The majority of American young adults will advance straight from High School to College, and although this is a good mood, many really should consider taking a gap year as it can prove to be really beneficial in the long run.
In England and Australia, it is quite common for High School graduates to take a year off before they go onto college. Whereas countries such as Singapore and Israel it is mandatory for young men and women to serve for a short period of time in the armed forces. There are also a lot of countries where it is custom to take a short break prior to starting university.
One of the greatest benefits to be gained by taking a gap year is that the students will be more mature and whilst it may seem unbelievable a year is a long time in which so much can be done. In Australia, young school leavers take a trip around the world, during this process they can learn all about themselves and due to this they return more focused and mature when compared to the students that don’t take the time out. Those who take a gap learn more about communication and motivation than they could learn from any college course. They also learn and realize that whilst they may not like the situation they are in today, tomorrow in a new day and could just be the best day of their life.
For those who may not enjoy travelling, there are many other options. You could volunteer to help those less fortunate and there is an excellent fellowship program for this in America and most, if not all of the students expenses will be paid. They also have the choice of what they would like to do, so they are almost certain of what they want to do before they go off and begin college. If they are the type of person that thrives on pushing themselves really hard and they have nothing against loud disciplinarians, a great option could be joining the armed forces. There is an incredibly good reserves program where they can be trained in a specific skill set. One thing that can be guaranteed about any kind of military training is that when this type of training comes to an end the student will know that they have been pushed to their absolute limit. This in itself is a superb confidence booster and the majority of military veterans have all been incredibly successful during college.
An unspoken benefit of taking a gap year is that the student gets an entire year free from a school environment prior to heading off for college and this has been proved to be a real benefit.
Finally, if the student finds that they are short of money, this should not stop them taking a gap year. There are a wide number of grants that are available and could help the student to fund their ideal gap year. This will mean that they need to do lots of work, but it they are really determined that nothing will get in their way of their dream gap year then this is most certainly doable.
Although a gap year is not always the right choice for High School graduates it is something that all students should seriously think about and not a decision to be discounted lightly.
Taking a gap year doesn’t mean that the student is skipping out on life or that they are lazy, quite the opposite as it means that the student wants to live their life to the fullest.
Remember, that whilst it may not seem to be that beneficial when a student takes the time to really think about and see the many benefits that make taking a gap year most worthwhile. Amongst the reasons to take a gap year are the following:
- Research shows that students who take a gap year perform better in college
- The student knows what they love before they begin their studies
- The student has an adventure when they are at the age where it can be most enjoyed before they have to settle down and live like grown-ups!
- The student that takes a gap year will have had the time to figure out what is important in life before the other student’s do
- The student will find it really easy to adapt to their new environment
- Taking a gap year provides the student with plenty to talk about with others
- Their resume will be complete with additional valuable and international experiences
- The student can pick up things that they have missed out on at high school
- Taking a gap year provides the student with plenty of time to really think about what they want from life
- A gap year is a great way to make new friends
