Taking a semester or year off before starting college or between semesters has always been an option, but the stakes and options are different this year. A gap year is a broad concept with varying definitions. The UK-based Universities and Colleges Admissions Services suggests a multitude of causes to devote a gap year to, including volunteering, travel, non-collegiate courses, internships and paid employment. The Gap Year Association (GYA) recorded across-the-board positive results from its 2015 survey of over 1,000 of its alumni, with 97% saying their gap year increased their maturity and helped them develop as a person, 84% saying it helped them acquire skills to be successful in their career and 73% saying it increased their readiness for college.