Running head: THE GAP YEAR

The Gap Year: Is There Sense in Putting Off College?

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Institution
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Abstract

Psychological burnout is becoming a serious problem in the academic sector with many students
falling out at an increasingly alarming rate. This problem becomes even worse during the senior
levels of high school when there is an immense pressure to earn a chance at the various
prestigious colleges available. Students simply do everything possible to get these rare
opportunities, that by the time they graduate from high school, they are physical, emotionally
and psychologically exhausted and lacking in personal experiences outside books, that taking a
break becomes a critical necessity. This research examines the benefits, perils, and means to go
about gap years to just to make sure they work in your favor. (114 words)

Keywords: year gaps, burnouts, students, senior high school, colleges, admission

The Gap Year

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Background Information
A gap year is a one or more year break taken off school after high school, and just before
joining college, to help with enhancing ones professional, practical and personal awareness. This
practice that has its roots in the UK was designed to facilitate student development through
extended international experience. After the devastating Second World War, there was an
increasing need to create global awareness and understanding, with an intention of preventing
any more conflicts (O'Shea, 2013). Cultural exchanges seemed like a great idea to meet this
need, and that is how the concept of bridge years was born.
Presently, gap years are very familiar and everyday events. Many educators are now
touting taking year-offs arguing that students who step out of the academic treadmills after senior
high school to explore other interest are relatively more mature when they join college, than their
comrades who joined colleges straight from high school, and are more engaged in their studies
going forward (O'Shea, 2013).
Problem Statement
Todays world is the fast-paced world is filled to the brim with success enchantments, so
much that it leaves most parents obsessed with seeing their toddlers succeed in life. Children find
themselves in rigorous academic and social activities designed to bring the best out of them and
willed into becoming top achievers. This process is usually too intensive in certain cases that
some teenagers just snap and slip and fall. Some students in high school fall out and turn to other
self-destructive habits just because they cannot withstand the pressures of the regular system and
would like to steel themselves from the harshness of reality. What then is the way out from this
problem tormenting our younger generation, forcing them into tight spots that they eventually
fall out?

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Some scholars and educators are recommending some time off school to bring these
academically stuffed students to the realities of life, and to bring to their attention that there is
still life outside books (O'Shea, 2013). The major questions are whether taking such breaks are
really beneficial to these youngsters, considering that they have to come back to an equally
intense life after the break, and how should they go about them if they are to benefit truly from
them?
Planning for Gap Years
Planning gap year is probably the most important step to having a fruitful and good timeoff college. It may be a terrible idea just to apply for a deferral from school for a year or more
without a clear-cut plan on how you intend to spend such an amount of time. It is also true that
every high-schooler would be looking forward to having one of the most enriching bridge years
ever if that was what he intended to do. This, though, may not be the case if you find yourself
clueless, just sitting at a play-station or watching television programs, all day throughout the
entire period of your year out.
According to the American Gap Association, non-profit organizations that develop
accreditation standards for bridge year programs, planning a fruitful and structured year out from
college should be conducted with a decent amount of intent and purpose (OReilly, 2006). An
excerpt from an article on this organizations website argues that establishing simple things like
defining your rules, such as policies on self-care, relationships and academics, can make the vast
difference between a year-out that transforms you, and that which only passes the time. This
article recommends answering some crucial questions concerning purpose, duration, budget, and
how the break will potentially affect your future college life (OReilly, 2006).

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Clearly defined answers to these questions provide you with a roadmap on how and
where to spend your time-out. Further, finding the right program from a list of programs enlisted
world-over such as traveling, taking up a voluntary or paid jobs, learning a foreign language or
completing an internship program, can be a major leap in ensuring your break is fulfilling
(OReilly, 2006). Knowing your resources and making the necessary preparation can also be
very helpful. Some activities and programs will definitely require a good financial standing and
knowledge, and so, before diving into them heads first, it will be great to sit back and make
proper plans.
Benefits of Taking Some Time off College
Breaks from regular school life, especially in high school, can teach one an enormous
deal of life skills, including independence. This period is a time to define one's rules and
schedules without much external influence. In an article on Discrete News, the author,
Samantha Kreig, narrates her story of how she traveled to Florence Italy as part of her gap year
program, and how stressful her stay in Italy started to how she finally managed to cope (OShea,
2013). She recalls with much appreciation how at one time she had gotten lost and did not know
how to get to her apartment, and how difficult it was for her to ask even for help, considering the
language barriers, but Kreig remains grateful for she learned a lot from the experience. The
crucial lesson from this experience is that, during this period, regardless of whether one intends
to work in a foreign country, or just planning to work at the local store, one learns what life can
be outside of the protective bubbles of school life.
Another important aspect of a bridge year that should not be overlooked is the fact that it
gives one a time away from school. Senior high school can be a period of significant pressure on
students, especially from parents and educators. Students are forced to take up more leadership

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responsibilities, participate actively in sports and importantly, to scale up their grades. According
to an article on Harvard College, Admissions, and Financial Aid, web page, college admissions
gives students a chance to position themselves for success by equipping them with the
appropriate degrees (Long & Riley, 2007). Making oneself a suitable candidate for such
opportunities is, however, no easy task, at least not for so many students. They do everything
possible practically to get a spot in one of the top-notch colleges. Faced with this intense
pressure, some students lose it up, fallout and resort to binging and other self-destructive
behaviors. Taking some time from this overwhelming psychological burnout can surely help in
bringing back on balance (Long & Riley, 2007).
Some pundits, and gap year advocates, also argues that this period gives students
remarkable opportunities to step out of their comfort zones (OShea, 2007). Basically, twelve or
more years in typically the same environment although tedious and taxing too makes one
comfortable and contented. Much as an individual may hate the place, its the only place he
knows best, so much that he can easily navigate virtually through everything without second
thoughts. Leaving this kind of a set up to venture into the unknown has a potential of opening up
an entirely new world of opportunities, full of its challenges and niceties that may inspire a
person to greater heights. For instance traveling to other places with different cultures and
languages, or just taking up a responsibility, places on in situations that are potentially new and
challenging. Mastering how to maneuver through this challenges gives one a broader view and a
reassurance that one can work through the unexpected.
This period can also be seen as that point in time to reflect on what one really wants, and
possibly also learn about what he does not want. Going through the fast-paced school life, most
people never really take much time to think about what they actually want with their lives, or

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better still, what they do not want. They, therefore, just drift with the current in careers that most
of them have confessed to having never liked, or would wish another chance to rethink over
(Venezia, & Kirst, 2005). Having a real world experience before joining college gives students a
unique opportunity to have a taste of the kind of work they would like to commit the rest of their
lives to. Equipped with an understanding of the ultimate career goals from such an experience,
will save one a lot of time usually spent juggling between majors. One is also less likely to
complete a university degree only to realize that he does not like it. On a similar note, this period
may also make you discover what you do not want in your life, and this may even include
whether or not to join college at all.
However, some people have also shown concerns that taking breaks from rigorous
schoolwork may act as a derailment when one finally resumes studies. Some parents argue that
some students may not even want to go back to school after such welcomed breaks, and may
prefer to continue with their new found ventures (Venezia & Kirst, 2005). Others who get out of
school without proper plans also finds that there is nothing out there for them, and regret
making such decisions to leave schoolwork in the first place. To such concerns, many
suggestions such as proper planning and defining clear goals for the year out has been
recommended. Further, many sites have also been developed to help with such programs with
finance being the only stepping stone.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Faced with the struggles and the hustles of the current academic life, some students sure
gets distressed, depressed or just burnt out, and, therefore, taking some break can be a much need

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relief. Experts, however, points out to the potential problems associated with breaks taken
without proper planning and clear-cut goals. For these reasons, they have recommended ways
and guidelines meant to assist students in ensuring that their bridge years are enriching and
fruitful. One important thing to bear in mind before submitting a deferral application, though, is
to understand that breaks from school can just be as harmful as they are beneficial they are not
properly managed.

Primary Research Analysis

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Introduction: This investigation was carried out to determine the benefits and potential
problems associated with taking a gap year before joining college. The paper also looks into how
this practice can be conducted to ensure maximum benefits and satisfaction.
Method: This investigation followed a qualitative research design in which five college students,
five senior high school students, and two educators from Riyadh city in Saudi Arabia were asked
about their opinions and suggestions on year gaps. The interviews took place on December 10th,
2015 (Gall et al. 1996).
Findings: The major results of this study indicates that taking a break from college can be very
beneficial to students development by according them a much-needed break from rigorous
schoolwork, and requisite time to reflect on their personal lives, but should be handled carefully
to prevent students from deviating from the course.
Conclusion: This study responds to a wide societal problem in which students are currently
resorting to anti-social and destructive behaviors for failing to cope up with the pressures of the
education system. The benefits and challenges of this practice have been examined and
appropriate recommendations for planning and goal setting given.

(1847 words)

References

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Gall, M. D., Borg, W. R., & Gall, J. P. (1996). Educational research: An introduction. Longman
Publishing.
Long, B. T., & Riley, E. (2007). Financial aid: A broken bridge to varsity access? Harvard
Educational Review, 77(1), 39-63.
OReilly, C. C. (2006). From drifter to bridge year tourist: Mainstreaming backpacker travel.
Annals of Tourism Research, 33(4), 998-1017.
O'Shea, J. (2013). Gap year: How delaying college studies changes people in ways the world
needs. JHU Press.
Venezia, A., & Kirst, M. W. (2005). Inequitable opportunities: How current education systems
undermine the chances for student persistence and success in college. Educational Policy,
19(2), 283-307.