Advantages and Disadvantages of Taking a Gap Year Essay Sample

In the final year of high school, students must decide what to do after graduating, whether they want to continue their studies or take a gap year before going to university. Nowadays, it is quite common for many high school graduates to take a year off. A gap year is usually twelve months or more between secondary school and university, spent traveling or working. Although there are positives of taking a gap year such as widening horizons and enjoying greater independence, there is also a drawback, namely detachment from studies.

The main advantage of getting a job before college is expanding horizons. Firstly, being employed before attending university is an excellent opportunity for graduates who do not know what major to study at university to discover what their interests and goals are. Secondly, employed people have a regular income. High school graduates who try to build a career before entering university are independent of their parents.

On the other hand, working before college also has a disadvantage, which is getting detached from studies. For many young people, it could be hard to go off to college and learn again after taking a gap year, because they get used to a regular income and lose learning ability. Besides, some people do not want to return to school after a gap year or they drop out of college after the first semester, because of their idea that obtaining a university degree is a waste of time.

To sum up, taking a break from entering school provides graduates with increased independence. However, there is a chance of not finishing college due to a gap year. In conclusion, deciding whether to go to university right after graduating from high school or taking a year off and being in occupation is important and every high school senior should think about this. In my opinion, working before college is a smart idea if people are not sure what to study. I believe that people who take a gap year should try to study university and obtain an academic degree, even if they have a well-paid job because I think a number of these people will need a university degree in the future.