I wouldn't recommend it. It seems to me that people who take a gap year usually have a difficult time readjusting to an academic setting. I've seen several of them drop out our crack under the pressure. That said, I don't know what it would be like in your situation, and if it might be a better option than going to college so young. Do you think you're ready for college? If you are, I would recommend starting now instead of later. On the other hand, if you think you're not ready or there's something valuable you can gain on your gap year, that might be the right decision. But since you don't really know what you would do during a gap year, I highly recommend you come up with a solid plan before deciding on a gap. You don't want to wind up just waiting for the year to end and school to start.