| By Tara Shekouri |
Many students may take a gap year before heading into college/university as they want to travel, build their resume, discover their passion, among other reasons. Taking a gap year has become an increasingly more common decision among senior students, especially since the pandemic, which has prompted a reconsideration of priorities and offered a chance to explore diverse experiences outside the traditional academic path. Although there are advantages to taking this time away from school, there are also some disadvantages.
Advantages of Taking a Gap Year
You’ll enter college/university feeling more prepared.
Taking a gap year allows you to gain clarity about the direction you want to take as you transition into your higher education, helping you make a more informed decision. You may feel more refreshed and refocused as well, allowing for a stronger academic performance as well.
2. You can build important skills.
A gap year provides plenty of time to gain a handful of life skills, such as through working a job, taking an internship, or pursuing independent projects. These skills can hone leadership and communication skills, which are essential to both personal development and future career success, making students more flexible and confident in various settings.
3. A break from everyday life
During high school, your life is often built around a routine, and may often feel repetitive. Your junior and senior years may especially feel this way due to the pressure of increasing workloads and standardized tests, leaving little time for new experiences and personal exploration. A gap year, however, allows more time for self-discovery. You will be able to view and experience the world through a fresh lens—letting you re-enter your academic life feeling motivated and inspired.
Drawbacks of Taking a Gap Year
You may feel as though you’re falling behind.
Seeing your friends go to college/university may cause you to feel as though you are missing out, and you may feel isolated from them, especially knowing you will attend the following year. However, although this is a normal feeling, continuing your higher education a bit later will not harm your career path.
2. It is possible to waste one’s time.
If choosing to take a gap year without a plan and set goals, days may become far too unstructured. It is possible for one to lose a lot of that time rather than using it for personal and/or professional reasons. It is helpful to keep track of your progress and take breaks when needed, because this should be a period of growth, transition, and discovery—not burnout.
3. You risk forgetting academic materials and skills.
College/university is a major step from high school, and there are a lot of materials and skills to retain and build upon. Taking a year away from school could cause you to need to rebuild certain competencies that you previously had under your belt when you return, unless you work on maintaining or even strengthening them.
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