Postgraduate year

For residency in medical education, seePGY.For education after an undergraduate degree, seePostgraduate education.

Apostgraduate(PG)yearis an extra year ofsecondary courseworkat aboarding schoolfollowinghigh schoolgraduation, but before enteringcollege.It is agap yearoption intended for students who either have not applied or were notadmitted to college.At most schools, postgraduate students are integrated with thesenior class,where they are able to participate in the same activities and sports, as well as living and eating arrangements, as the seniors.

In the United States, most of the programs are inNew England.They started around the 1960s and were sponsored by theU.S. military academies,who would accept students after the one-year program. Later programs were not all military-based, but followed the same theme of improving students'transcriptsfor college. Students also gained maturity and independence. Some athletes opt for a postgraduate year for the opportunity to physically grow and improve their skills to enterNCAA Division Isports programs.They also have the opportunity to be surrounded by other top prospects.Some college coaches use it as an alternative toredshirting,allowing the player to grow and improve without losing a year ofcollege eligibility.Someprepleagues do not allow postgraduates on the team, or they have a quota.

See also

• Reclassification (education),graduating a year later to develop physically and academically
• Super senior