Should I take a gap year?

[honeydewlover123]

Hello all! 

I am graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln this December with a 3.88 for my major GPA and 3.7 overall and I am currently in the process of applying to graduate school. I didn't do too hot on the first round of the GRE with a 150 verbal, 148 quant, and 3.5 writing. I have done a year of research in the field as well as received three letters of rec from two professors and my research mentor. Basically, I am the average student when it comes to applying to graduate school. I love the field and I am excited to get started in the field, but I am worried I'm a little too burnt out/don't have enough to make me stand out during the application process. Along with this, grad school IS SO EXPENSIVE and the thought of taking out even more loans makes me uneasy. For those of you that have taken gap years, did you find that it was beneficial to you in the long run? Does establishing residency in a state before attending the school help decrease the cost? Is it worth it to take that longer route? How could I make a gap year beneficial to me when reapplying next year? Basically, I'm struggling to decide what is the best route for me academically and financially. Any insight is appreciated!!!