As time slips away and seniors are announcing their commitment to a college or university, Senior Jimmy Schweihs struggles to decide if college life is for him. A gap year might be an option but not one his family supports.
Traditionally, the term gap year refers to taking time off after high school graduation but before attending college.
A year without having to wake up to alarms and a year with no homework assignments, seems pretty awesome, but is it really all that great?
According to U.S. News and World Report, 40,000 to 60,000 students choose to take a gap year.
Jennifer Sullivan, founder of Fast Forward College Counseling indicates that the traditional track of a student graduating in June and enrolling in higher education for the fall is no longer seen as an only option.
“It’s not an all-or-nothing now,” she says. “You’re not just going to college or you’re going to work. There’s a lot of in-between. There’s a lot of gray area where some students do choose to take a gap year or to take a gap semester, then decide that they’re ready.”
Though taking a gap year typically occurs before college. Some students decide to take a break in the middle of their college education. This provides the person with opportunities to spend it traveling or working.
“I spent my gap year reflecting a lot for sure, but I also was sure to keep myself busy,” Central alumni Anthony Delgado said. “I was able to work at a car dealership using the three years of education I got from college to run the business.”
Taking a gap year can have its disadvantages, though, and some students even regret their decision because the time away can make it harder to return.
“I could honestly say if I had to do things over, I would never have taken time off, ” former St. Francis student Melissa Gomez said. “I don’t think it’s in anyone’s best interest to do so. My advice and experience is that life is easier when you stay focused and keep on pushing toward obtaining your degree.”
Because the percentage of students who take a year off is low and a newer occurrence for American students, people who partake can be judged by others . Some people view a gap year as a poor decision and something that should not be encouraged. Deciding whether to take a gap year can be a conflicting choice especially when parents do not agree with the choice.
“My parents were very against it because they thought it was a waste of time and would do more harm than good,” Brookfield High School alumni Bianca McQueen said.
Those individuals who are considering a gap year should consider the consequences of skipping a year of education and being a step further away from starting an established career or earning a degree.
“I took my gap year being a sophomore in college,” Gomez said. “I definitely regret taking a gap year. My focus on my academics were greatly impacted, and I was never able to return to school.”
According to some students, taking a gap year was the best decision they made regarding their education. The freedom that comes with no school work and not having to sit through classes five days a week seems to be the motivation. This extra time affords students to really contemplate what they want to do with their life.
“I think taking a gap year helped me in a lot of ways, and I probably would have regretted not taking a gap year,” North alumni Tamar Agam said. “This time spent away from school really gave me a chance to decide what I wanted my future to look like and allowed me to learn more about myself.”
