When to Thru-hike

[Many Walks]

Go in the direction that is pulling the hardest, but you have interest in the outdoors and a desire to hike the AT. A distance hike can be an education in itself if you pay attention to your environment and yourself. You'll most likely mature and be able to take care of yourself because of the hike and you just may seed an interest in some outdoor related activity you can pursue in college that you wouldn't have thought of otherwise. Lot's of people head off the the military right after HS. The choice between the AT and college is pretty mild. Wish you the best in your decision!

[CowHead]

hey what about retirement as a option

[Wrangler88]

I'd say apply to a school. Get accepted.

Go hike.

If you figure out it isn't for you after a couple of weeks,

Then go to school and no harm done either way.

If it is for you,

Then take the semester off and finish the trail.

Then you're right back at school come winter/spring.

[mudhead]

I'd say apply to a school. Get accepted.

Go hike.

If you figure out it isn't for you after a couple of weeks,

Then go to school and no harm done either way.

If it is for you,

Then take the semester off and finish the trail.

Then you're right back at school come winter/spring.

I disagree with the "no harm done" part.

I went on the Bigcranky plan, Marta's post should be reread.
School will have groups that camp and hike. Ponytails, too.

[scooterdogma]

I second Marta & Mags post, I couldn't have said it better myself. Let your Mom read these posts and Trailjournals.com. Educate her to the beauty and the hardship of the trail. Both build character. I took a "gap year" out of HS and it was the best thing for me. I matured, had a better idea of where my talents would take me, and didn't waste my hard earned money on a year in college where I had no idea of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Go with your gut and embrace your choice.

[Yukon]

I say do it after high school, it will give you time to think about your mahor and what you want to do with your life...

[double d]

As mentioned by others in responds to your posts, a lot of hiking is self reliance, therefore, maybe you should pay for your thru hike with a summer job and not have your mother pay for it, as I'm sure she has already spent a lot of money on you at your age (15). I think a gap year is a wonderful thing, I'm thinking of one myself, so at 15, you have learned one important thing, seize the day.

[PeterPan85]

Go to college first; if you do not want to go to college after your thru-hike, it will not matter. You will already have a degree to use in the far future, should you choose.

[ShelterLeopard]

Do it NOW. Or right after high school. You know what I mean. All sorts of things will get in the way after college. Job offers, internship opportunities, etc... And the thing is, if you turn those offers down when you get them, it might be much harder to get those offers again. The best thing is to apply to college, then defer for a year (or two) so you'll be in and won't have to worry about applying and getting in and all that jazz. Definitely do if between high school and college. Also, you'll probably appreciate college much more after having some breathing time.

Besides, I think you handle college better when you're older, and you've had time to turn things over in your head, and all.

[Wrangler88]

Do it NOW. Or right after high school. You know what I mean. All sorts of things will get in the way after college. Job offers, internship opportunities, etc... And the thing is, if you turn those offers down when you get them, it might be much harder to get those offers again. The best thing is to apply to college, then defer for a year (or two) so you'll be in and won't have to worry about applying and getting in and all that jazz. Definitely do if between high school and college. Also, you'll probably appreciate college much more after having some breathing time.

Besides, I think you handle college better when you're older, and you've had time to turn things over in your head, and all.

Yep. I agree.

[blake]

Go as soon as possible. Make someday into today (or as soon as possible). If you have a goal that you really want to do, why wouldn't you do everything in your power to attain said goal as soon as possible?

[Jack Tarlin]

Here's a thought.....

Forget about the A.T. altogether for a moment.

The key question is this: Are you ready to go to college, and do you REALLY want to go right now?

If yes, then that's probably what you should do.

But if not, then it's perfectly OK to consider some alternatives, among them work, travel, or a combination of the two. But if you don't 100% want to be in college right now, then in all truth, you may well be wasting time and money if you go anyway.

School isn't going anywhere. And a lot of folks do better if they start college
when they're a bit older. (But on the other hand, I know of folks who think they'd have gotten more out of their hikes at 22 than they did at 18 so this works both ways).

But really, don't make your decision based on pleasing your folks. They'll be happy and proud of you if you do well in school. They'll feel the same if you manage to complete a thru-hike, too.

You win, whatever you decide.

[earlyriser26]

Most people have 3 choices, before college, right after college, or at retirement. That is if you want to attempt a thru. Thing come at you fast in life, so the earlier the better. I was too practical to do take the first 2 options. Maybe you should ask yourself this, does it have to be a thru hike or can I do it over 2 or 3 summers during college. You could even register for college and start a summer long section hike and leave your options open to just keep going. good luck.

[garlic08]

As mentioned by others in responds to your posts, a lot of hiking is self reliance, therefore, maybe you should pay for your thru hike with a summer job and not have your mother pay for it, as I'm sure she has already spent a lot of money on you at your age (15). I think a gap year is a wonderful thing, I'm thinking of one myself, so at 15, you have learned one important thing, seize the day.

Ditto this. Pay for everything yourself after HS graduation. It took me seven years to get through college working as much as I could, another year to pay off student loans. That taught me more about self-reliance, self-respect and self-worth than a walk in the woods, especially one paid for by Mom, ever could. A few years later I'd worked enough to afford the walking time, too.

[white_russian]

So what happens when you graduate and mom decides that she doesn't want to pay for the hike anymore?

My mother made all kind of promises about money for college and actually came through about 1/3 of the time.

[ShelterLeopard]

Sounds familiar! I just decided I'm paying my own way, all the way. My father volunteered to "chip in" a thousand if I finished a college course while I took time off... seems to have mysteriously forgotten about it. But this is my hike, and I feel like I need to pay for it all myself. (Well, I had no qualms about asking for a few essential gear items for christmas... but that's different).

I think this is your journey of independence- and if your mother finances your whole way, you aren't really independent, are you?

[Jeff]

I think this is your journey of independence- and if your mother finances your whole way, you aren't really independent, are you?

There is alot of truth to this quote !!!!!!

[didymus128]

i'm going to say mom is right on this one. I am doing a thru in 2011, after finishing school the december before. A thru hike will make a fantastic transitional time after college. No better place to put real life on hold and loiter than the trail!

[ARambler]

SL this is a good way of putting it. I felt a little stoggy saying I don't like the idea of postponing college so you will be better prepared for it. The average student has a 3/4 chance of successfully completing college, while the average thru hiker has a 3/4 chance of not finishing the trail. The maturity, endurance, and finances for someone in your position will be much greater after college. Also, after college, you should be doing the Continental Divide Trail. I don't see why you will not have completed the AT in the summers of 2011 and 2012, and the Pacific Crest Trail while in college.

btw: What was your plan? Wait until the March after graduation to start? Start nobo in June? sobo from June to November and wait until September to start college? Get High School credit for hiking (and perhaps writing about it) finishing in late August, and going to college on time? something else?
Rambler

[James Fetter]

This is the best response I have seen here. Get accepted to your college of choice and apply for entrance in the Spring Semester vs. the Fall Semester. You can get it all that way.