Every year, millions of high school students graduate and move on to attend college or university. So many students follow this path that it has almost become an expectation for high schoolers to move immediately on to college after graduation. Of those millions upon millions of high school graduates, however, some don’t follow tradition – some take a year off between high school and college. This is called a gap year.
What exactly is a gap year, and what are the potential benefits? In this article, you’ll receive an overview of what a gap year is and the associated pros and cons. You’ll also receive tips for making the most of your gap year, should you choose to take one.
This TED Talk explains the benefit of taking a gap year.
What is a Gap Year?
Though many high school graduates move immediately to college in the fall after graduation, many students do not. The term “gap year” refers to the year off some students take between graduating high school and college. There are many reasons why a student might take a gap year. For many, a gap year is a time to work and save money to pay for tuition, lodging, and supplies while attending college. For others, it is something unexpected – an unplanned setback caused by an injury or significant life event.
Gap years first became standard practice in the United