Yasmin is writing an essay about gap years. Read the excerpt from a source she is using. Taking a gap year, or hiatus, between high school and college is gaining traction with students. According to a 2015 study, 35% of students are temporarily foregoing their studies to follow this path. Danny Ruderman, an admissions counselor at Coretilene College, says that students who took a gap year are more focused than their peers who did not. "Taking the year off to do something unique could help students get into schools they may not have been accepted to previously,” Mr. Ruderman replied when asked about the benefits of a gap year. As the trend becomes more popular, colleges are beginning to encourage students to defer their acceptances to pursue their passions prior to freshman year.– Carlos Santiago, Today’s News Daily, 2016