The Gap Year

The Gap Year The “gap year” has been a common rite of passage in many foreign countries for decades, but it has now started to gain significant steam here in America as told by Danielle Wood, a parent from Today’s Parenting. This leads to many questions that parents and students want answered, such as: “Is the “gap year” a good or bad consideration?” “Will this decision put me behind?” “Does this stop me from ever going to college?” “Will I ever get my college degree?” All of these questions have can be answered yes and no, all depending on the person and their determination. Some people argue that a gap year is not a good idea, however; others say it is a great idea and every student should consider taking one. However, as I mentioned in my thesis, it all depends on how each individual indulges in the activities that help them to become better prepared for the transition. A gap year does not mean that your child will NEVER go to college or ever get a college degree. It is merely time taken out to plan out what exactly they want to do in college and experience life in the real world. During this time off the student and parents should take time to complete college applications and decide on what major and school environment is right for them. Still this does not mean that every parent is in agreement with this gap year. Most parents do agree that after twelve years of consistency in school, a student may need to take a break, whereas; others say that a student should continue right on into college immediately after high school. Believe it or not a gap year can help most students to become more focused and ready for the college life and its academic stances. In fact, Harvard even agrees with this gap year so much that they encourage all of their newly admitted students to consider taking a year off before entering college, especially one that is as highly intelligent as Harvard (Today’s Parenting, Wood). The whole objective

Cited: ©2001-2010 CollegeConfidential.com, Inc. Wood, Danielle. “Today’s Parenting” Web. 22 Apr. 2008