Gap Year

Slow Down Before You Speed Up

A nine-month Christian Gap Year that forms adults through daily rhythms of prayer, study, community, and service.

Formation Doesn’t Happen at the Speed of Scrolling

The world moves fast. College decisions, career expectations, social pressure—students are rushed into adulthood long before they’re ready for it. Many feel overwhelmed, disconnected, and unsure of their purpose.

But here’s the truth: You can’t accelerate your way into maturity. Formation requires space. Presence. Practice.

Summit Gap Year isn’t a pause from life. It’s an invitation to live differently.

Semester 1
Tarryall River Ranch | Lake George, CO
September 11-December 10, 2026

Semester 2
Summit Campus | Manitou Springs, Colorado
January 8-April 2, 2027

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In the quiet of the Rockies, students discover the sacred rhythms of work, rest, and creation.

Formation Before the Future

Before stepping into adulthood, students need more than a degree plan.
They need a foundation—a way of being—that prepares them for the road ahead.

Students spend nine months learning

  • Who they are
  • Who God is
  • What it means to live a faithful, whole, intentional life.

This is the year that forms their future.

Our Three Rhythms of Formation

Family-Style Community

Come find a home before you find a major.Students share life together—meals, chores, adventures, prayer, conflict, and celebration. They aren’t just attending a program; they’re joining a home.

Rhythms That Reorder Life

Formation happens by design, not default. Daily practices of prayer, study, work, and rest restore peace in a distracted world. Students rediscover stillness and learn to hear God’s voice.

Faith That’s Lived, Not Just Learned

You can’t stream your way into maturity. Information alone can’t form a person. Students learn to follow Christ through embodied practicing prayer, Scripture, solitude, confession, worship, and service.

Fall Semester

Identity + Reflection
  • Formation starts in the quiet—when we finally stop long enough to listen.
  • Solitude
  • Spiritual disciplines
  • Classroom study
  • Small groups
  • Adventure days
  • Students discover the freedom of honest faith.

Spring Semester

Practice + Vocation
  • Students apply what they’ve learned in real-world contexts through:
  • Career shadowing
  • Evangelism
  • Cultural engagement
  • Classroom study
  • Adventure days
  • They learn to live missionally as contributers.

Fall Semester

Identity + Reflection
  • Formation starts in the quiet—when we finally stop long enough to listen.
  • Solitude
  • Spiritual disciplines
  • Classroom study
  • Small groups
  • Adventure days
  • Students discover the freedom of honest faith.

Spring Semester

Practice + Vocation
  • Students apply what they’ve learned in real-world contexts through:
  • Career shadowing
  • Evangelism
  • Cultural engagement
  • Classroom study
  • Adventure days
  • They learn to live missionally as contributers.

Learn More About Summit Gap Year

Students study diverse subjects from top Christian scholars.

  • Biblical Foundations
  • History of Christian Thought
  • Christianity and Politics
  • English Literature
  • Philosophy and Ethics
  • Art, Theology, and The Church
  • Apologetics
  • Leadership
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Summit Gap Year

The Christian community at Summit’s Gap Year program nurtures character development and hones intellectual skills while helping students develop strong relationships. Students build friendships and a foundation from which to learn and serve.

Learn About Adventures

"This community is rare in the rest of reality, but so is a lot of true community. My prayer is that more true community will come on this earth, but boy, am I excited for the one to come."

READ STUDENT TESTIMONIALS