and work in a ski town, possibly as an L1-2 (to start) instructor. I'm familiar with the scene in Whistler and Banff and that would be perfect except she's a US citizen so I imagine the work visa situation would be tricky. So what I'm asking is what US town or resort is similar to that?
I think Deer Valley could be a good spot. They have year around activities and it is family oriented, if the family is concerned about that aspect (but there is still youth/vibe in Park City to have some fun).
Yeah, I just sent my 18-year-old daughter off to a large public university last year, and I'm pretty sure ski towns are no worse in many ways, better in some. That said, it kind of depends on why you want to do a gap year. Sometimes people do that because they are not ready for college, in which case maybe that means a little more supervision is required? Or not? Which, in the end is why I said it just depends on the kid and we don't know her…
^^^ This story above resounds with me. I took a year off b/w HS and college 45 yrs ago (there was no "gap year" vocabulary then!). I had sort of the same deal as Stan's daughter...except I was completely on my own financially. After a year taking care of myself and acting as an adult in facing a variety of difficult circumstances, it was pretty hard coming back into college. Luckily, I went to a school where there were a large number of independent, preternaturally-responsible, and self-directed students. If I'd been in a freshman dorm with a bunch of "normal" 18 year-olds, I might never have made it. As it was, I had a pretty strong antipathy for the group of overly-privileged and juvenile upper-middle class kids that also attended.
A whole bunch of people did that before you, in cool places like Normandy, North Africa, Italy, the South Pacific, Korea, Vietnam....
Sans war, it's shame we don't have programs for kids to spend a year or two in the service or doing good deeds - or running the DMV - as it'd be a benefit for everyone. (Except those pokey clerks at the DMV.)
Do you mean mandatory programs? because those things do exist (eg, Americorps); just don't know exactly how well used they are.