Fancy a year out between school and further studies? Thinking of letting the rat-race wait? You need The Gap Year Book - a definitive, practical guide to planning and taking a year out. Packed with essential advice on pre-trip preparation and planning, the inside track on when and where to go, and numerous ideas on what to do, this book is a one-stop gap year shop. Want to try yacht crewing? Fancy a stab at volunteering? Raring to go on a conservation project? We'll tell you how to organise all this and more, all you need now is your plane ticket! - full-colour world map showing gap year routes - tried and tested itineraries from real gappers - contact details for all the gap year placement companies and organisations - access to dedicated gap year discussion forum on lonelyplanet.com's Thorn Tree - Impressive breadth and depth of information supplied in a readable and entertaining way - information on the best courses to take and how to apply for jobs - quotes and tales from real gappers who've been there and done it - how to stay healthy away from home - 28,195 accepted university applicants deferred entry to take a gap year in 2002 (UCAS) - There are currently over 1,800,000 students following higher education programmes (NUSSL) - Average age of students is 16-25 (nusonline. co.uk) - Individual student spend is approximately [pound]5,535 pa - Average student spends [pound]524 p.a on travel (NUSSL) - Nearly a quarter do not buy holiday insurance (National Express) - 93 percent of higher education students in the UK have internet access (NOP research 2000)