A gap year in Los Angeles works best with a plan and someone to hold it steady. Blackburn Mentoring gives your student one dedicated mentor who meets with them every week, in person in Los Angeles or by video, to build a gap year around real things: a job, a class or two, an internship, volunteering, a skill or a trip, with weekly goals and check-ins in between. The first step is a free 20 minute intro call.
Why a gap year in LA needs structure
A year off can be the best decision a student makes, or a year that drifts. The difference is rarely the idea; it is the week. Without a school calendar, the days lose their shape: sleep slides later, plans stay plans, and by spring the student is not much clearer about what comes next. Our guide on a gap year vs college right away covers the decision itself. This page is about making the year work once you are in Los Angeles and it has started.
Los Angeles is a strong place for a gap year because so much is within reach: community college classes, work in almost every industry, volunteering and creative communities. It is also a hard place to get around without a plan. The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts puts the average commute to work in Los Angeles County at 30.4 minutes (2020 to 2024), so a gap year built on three activities in three parts of the county can fall apart on the freeway. A mentor helps your student choose things that fit together geographically, not just on paper.
Building blocks of an LA gap year
- A class or two at a community college. The Los Angeles Community College District reports nine colleges and about 205,000 students, so there is usually a campus within reach. One or two classes keep study habits warm and can test an interest. Whether credits affect a deferred admission is a question for the college your student deferred to; check before enrolling.
- A real job. Paid work builds the habits that make the next step easier: showing up, taking feedback and managing money. Mentors help with the search, the application and the first weeks. See job search coaching for young adults.
- Getting around without a car. Students enrolled at a participating college may be eligible for the Metro U-Pass program, which gives unlimited rides on Metro services in LA County. Fares and eligibility are set by Metro and each college.
- Public work programs. Los Angeles County’s Youth@Work program offers paid work experience, training and mentorship for county residents ages 14 to 24 who face barriers to employment. Eligibility rules apply; check the county page.
- A project or a skill. A portfolio, a certificate, a language, a sport, music or a creative project with a finish date.
- Travel or time away. Mentoring continues by video wherever your student is, scheduled in their local time zone.
For more options, see gap year ideas and gap semester ideas.
What a mentor does during the year
- Sets the year’s goals. Two or three outcomes your student chooses, written down with what done looks like.
- Builds a weekly rhythm. A standing schedule with work, class, exercise and a fixed wake time, so the year has a shape.
- Checks in between sessions. A text or call on the days that usually slip.
- Keeps the next step on the calendar. Application, deferral and enrollment deadlines are tracked from the start, not discovered in March.
- Keeps parents informed. With your student’s permission, regular progress updates, so you do not have to ask.
Sessions are usually 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week. Mentors meet students in person in Los Angeles at a convenient, appropriate place worked out on the intro call, and switch to video when work, travel or traffic make that easier. Mentors offer early morning, evening and weekend times.
A gap year program or a mentor?
Structured gap year programs bundle travel, housing and activities. A mentor works differently: your student builds their own year in Los Angeles, and the mentor provides the planning and follow-through. Some families use both. Our comparison of a gap year program vs a mentor sets out the trade-offs.
What mentoring is not
A mentor is not a gap year placement agency, an admissions consultant, a tutor or a therapist, and mentoring does not promise outcomes. If a mental health concern is part of why your student is taking time off, a licensed professional should come first, and a mentor can work alongside that care with permission. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Free classes, transit and youth job programs for a gap year are collected in our list of free education resources for Los Angeles students and families.
Related
- Gap year mentoring
- Deferring college for a gap year
- Mentoring after high school
- College student mentoring in Los Angeles
- Back home from college in Los Angeles
- Student athlete mentoring in Los Angeles
- Young adult living at home in Los Angeles
- Mentoring and coaching in Los Angeles
Common questions
Can a mentor help plan a gap year in Los Angeles?
Yes. A mentor helps your student choose a mix of work, classes, volunteering and projects that fit together in LA, then meets weekly and checks in between sessions so the plan holds.
Should my student take community college classes during a gap year?
It can keep study habits active and test an interest. If your student has deferred admission somewhere, check that college’s rules on taking classes during the deferral before enrolling.
Do you meet students in person in Los Angeles?
Yes. Mentors meet students in person in Los Angeles at a convenient, appropriate place agreed on the intro call, and use video when that is easier, including when your student travels.
Will parents know how the year is going?
With your student’s permission, mentors share regular progress updates with parents.
Is a mentor the same as a gap year program?
No. A program usually provides travel, housing and activities. A mentor helps your student build and follow through on their own year. Some families use both.
How do we start?
Book a free 20 minute intro call or take the short assessment. After the call your student is matched with one dedicated mentor within 2 business days.
Get started
Want to talk through a gap year plan for your student? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free 20 minute intro call.
Free, by video, 20 minutes, with a member of our team. Weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific.