| 100% | GENX | 4 | Like high school and college students of the '80s-'90s, e.g. |
| 42% | FRESHMAN | 8 | Student in the first year of high school or college |
| 40% | XERS | 4 | Many college students of the 1980s-'90s, informally |
| 38% | UPTOWN | 6 | Like Manhattan in the 80s and 90s? |
| 37% | GAPYEAR | 7 | Sabbatical between high school and college |
| 37% | GAPYEAR | 7 | Hiatus between high school and college |
| 37% | GAPYEAR | 7 | Break between high school and college |
| 37% | GAPYEAR | 7 | Break taken between high school and college |
| 37% | GAP | 3 | ___ year (break between high school and college) |
| 37% | GAP | 3 | ___ year (sabbatical between high school and college) |
| 36% | GAPYEAR | 7 | Hiatus between high school and college: 2 wds. |
| 36% | GAPYEAR | 7 | Time taken off between high school and college |
| 36% | GAP | 3 | ___ year (long break between high school and college) |
| 36% | NINETEEN | 8 | 2011 Billy Ray Cyrus song about a high school football star or the age of college sophomores |
| 36% | ETS | 3 | Administer of the G.R.E. and TOEFL |
| 36% | GAPYEARS | 8 | They can be taken between high school and college |
| 36% | GAPYEARS | 8 | Breaks taken between high school and college: 2 wds. |
| 36% | SYZYGY | 6 | Alignment of the sun, earth and moon, e.g. |
| 35% | TOURS | 5 | Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres" and Metallica's "M72," e.g. |
| 35% | GPA | 3 | 4.0 for a high school student, e.g.: Abbr. |
| 35% | EYRE | 4 | Fictional student of the Lowood School |
| 34% | HOPS | 4 | High school dances of the 1950s |
| 34% | NES | 3 | Gaming console of the '80s and '90s |
| 34% | DISMISSAL | 9 | Favorite time of the school day for some teachers and students, or a two-word hint for the answers to the starred clues |
| 33% | BUTKUSAWARD | 11 | Honor given to the best high school, college and pro linebackers |
| 33% | ALTERNATIVE | 11 | ___ rock, style of music that was popularized in the 90s and has sub-genres like emo and post-grunge |
| 33% | THEWESTWING | 11 | A political drama that debuted in the 90s, starring the likes of Rob Lowe and Martin Sheen: 3 wds. |
| 33% | SAT | 3 | High school exam administered by the College Board |
| 33% | GPAS | 4 | High school student's stats: Abbr. (anagram of "gaps") |
| 33% | YUGO | 4 | Much-derided European auto of the '80s and '90s |