The Gap Year - Is There Life Between High School and College?
Students are generally graduating high school at age 17 or 18. They move on to four years of college and even with a two year graduate program, they are ready to enter the career world at the tender age of 24. With life expectancy around 80 years, do we really need to rush in to a career so young? Can't our kids afford to take a little time off at the front end, rather than saving it all for the back end, in retirement? The benefits of a well spent gap year can potentially lead to a better, more fulfilling career choice as well as a broader perspective and appreciation for the world and for education.
There are countless possibilities for the gap year and some depend on budge, some depend on interest. The gap year that many of us are familiar with is the "year abroad" where the students spends a year traveling and seeing the world. This may be why the gap year has not been particularly popular. It can mean an added year of expense for parents planning to help with college costs. But gap years don't have to be expensive and of course the year can involve working. It can also involve the pursuit of a dream. The gap year can mean dedicating a year to learning to paint or playing with a band, or on perfecting a particular craft such as acting or designing clothing. It can also be spent pursuing a sport, something that cannot wait for retirement. Many college now encourage a gap year and will allow students to defer their admission for a year, for this purpose. Students have used the year to perform community service work and become more informed about the world around them. The gap year could be used for a particular research project or even to try a hand at writing a book.
The United States is known for innovation and creativity. What better way to prepare students for an increasingly completive world then to give them the opportunity at freedom, to be themselves or find themselves for an entire year. As an adult, who wouldn't want to take a year off and do something similar? There is a prevailing thought that gap year activities can bring added maturity and perspective to students, leading to more success in college and in life.
Published by Veronica
Love to write, explore, laugh and read and walk the beach. Interests include travel, photography, mental health, jewlery making and books. In the real world, I'm a mental health professional. View profile
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Students are finished with graduate degrees at age 24
Life expectancy is 80 years
5 Comments
Post a Commentim 18 years old and i would love 2 take a gap year, but my parents think its dangerous with the high statistics of human trafficing.They dont think its safe 4 me to go and work over seas with no family member around to look after me, altough i think taking a gap year would be a good experience and one would learn a lot if you are determine and responsible.
I think a gap year can be good if you use it to do something that will help you later one. One option is to get a job for a year to save up money, to help pay for the cost of college once you start (or even just for 4 years of textbooks). Another is to do an internship or an apprenticeship in your desired field of study (ideally a paid one if you can find it, but if you can afford it there are millions of unpaid ones). This will look good on your resume and help you decide if this is actually a career path you would like to take. While the year abroad may be fun, and many people think it helps create a more global worldview, I don't think it is as useful as it is said to be. I feel like it tends to be much more of a vacation than a chance to gain new insights about another culture, especially when students go in groups (as they often tend to interact only with each other, or just have very superficial interactions with the residents of the country they are visiting). I also think
Check out my article on how everyone lies about what is happening next following graduation.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/800087/high_school_graduates_everyone_lies.html?cat=9
18, I meant I was still 18 and finished half my sophmore year. Anyway, I think the concept of a gap year is more feasible for students who are not first-generation college students. For those who are first-generation college students, the mentality is go now and get it over with. Not a great attitude, but that level of parental pressure is there.
I graduated high school at 17 because when I entered kindergarten the cutoff was much different than it is today. So when I was 19, I was halfway through my sophmore year of college. I continued with this fast track and got my Master's at 23 and had a baby at 24. Now, I wouldn't trade the experience of college and grad school, but I do realize that if I had gone later in life I would have different experiences that would possibly enhance the experience. Essentially, I have a mountain of student loans and am not officially using either degree, unless you consider my M.Ed. as essential for homeschooling my daughter.