Pros and Cons of Taking a Year Off Before College

1096 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Pros and cons with gap year to college

It’s your senior year of high school. It is time for you to decide what you want to do after you graduate. You have a few possible things that you could do. You could start applying for colleges, get accepted to one, and then go to college right out of high school; or you could do the same thing, but take a year off. This brings up the argument of whether or not a student should take off a gap year before they begin college. There are both, pros and cons to taking a gap year prior to starting college. In this paper, you are going to read about some of the benefits of taking a gap year before college, as well as some of the negative affect of taking a gap year before college. Students should take a gap year before starting college; Students have the chance to learn how to be independent, students have the opportunity to get to know them as well as learn what they want to do in life, and waiting to go to college can save you money. To start out, I am going to talk about the benefits of taking a gap year prior to starting college. Taking a gap year, students have the chance to learn how to be independent (Ma, 2014). By the time the student is done with high school, they are most likely ready to explore their boundaries; they are now an adult. Since there has been on a slight leash from parent’s for a while, they may need some kind of guidance. This can be used as time where the student should get away from their family and move out, get a job, and pay for their own bills. It is time to learn responsibilities, and that isn’t always cheap. This is a time where social life and academics can clash, so the student needs to learn priorities. It is true this is out of the student’s comfort zone, but it makes settling into college an e... ... middle of paper ... ...ience without taking a gap year. I think if a student isn’t ready for college by their junior year of high school, they should be prepared to take a gap year after they graduate; it will help them out in the long run. Works Cited Lazaro, G. (2013, October 23). Gap year success depends on student circumstances. Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/article_199cd8f6-3ba0-11e3-97c6-001a4bcf6878.html Ma, A. (n.d.). 6 Reasons Every Student Should Consider Taking a Gap Year.PolicyMic. Retrieved February 23, 2014, from http://www.policymic.com/articles/70163/6-reasons-every-student-should-consider-taking-a-gap-year The Pros and Cons of Taking a Gap Year. (n.d.). Options Solutions Educational Consultants RSS. Retrieved February 24, 2014, from http://www.optionssolutionsed.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-taking-a-gap-year-7

Show More
Related

  • Is College A Lousy Investment?

    1506 Words  | 4 Pages

    Potter, Claire. "Should They Stay or Should They Go?: A Few Thoughts on Who is 'Supposed' To Be in College.". The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2011. Web. 16 November 2013.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay About Early College

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    Students may think it’s unfair for some to go to college early and others stay behind, but this could actually separate the students who put in the work and effort to have this opportunity. If able, students should be able to start their lives early at a younger age because it brings about a greater experience. Starting their lives younger could be a great thing to go ahead and make their mistakes that every college student usually

    Read More

  • First-Year College Students Receiving Help

    833 Words  | 2 Pages

    Students entering college for the first time become concern with their college life. The students are on their own once they enter college. There are no parents or guardians telling them when to do homework, when to go to bed, or how to eat healthy. These student are now responsible on how they are going to succeed in school and meet their own needs. From the beginning, these students wonder what their experience is going to be like and are they going to handle the demands from college. Students are becoming more stressful due to academic demands, social life, and work. First-year college students should receive more help from school to learn how to help themselves and become independent.

    Read More

  • College is not for everyone

    1039 Words  | 3 Pages

    First of all, many high school graduates cannot handle college. Isabel V. Sawhill and Stephanie Owen describe college as a place, “one can obtain a traditional four-year bachelor’s degree”. The work load outside of the classroom could be compared to working a full time job. For example, if a student is enrolled in four college courses and is in class a minimum of four hours the student should spend at least four to six hours of studying. This may be extremely agitating and stressful to a student that is not good at studying. The new college student may realize that the schoolwork is too much for him to handle and instead drop out. In Pharinet’s blog post, Is College for Everyone? He states that “…it is estimated that in the U.S., approximately 50% of students who begin college never graduate. There exist students who are not yet ready for the academic and financial challenges of college. There exist students who do not have the desire for college or learning.” This statement is important because if 50% of students that begin college never gradua...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Should Everyone Go To College By Stephanie Owen

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    Attending college provides students with the experience and knowledge they are unable to receive from a high school diploma. Also, finding a way to fund your way through college will be a huge pay off in years to come. Whether they are looking to advance within a current job or looking to start a new career, the energy put into a college degree will help anyone qualify for better opportunity in the working world. Improving personal and professional networking skills is a great way to meet people in different professions, but it’s a good way to make new friends for yourself. If you 're a bit unsure whether if college is right for you, consider taking a year off. Students can use that year to work, explore career options. The experience may even make someone more attractive to a first-choice college—or change of mind about what college someone may wish to

    Read More

  • A Gap Year: Just Say No

    3380 Words  | 7 Pages

    Before understanding the consequences of a gap year, it is important to understand why people take a Gap Year. Senior year can be tense and come with several unanswered questions. Seniors are given four options when leaving High School. Those choices are either joining the army, going straight to work, applying to college, or taking a Gap Year. In a journal by Sunny Niu and Marta Tienda, “Delayed Enrollment and College Plans: Is There a Postponement Penalty?” explains some of the reasons why high school graduates tend to not go directly to a four year university. One of the main reasons high school graduates are hesitant to attend co...

    Read More

  • The Disadvantages of Homeschooling vs Traditional Education

    1391 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Pros and Cons of Homeschooling." Pros and Cons of Homeschooling. N.p., n.d. Web. 10Nov. 2012.

    Read More

  • Research Essay: Should Students Take A Gap Year?

    1375 Words  | 3 Pages

    Exactly this “Gap” is required. This terminology has now become a trend amongst the high school student. So what exactly is taking a gap year? Well, taking a gap year after high school is basically taking a year off, as a break between high school and college. Different people have different opinions whether a student should take a gap year or shouldn’t take a gap year.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay About Gap Year

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    A gap year is a period, typically one academic year, taken by a student as a break between secondary school and higher education. Many students consider taking a gap year because they are longing to get work experience and be sure of a career path before they make the decision to head off to college. During those one or two years off before heading to college, students have the opportunity to travel the world, work, experience different jobs, or simply take a break from school. Some parents do not agree with their young adults taking a break from school because they worry that their child will not do something productive with their free time. Although students taking a gap year run the risk of becoming inattentive or accustomed to making some quick cash, and not returning to school, there are numerous benefits for a young adults. young adults to take a gap year off before heading to college; for instance, many colleges want students that are mature and have some work experience.

    Read More

  • Pros and Cons of Buying a Home

    1906 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pros and cons of condominium living. (2007, August 27). Retrieved March 29, 2014, from https://www.lendingtree.com/mortgage/pros-and-cons-of-condo-living-article

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay Gap Year

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    A gap year is a time for teens to take off between high school and college. A gap year is used to travel, work, volunteer or study. In general, a gap year has many advantages. This year out of a school is a good time for students to explore the world and gain valuable life skills and experience while learning to be independent. Teens in the U.S. should adopt the British custom of taking a gap year between high school and college in order to gain perspective on personal values and career goals as well as gaining needed life experiences without the pressure and expectations of a school environment. A gap year is a time for students to become independent and learn a sense of responsibility before entering into university life.

    Read More

  • My Future Goals

    1111 Words  | 3 Pages

    All your life growing up, you don't have to make any big decisions. This all changes in senior year when you have to make a decision about what you are going to do with your life after high school. What you choose to do can dictate how you spend your time and money. If you do not make a choice, you will not be able to move on towards being a self-supporting adult. Decisions are hard to make, but essential to keep moving forward.

    Read More

  • Benefits Of Gap Year Essay

    1652 Words  | 4 Pages

    Students who take a gap year regularly go on to be successful in college. Even though people might not go back after that year is over, everybody should think about the idea of taking a year off because it has a many amount of benefits and 90 percent of students who take a year off go back to college and graduate and it gives you a fresh start entering college.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay About Gap Year

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to “Facts About A Gap Year,” the definition of a gap year is “a break typically taken between high school and college that might include travel, work, study, volunteering, or research.” Several colleges encourage their admitted students to take a gap year before starting their freshman year. Done the right way, a gap year can help students excel, while if a student completely puts aside their responsibilities, it can plummet their success in college. Students who take a gap year after high school not only mature, but also are prepared for college and the rest of their lives.

    Read More

  • College And High School Compare And Contrast Essay

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the biggest things about going to college straight out of high school is the freedom. Some kids thrived when they were finally

    Read More

More about Pros and Cons of Taking a Year Off Before College

Open Document