For homeschool families rooted in faith and classical learning, the end of high school brings both celebration and uncertainty. What’s next for your student? College? A trade? Missions work? Entrepreneurship?
Many graduates aren’t quite ready to launch straight into higher education—and that’s not a weakness. It’s wisdom. More families are turning to Christian gap year programs to bridge the transition from high school to adulthood. But not just any program will do. You want one that builds leadership, nurtures identity, and points students toward Christ.
Enter the Odyssey Program from Classical Conversations.
What Is a College Credit Gap Year?
A gap year is a structured break between high school and college during which students engage in intentional growth—through work, travel, service, education, or mentorship—before beginning their degree program. It’s an opportunity to slow down, ask big questions, and develop maturity before entering college full-time.
While some might consider this year a setback for students, research shows that gap years can boost academic performance and enhance long-term outcomes through:
- Higher GPAs: A methodology developed at Middlebury College found that students who took gap years “almost always overperformed academically in college, usually to a statistically significant degree” compared to their predicted performance based on high school academic ratings and persisted throughout all four years of college (Clagett, 2012).
- Improved Motivation: A study from Middlebury College found that gap year students returned to school with more focus and clarity about their goals (O’Shea, 2011).
- Stronger Career Outcomes: The Gap Year Association reports that 75% of students said their gap year helped them get jobs afterward because of skills gained in leadership, independence, and self-confidence.[1]
Although the term ‘gap year’ is frequently used to define the time some students take between high school and higher education, a better term for the Odyssey program is a ‘bridge year’ because it takes students from one stage of life to another. This is a year of adventure and growth.
A Homeschool Leadership Program After High School
For Christian families, a secular gap year program often misses the mark. You want something rooted in Biblical truth, designed to develop Christian character and leadership, not just fund travel or leisure time.
The Odyssey Program is a Christ-centered, classical, and leadership-focused bridge year designed for graduates of Challenge IV. Created in partnership with Southeastern University, Odyssey lets students begin accredited college coursework while gaining life experience and leadership training through a Biblical worldview.
What Makes the Odyssey Program Unique?
Odyssey isn’t a generic gap year. It’s tailor-made for Classical Conversations students who want to grow in:
- Leadership and Faith: Practice the biblical model of leadership while working with mentors.
- College Readiness: Begin your degree from Southeastern University with flexible coursework and personalized support.
- Travel and Independence: Explore the U.S. through group experiences and learn to navigate life with growing self-reliance.
- Truth, Beauty, and Goodness: Continue your classical education with a focus on deep reading, thoughtful dialogue, and virtuous living.
A Testimony: How the Odyssey Program Transformed Greyson’s Life
Greyson N., a homeschool graduate and Odyssey student, shared his powerful story about how the program shaped his calling, character, and career path.
“When I started the CC Plus Odyssey Leadership Program, I was an anxious, fearful, and insecure incoming college student.”
Greyson had sensed a call to international missions from the time he was seven years old, but fear stood in the way.
“As much as I loved and dreamed of traveling, the idea of traveling by myself terrified me… How was I going to spread God’s kingdom if I could not even fly in my home nation by myself?”
Through the Odyssey Program, Greyson faced those fears head-on—traveling the country, building friendships, and reading transformative texts by authors such as Nancy Pearcey and C.S. Lewis.
“During the program, we often had conversations about various topics where we disagreed… Odyssey stretched me to grow myself out of my comfort zone.”
God used Odyssey as the training ground for his calling.
“With every challenge, flight, conversation, and reading, God was disciplining me to become the person He was calling me to become.”
Today, Greyson is living and serving in the Dominican Republic, building water filters, discipling others, and preparing to extend his time as a missionary. He credits Odyssey as the pivotal step in helping him live out his calling with courage.
Read Greyson’s full story here
Is Odyssey the Right Christian Gap Year Program?
The Odyssey Program is ideal for:
- Graduates of Challenge IV who will be 18 by September 1 of the enrollment year.
- Students who are leadership-minded, faith-focused, and desire to be connected in community.
- Families who want a Christian alternative to secular gap year options.
- Teens who want to explore college with structure, support, and intention.
Whether your student is headed to college, ministry, a trade, or entrepreneurial pursuits, Odyssey provides a bridge of purpose. It’s more than a gap year—it’s a launchpad into lifelong leadership and faithful adulthood.
Launch into Leadership with a Christian Gap Year Program
In a world of uncertainty and rushed decisions, the Odyssey Program offers homeschool families a confident, Christ-centered next step. It allows students to grow in identity, deepen their faith, and pursue academic and life goals with clarity and community.
Learn more and apply to the Odyssey Program today
Want to find more CC Plus opportunities?
- CC Plus: College Credit for Homeschoolers
- CC Plus Master of Arts: When the Teacher Becomes a Student
- Challenge and Beyond
[1] “Gap Year Research and Benefits.” Gap Year Association. May 7, 2025. https://www.gapyearassociation.org/gap-year-research/.
