There is a preconceived notion that students need to enter college immediately after finishing high school. The traditional progression of an academic career tends to go as follows: complete high school, complete college, then either go to graduate school or find a career. However, there is an alternative that many people don’t consider: the gap year.
The gap year typically provides a break between high school and college, though some students may elect to take a gap year between the completion of a 2-year degree and the start of a bachelor’s program. The gap year provides an opportunity to pause, reflect, and explore the options available before entering the whirlwind of higher education. For some students, a gap year can be especially beneficial as it provides opportunities for self-reflection, travel, work, family bonding, or determining academic goals before spending four years working toward a bachelor’s degree.
The ideal gap year will be an experience of self-development as opposed to simply taking a break from school; the goal is to use the year productively. While it may fly by, a year is a long time to take a break from traditional education meaning it is essential to consider the pros and cons, as well as your own personal motivations, before making the decision to take a gap year.
Pros of taking a gap year:
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Extra time to think about your major.
Pausing to reflect on what you want to get out of college while you’re still in high school can be challenging, especially if you’re involved in a lot of extracurriculars. Taking a year off can provide you with the time you need to explore what options are available to you, research majors that are of interest, and feel confident that you’re making the best choice for you.
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Work experience.
While some colleges do require an internship for graduating, taking a gap year provides you with an extra chance to complete an internship or to do volunteer work within your desired career field. Not only can this provide you with networking opportunities, but it can help you make sure that it’s something you really want to do before you ever go to college.
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Travel the world.
Traveling provides many opportunities for educational and personal growth. Traveling before moving out of your parents’ house provides you with a low-cost “home base.” If you plan ahead, you can save up your money through high school and use the year as a chance to travel, both domestically and internationally.
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Reduce stress.
Between part-time jobs, homework, family, friends, and extracurriculars, high school can be overwhelming. Some students may elect to take a year off school to simply take a break and work on stress management before getting back into school.
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Self-development.
The gap year provides a unique period to explore interests that you may not have had time for during high school. Students can often complete unique and interesting projects during the gap year that may help them stand out against traditional high school seniors to college admission teams. If you’re considering taking a gap year in the middle of a program or before entering graduate school, this can also be a time in which you can get a head start on future studies, thesis projects, or related materials.
Cons of taking a gap year:
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You’ll be “pausing” your studies for a year.
If your high school friends are immediately moving on to college, it may be challenging as you will suddenly no longer be following along the same trajectory as them. It’s important to recognize that you’ll be a year behind other students your age in terms of studies; this also means entering the job market a year late. Take this into consideration when determining if what you accomplish in your gap year will make up for the setback.
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Financial and personal risks.
If you’re not working during your gap year, especially if you’re traveling, this period may become expensive. There may be additional challenges if you’re moving out of your parents’ house during your gap year. Further, if you do work full-time during your gap year, you may find yourself struggling to adjust to a decreased cash flow when you do enter college.
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It can be stressful.
Unlike a degree program, the gap year does not have a structure for you to follow. You have to make your own decisions and set your own deadlines for projects. There can be a lot of uncertainty surrounding the gap year, and just like entering college, it may be the first time you have to navigate unfamiliar situations without anybody to guide you.
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Loss of momentum.
While not an issue for everybody, taking time off school can make it difficult to regain the momentum and motivation for academic progression. Consider how summer breaks may have impacted your ability to succeed throughout high school; were you able to jump back in immediately, or did it take you a while to re-settle into the pattern?
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Success requires discipline.
Just like if you were to jump into a college program, a lot of self-discipline is necessary to achieve your goals. Unlike college, the gap year is entirely based on your own personal goals and may not have any particular structure to follow; you’re less likely to have anybody to hold you accountable. Additionally, it can be challenging to determine what is genuinely a success or an accomplishment, as you may not receive any immediate feedback.
Ultimately, the choice to take a gap year is a personal decision. It is up to you to consider the pros and cons, as well as your goals and priorities to determine if the gap year will be beneficial to you or not.
