Cognitive dissonance and how it relates to gap years and how schools view gap years.

Cognitive dissonance occurs when one holds two conflicting beliefs or practices. This contradiction creates psychological (or institutional) tension. For example, why do schools say they value gap years, but still quietly prefer students to come straight from high school?

Here’s the truth most institutions won’t admit:

🎓 They’re in a state of cognitive dissonance.

They hold two conflicting beliefs:

“Gap years help students grow, mature, and gain clarity.”

“But we need students to enroll immediately to hit our financial, operational, and ranking targets.”

So while brochures praise personal development and "global learning," the system is built for speed, conformity, and control.

Gap years introduce uncertainty.

They mess with yield rates, graduation rates, budget cycles, and the neat structure of batch-processing education.

As Steven Bartlett explores in The Diary of a CEO, many institutions say the right things publicly, but fear the very outcomes they promote: freedom, self-direction, nonlinear growth.

📌 Real change means resolving this dissonance — not just marketing around it.

Because if we truly believe in learning beyond the classroom, we can’t punish students for stepping off the conveyor belt. 

So hey, if you're looking to apply to colleges in the US, watch your gap years, and don't stay out of the game for too long. bit.ly/USAPP2025