LEAPNOW FAQ
How long has LEAPNOW been around?
LEAPNOW was founded in 1994 by Sam Bull as the Western office of the Center for INTERIM Programs. INTERIM, in turn, was founded in 1980 by Sam's father, Cornelius Bull, who was the first full-time gap year counselor in the United States. The extensive internship database that LEAPNOW and INTERIM share was conceived in 1977 - and has since grown to over 6,000 options in 126 countries.
LEAPNOW evolved the work of INTERIM by creating group semester programs in 1998, and the LEAPYEAR program in 2001. With roots in the gap year movement, LEAPNOW has been a pioneer in the process of integrating gap year opportunities with academic credit, rites of passage, and an explicit focus on the inner journey - working to serve a need in the development of young adults that isn't met through traditional schooling or by mainstream gap year programs.
What is the application process?
LEAPNOW attempts to give you as much information about our programs as possible before you apply - so that you can find a good fit with our offerings. You can familiarize yourself with each of our programs on our website. Once you've made a choice, please download and carefully read the relevant Information and Application Packet. Then complete the application and mail or fax it to our office, including the application fee. You will hear from us within a few days confirming the receipt of your application and to go over the next steps.
Prior to acceptance, the LEAPYEAR program requires an in-person interview at our Northern California campus. Each of our other programs only require a telephone interview, though we reserve the right to require an in-person interview. Shortly after the interview, you will receive a decision on your appliction. We don't believe in keeping people in limbo, so we attempt to make admissions decisions and notifications quickly.
LEAPYEAR students interested in receiving financial aid can fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) prior to their interview. A financial aid package will be processed after a student is accepted. Read more about the process on How to Pay for LEAPYEAR.
Can I get help paying for LEAPNOW programs?
Learn to Serve: India is the least expensive group program that we run, and is one of the most affordable group semester programs that we know of. It's priced this way because we are committed to offering this journey to all who want it. We don't have a formal scholarship program, but are willing to consider reducing the cost of the program if you are having difficulty coming up with the full program fee.
Deeper Waters is likewise as affordable as we can make it. However, built in to your tuition is a $1,500 internship budget. It is possible to defray the costs of the program by doing an internship that is a work exchange for room and board, one that provides a stipend, or one that is in the U.S. or close by to lower the cost of airfare.
We offer small scholarships for One Revolution based on financial need. Scholarships can be requested after a participant is accepted into the One Revolution program.
LEAPYEAR, being a fully accredited year of college, gives you access to Federal Financial Aid as well as LEAPNOW and third-party scholarships. LEAPYEAR has its own page on this subject: How to pay for LEAPYEAR.
How do I get college credit for a LEAPNOW program?
Participants in LEAPYEAR are enrolled in Antioch University Seattle as full-time students and receive a year of lower-division college credit.
Participants in the semester-long Deeper Waters, One Revolution, Learn to Serve: India, and individual internships can earn credit either through their home university or through independent study with Seattle Central Community College. Feel free to contact us to discuss your options.
Can I use a LEAPNOW program to complete high school?
Yes. Some high schools are amenable to facilitating creative ways to earn high school credit. This is generally easier when participating in LEAPYEAR, which has a defined college-level curriculum, but is possible for all of our programs.
If you are considering attending LEAPYEAR, but your home high school is unreceptive, we have a cooperative relationship with a local high school here in northern California that allows for high school completion through LEAPNOW programs. Since a full year of college credit is available through LEAPYEAR, many students who haven't completed high school choose to take the GED or High School Equivalency, so that LEAPYEAR can count as their first year of college, rather than their last year of high school.
It is NOT possible to access Federal Financial aid for LEAPYEAR if you haven't completed high school, prior to starting LEAPYEAR.
What are the LEAPNOW retreats like?
Each learning experience has its own content - where you physically are located, and what you are doing. Most programs and educational models focus on content - neglecting the context of learning - which is you and your unique life purpose. For a learning experience to be truly meaningful it needs to connect with you and your unique context. Each LEAPNOW program has at least two retreats built into them, so that the learner can find the connection between the journey and the context of their own life. Not to build in time for this is both irresponsible and poor program design. It is vital to have time in the U.S. before and after traveling in order to be able to learn to travel safely, and to get the most out of your travels prior to returning to your familiar home environment. Most retreats are held at our rural campus in Calistoga, California, which we call "Maacama" after the creek that runs through our property. LEAPNOW staff run the retreats and the retreats are designed to provide you with a chance to:
- meet your group and leaders,
- get oriented to another culture before traveling,
- focus on your unique inner journey,
- harvest what you have learned after traveling,
- limit reverse culture shock in the U.S.,
- prepare you to return home after a dramatic journey,
all without the pressure of having to do these tasks while dealing with the challenges of another culture. While on retreat, students are provided with delicious natural food and stay in rustic but comfortable bunkhouses. Photos of the LEAPNOW campus can be seen on our Facebook page. Check out program pages for information specific to your program's retreats.
Who leads the LEAPNOW trips abroad?
LEAPNOW hires leaders each year to lead One Revolution, Learn to Serve: India, and the first semester of LEAPYEAR (the group travel in India and South America). We select these ~14 leaders from an annual pool of over 150 applicants. We hire experienced leaders with a minimum age of 25. These include returned Peace Corps volunteers, AmeriCorps leaders, and people who have led for other international education organizations. Each of them has direct experience in the country and region we ask them to lead in, extensive group leading experience, and functional language fluency if needed. Each of our leaders are trained in Wilderness First Aid, and many hold superior qualifications. All LEAPNOW leaders receives a very thorough and intensive ten-day leader training from LEAPNOW to augment past experience and training.
Do you accept international (non-US) students?
Yes, we accept international students into all of our programs. However, participants will need to take care of any necessary visa work, and are not eligable for US Federal Financial Aid. Remember, in-person interviews are required for LEAPYEAR and program retreats at our California campus are not optional. Past LEAPNOW students have included students from Japan, Eritrea, Honduras, Singapore, India, Switzerland, Guatemala, Ecuador, Canada, Mexico, England and Iran.
Can LEAPNOW set up a gap year for me?
Yes. Our various programs can be combined to create an amazing gap year for you. Our LEAPYEAR program is designed to give you everything that a gap year should have: guided group travel, a rite of passage, a customizable 3-month internship, an amazing community of fellow travelers, and support throughout. One Revolution is designed to be a great start to a gap year - allowing you the support of a group, but with individualized input into what you are doing, while being exposed to three diverse regions of the planet. Deeper Waters is a great fall or spring semester that allows you to focus on the context of your journey, while choosing from our 6,000 internship options. Learn to Serve: India provides an opportunity to deepen into a culture with a focus on service. Our individual internships can be plugged into any time of a gap year.
Call us, and we can help you put together a great year "on"! 1-800-424-LEAP. If we don't have what you are looking for, we won't hesitate to refer you to other organizations or alternatives. We don't believe that our programs are a perfect fit for everyone - we are more committed to you finding a good fit, than "shoehorning" you into one of our programs.
Other questions?
Visit the LEAPYEAR FAQ or contact us.