The Harvard College Administration actually encourages students to defer there enrollment and take a gap year between high school and college. Check out what the administration has to say about taking time off in their own words on the Admissions and Financial Aid website by visiting their webpage entitled "Should I Take Time Off?" 

Deciding to take a gap year is a big decision. It can be hard to figure out if a gap year is the right choice for you. That is why one of our board members wrote a blog called "Considering a Gap Year?" for the Harvard Admissions Office Student Blogs. The goal of the blog is to ask prospective gap year students a series of reflective questions to help them begin to thinking about why they should consider taking a gap year.