This article is an excerpt from the book Taking Time Off  by Colin Hall and Ron Lieber

If you can't articulate your reason for staying away from the classroom for a year or how your plan for that year will help you accomplish some sort of a goal, you technically don't deserve to take that kind of sabbatical. "I'll figure it out in September" is not a good enough answer.

However, once you've figured out what your options are for time away, and what you'll strive to achieve during that time, you can finish your research and sketch out a plan. You'll need to come up with something solid enough to prove to your parents that you're doing something worthwhile, something above and beyond what you personally would gain from going to school at this point. Not only that, but they're going to want to know that you'll come back to the classroom hungry to learn after your experience is over.

When to Take Time Off
Okay. You've mapped out where to go and what you'll do once you get there. So, when should you pull down the old duffel bag and start packing? If you're still in high school, you should go through the college application process, choose a school, and then ask that school to defer your admission until the following year. Most colleges will be happy to oblige-and this will be a big relief to your family. It will also take pressure off you, since it's more difficult to apply to college when you are not in school and the resources of your college counselor are not immediately available. If you are in college already when you decide to take time off, speak to a dean and make sure that a place will be waiting for you when you return.

Some people will warn you that you will be behind your peers when you come back. If they tell you this before you go to college, don't believe them. One year makes little material difference in the broad scheme of things, and the fact that your best friend from high school may graduate from college twelve months earlier than you will seem less significant as time goes by. If they are telling you that you will be behind your peers while you are in college, they may have a point. Taking time off after junior year in college and then returning to find all your friends already graduated can be difficult.

Others may warn you about the difficulty of being so far ahead of your new classmates. You may indeed return with more maturity and focus than some of your peers. But why is this bad? The concern is that you will be so much older that you will not be able to relate to your peers. The opposite may in fact be true. During your time off, you will probably be exposed to a broad range of people and experiences. Such exposure can only strengthen your ability to relate to your peers and the other people in your life.

A final warning will be that taking time off is something you should do after college. Given that many people graduate with some sort of student loan debt these days, this isn't very practical advice. Besides, one of the best things about taking time off is being able to bring your experiences back to bear on your undergraduate education.

That's why we believe that taking time off before graduating from college is ideal. That way, all or part of the incredibly dynamic experience of college will still be in your future, not in your past.

How to Afford Your Time Off
For many, money is the biggest obstacle to taking time off. How much do you have? How much do you need to achieve your goals? How much do you need to have left over when your time off is finished? Start with this: Do you need to make money, break even, or will you be able to spend some money from your savings or family along the way? Because one or both of your parents are probably involved in this issue, you should discuss your financial situation with them at the very beginning of your decision-making process. Your financial status may make taking time off more difficult, but do not, do not let it be an insurmountable obstacle. Know your limits, and then find the most creative way to work within them.

Each family's financial situation is different. Your family may have been saving for a long time in preparation for that first college tuition bill. They may also have specific plans to get your brothers and sisters through college. If taking a year off means that tuition payments for you and your sibling or siblings will overlap for an extra year, that may be a problem. On the other hand, that may qualify you for financial aid, or more aid than you would otherwise receive. Also, if you're able to fund your own time off, that multi-thousand-dollar lump that's been sitting in your or your parents' savings account can earn interest during your time off.

College financial aid departments base your aid package on the ability of you and your family to pay tuition. If you have spent some of your savings on taking time off, you may be able to negotiate a more generous financial aid package than you would have before. But your college may also end up asking you to take out a larger loan to make up the difference. If you are on financial aid, speak directly with a dean or an aid officer. Get them to explain all the possible ramifications of your decision to take time off.

Most student loans have a built-in grace period that begins when you leave school. If you take time off, this period may expire, interest will kick in, and you will have to begin making payments. Obviously, it makes sense to plan for this possibility. In some instances, taking a class during your time off (and retaining your status as a student) will postpone the need to begin paying off your loan.

If your only financial need is to break even, there are numerous ways to accomplish this. Some people work for six months to make money and then travel or spend time doing volunteer work. Many opportunities also exist for people who are willing to work for just room and board. You could also try to borrow money interest-free from your parents or another family member. This has obvious advantages; a loan is not so daunting if you can pay it back after you have a full-time job.

People who need to save money will probably have to live at home. This issue provokes strong reactions in people. One line of reasoning goes something like this: Whatever you do during your time off, the absolute worst thing would be to live at home. When you live at home, you sink back into the same old behavior patterns that you spent several years of adolescence attempting to grow out of. Your parents, no doubt, have certain ingrained expectations of who you are, based largely on who you were for so many years. If you are planning to make any positive changes in your life, stay far away from home.

On the other hand, some believe that living at home is ideal. Some people's parents have always given them the space they needed to be themselves and have encouraged them to be independent. For these people, the benefits of living at home outweigh any loss of freedom that they may feel. Still others get the best of both worlds by finding a friend or relative who will allow them to live in their home rent-free while they pursue their alternative-to-school plans.

Working part-time, or even full-time during your time away or finding a paid internship to support yourself and your quest are other options worth looking into.

In the end, only you, your parents, and the people you trust most will be able to help you decide what's best for your particular situation. A well-thought out plan will be your best map for time-off success once it comes time to spring into action.