Many countries around the world have what is known as the “gap year”: a year between high school and college when one can travel, volunteer, work, or get in extra schooling; the United States, however, is one of few places where this occurs. Only recently has the gap year been a relevant topic among the college-age students in the United States of America The most prominent places to acknowledge such a thing were European countries, Australia and New Zealand (Harder 98). Not only is it acknowledge, but also encouraged Many universities will not accept applications of students straight out of high school. This emphasis leads to the understanding that a year off of traditional schooling benefits the overall wellbeing of an individual There are many purposes for utilizing a gap year, which can vary from student to student. The most common are: travel to gain experience, work to save money, and learn a trade to secure a future.
Others volunteer for an organization, which is important to them. The overall idea behind this concept is to help the student either in the near future, or after graduation Not only does a year away from traditional schooling relieve stress, but it also allows one to reflect on what exactly they wish to do in life. The fear of spending time and money on an education that turns out uninteresting is overwhelming Eighteen-year-old Monika Lutz dreamed of helping poor nations in social and economic aspects, which Castillo 2 is why she took a year off to do just that in India. The demanding atmosphere during that time, both physically and mentally, allowed Monika to reevaluate her career path: “If I hadn’t gone on a gap year, I might have spent four years and $200,000 on tuition to end up in that same country and find out the same thing” (Shellenbarger). Being able to understand what a dream career expects of its employees, has a major impact on pursuing it further.
The naysayers of using a gap year are apparent, They argue that a year off of school will hinder the student’s ability to apply the knowledge learned in high school in a college classroom when they arrive They also discuss the high possibility of students not pursuing a higher education, which is shown in the research (Harder 99). Some colleges are now encouraging this idea, often providing aid for travel or scholarships for the student’s education, These concerns can be avoided, with the help of programs specializing in planning gap years, or engaging in a gap year program such as The National Outdoor Leadership School, which teaches outdoor skills while forming a leadership background (Fellesen).
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The youth in The United States of America today are largely inexperienced in the ways of the world. Therefore, taking a gap year to understand what it is they are getting into after school, will provide more passionate and creative citizens, eventually leading to a better generation which will benefit the entire population, not only within The United States
