Is A Gap Year A Good Idea?

What Is A Gap Year? A gap year is a period of time in which students put off schooling for up to a year and focus on broadening their horizons through travel. A concept which originated in the United Kingdom during the 60s, a gap year is traditionally taken after graduating high school (and before beginning college), although gap years during and after college are becoming more popular.

Is a gap year a good idea? Though many parents cringe at the thought, there are both pros and cons for taking a year off to explore the world before “real life” begins.

Pros: Overall, the main benefit of taking a gap year is to learn something that can’t be taught in the classroom.Whether you spend your time teaching English to children in India, or take a few months to learn a new language in Sicily, the knowledge and understanding you’ll gain is invaluable, so much so that it may even help you get into that prestigious university or land your dream job.

Cons: The downside of taking a gap year occurs when it’s time to go back to school and/or work. For some, taking time off can mean never going back. This of course directly relates to each person’s individual ability to handle a gap year, but it’s certainly something to think about. Another potential issue is funding the trip, as you’ll want to ensure that traveling the world won’t put you in debt for the rest of your life.

If you’re looking for more information on this interesting topic, as well as tips to truly make it a valuable and life changing experience, a site we really like is: www.GlobalCitizenYear.org.

What do you think – is a gap year a good idea?