Today’s students are entering a world of complexity and confusion. Whether they’re stepping onto a college campus, into a career, or forming new relationships, many feel unprepared to face the challenges ahead. The ideas shaping our culture are loud and persuasive—and without a strong foundation, students can quickly feel overwhelmed and disoriented.
Summit’s Gap Year isn’t a break from education—it’s the most important first year of it.
This isn’t a pause between high school and college. It’s a launchpad. At Summit, students spend nine months building a solid biblical worldview, learning how to think critically, love deeply, and live intentionally. They’re mentored by trusted Christian leaders, immersed in Scripture, and challenged to live out their faith in real-world contexts.
Students in our Gap Year program don’t just learn truth—they practice it. They leave equipped to engage culture with clarity and courage, ready to lead in their communities, campuses, and future careers. If you want to start college—and life—with purpose, this is your first step.
2025-2026 Dates
September – April
Girls | Waitlisted
Guys | Open
Semester 1
Tarryall River Ranch | Lake George, CO
September 12—December 6, 2025
Semester 2
Summit campus | Manitou Springs, Colorado
January 9—April 3, 2026
An extraordinary opportunity for growth and excellence
Participants will spend the first semester on an inward journey, removed from the chaos of the world and the familiarity of home, being challenged in theology and critical thinking, community life, and practical living. The transition to the second semester will mark a turn in the road. Students will leave the retreat, sequestered setting into an urban environment where they will put into practice the life and learning of the first three months now engaged with the world as ambassadors of Christ. The students will graduate to return home, having made a year-long journey of finding their way to a new perspective.
Learn More About Summit Gap Year
Training Students to Worship with Their Head (Truth), Heart (Relationship), and Hands (Practical Living)
Truth: Students will learn from some of the nation’s top Christian scholars to help them understand how to think well and Christianly.
Relationship: Summit staff will help nurture each student’s spiritual formation while forming genuine relationships with classmates.
Practical Living: Students will learn what it looks like to form good habits and live like a Christian in their day-to-day lives.
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
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.
Why is biblical worldview training important for students?
Don’t just take it from us.
