College; "Gap Year" Question?

That sounds nice, but honestly I doubt you'll be able to do all of that in a year. You're uming that you're going to find a job in this economy that doesn't require a college degree, but gives you enough money to purchase a car as well as save a significant amount of money for college. And while at this job, you're going to have enough spare time to volunteer, attend driving school and study for the SAT and SAT subject tests. It's good to have goals, but you also need a backup plan for if you cannot find a job.