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Patrick Greco
Professor Sotirakopulos
Honors Composition 1102
29 September 2015
Filling in the Gaps
As college approaches for high school seniors, the pressure begins to mount. Everywhere
they go these young adults are terrorized with the same two questions: Where are you going to
school next year? and What are you going to study?. For many of these high school seniors
the only honest response they can muster is: No idea. How can eighteen and nineteen-year-old
high school students be expected to make these life altering decisions when they still have to ask
for permission to use the bathroom? More often than not, kids are leaving college with no job
and no direction, to go along with thousands of dollars of debt and student loans to pay off.
However, there are options that combat this dilemma one being a Gap Year. As stated by the
American Gap Association, a Gap Year invariably serves to develop the individual into a more
focused student with a better sense of purpose and engagement in the world (Gap Year Data &
Benefits). The idea that students must attend college following high school graduation is
unimaginative, antiquated, and limiting, especially for the lost yet motivated high school
graduate. For these people, a gap year is an option that deserves further investigation.
Nowadays, kids are choosing majors that they simply have no interest in pursuing. In a
study compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics, they found that 80 percent of
college students change their major by the time they graduate (qtd. in Ramos). This can delay the
time it takes to earn a degree, and also raise the total amount of tuition a student will pay
throughout their college career. While there is no guarantee a gap year student wont change

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majors upon their return to school, the idea behind a gap year is that it allows for a more matured
student to make this decision rather than a raw eighteen or nineteen-year-old who is fresh out of
high school. Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson, authors of The Gap Year Advantage, conducted a
longitudinal study which surveyed 300 Gap Year Students, and 60 percent of these students said
their experience either set or confirmed their academic major (Haigler and Nelson). These
experiences can include a combination of working, interning, traveling, learning a new language,
or joining a volunteer effort.
The benefits of taking a Gap Year are numerous and widespread. The travel experience,
the self-reliance, and the potential to adapt to other cultures are all valuable elements that future
employers will not overlook. There is also statistical evidence that supports Gap Years. A 2011
study at Middlebury College, conducted by its former dean of admissions Robert Clagett, found
that students who had taken a year off had consistently higher GPAs than those who didnt (qtd.
in Strauss). Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill also shows
undergraduates who had taken a gap year before enrolling in college, on average had a GPA 0.1
to 0.4 higher than predicted based on high school academic credentials (qtd. in Driscoll). Aside
from the statistics and an improved rsum, the overarching benefit of a Gap Year is it allows
students to try things out and discover what they are passionate about.
Despite the endless opportunities and benefits that come with a Gap Year, many people
are still turned off by the idea. Some parents fear the long break from academic responsibilities
will produce a lazy student while others argue their child wouldnt be able to manage their time
effectively both of which are valid. While entertaining the idea of a Gap Year, understand that
it is not for everyone. There are typically two types of Gap Year candidates: high academic

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achieving students who are burnt out from the pressures of high school, and those who dont
know what they want to do with their life.
Before students sign on to attend some college, where they may or may not use the
degree they paid for, they should consider all of their post high school options. Gap Years are
proving that the traditional American route of attending college immediately after high school
may not be beneficial to all. For those students who are looking to gain an edge over their peers
once they arrive on a college campus, they should look no further than a Gap Year.

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Works Cited
Driscoll, Emily. "Taking a Gap Year: What Students Should Consider." Fox Business. Fox News
Network, 20 Sept. 2013. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
"Gap Year Data & Benefits." American Gap Association. American Gap Association, 2014. Web.
01 Oct. 2015.
Haigler, Karl, and Rae Nelson. The Gap Year Advantage. London: Macmillan, 2005. Print.
Hoder, Randye. "Why Your High School Senior Should Take a Gap Year."Time. Time Inc, 14
May 2014. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
"Many Students Select a College Major That Doesnt Fit Their Interests Well." ACT Newsroom.
ACT, 11 Nov. 2013. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
Ramos, Yuritzy. "College Students Tend to Change Majors When They Find the One They Really
Love." Borderzine. Borderzine, 2015. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.
Strauss, Valerie. "What 'Gap' Years Are All About." The Washington Post. The Washington Post,
21 Sept. 2012. Web. 1 Oct. 2015.

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