I'm about to finish my senior year of high school and haven't felt motivated to apply to any colleges. I have been thinking about getting a job and a place out of town to explore new things. Is it a good idea to take a gap year after high school or would it be better to just enroll in community college classes for Fall 2016?
Gap years can be awesome for students who want to get a little more life experience before heading off to college. However, you should think a bit more about why you're taking a gap year and what you want to learn or accomplish in that time before rushing into a decision. It sounds like your plans are still pretty nebulous at the moment, which doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad idea, but you should seriously consider what you plan to do in the next year to advance your long-term goals or engage in meaningful self-reflection.
There are lots of online resources that will give you advice for navigating this decision. Here's a helpful rundown of the pros and cons of gap years with examples of organizations you might consult for help in planning your year off, whether you spend it working, studying, travelling, or something else entirely. If you can't figure out a plan that excites you and don't feel like you're dying for a break from schoolwork, it might be a better idea to go to college and potentially take a gap year a little farther down the road. Still, this is definitely a feasible option that will give you time to grow as a person and defray some of the costs of higher education before committing to a program.