Is Taking a Year Off Before College Important - Research Paper Example

Is taking a year off before college important? Introduction Many high school students are grappled with the decision of whether to take a year off before heading to college or simply join immediately after high school. This is owing to the fact that college is seen as the pivotal point of a young adult where life-changing decisions are made and friendships formed. Supporters of taking a year off before college state that the time off allows for planning and embracing of the studies that one chooses to pursue. Naysayers on the other hand state that taking time off is wasting precious time that should instead be spent studying and that one may end up putting off school entirely. Both arguments, however, raise the important aspect of planning where naysayers feel this should happen while one is in high school and supporters feel that after high school is the appropriate time. Traditionally, one would enroll into college right after high school and this was seen to allow time to pursue further academic qualifications. Presently, though, employment opportunities have become scarce owing to factors such as high competition in the job market and this require that one carefully choose a career that they can specialize in and stand out. A year off, commonly referred to as gap year, allows for a student to take a step back and reassess their future where they develop a sense of self-awareness and experience with volunteering activities as well as internships (Torpey 26). Supporting Argument The last year of high school is usually stressful to students due to the fact that there are assignments to be done and final exams to be studied for. Therefore, this year requires a student to remain focused while removing all distractions that come from worrying about college and excitement of finishing high school. This is why it is important to take a year off before joining college where this time will be spent identifying one’s personal goals and planning for a career that one actually has interest in. This is achieved through volunteer activities and internships where one gets the opportunity to seek mentorship and guidance from professionals in various areas of expertise including career counselors. In addition, parents and guardians can use this time to sit down and discuss their children’s career plan and life in general; this is essential as it gives a student a chance to have a role model to look up to and emulate (Torpey 27-28). Time off before joining college provides a student with a chance to rejuvenate as the final year of high school leaves many burnt out from the pressures of final exams and assignments. Experts suggest that one should not look at a gap year as simply time off but rather a state of mind that enables one to choose an activity that interests them and gain experience that will be useful in the future. In addition, time taken off does not necessarily have to be a year where a few months is sufficient as well. Time off allows one to mature both emotionally and intellectually since it is an opportunity to initiate a process of learning skills and gaining personal insight. During this time one becomes independent, develops self-esteem and maturity to think outside the box where career counselors term this as evolution. A gap year presents young adults with their first taste of freedom, as there are no academic obligations brought about by higher education; and this sets off a sense of responsibility as one learns to manage time and make decisions independently. Time off facilitates a sense of self-reliance in students and this helps them embrace college studies more thus being more eager to learn and study. The transition into college becomes easier as one can confidently plan routine activities such as buying groceries and doing laundry, without sacrificing time for studying (Giegerich). Likewise, it is important to consider that taking time off may involve study where one chooses to learn a new language in its native country. The post-high school planning process ensures that parents and guardians, along with students, do not overlook long-term goals that go beyond college life. When one joins college immediately after high school, it usually happens as a norm where one gets overwhelmed by college applications and admissions process. This is because getting into college right after high school is done merely because everyone else is doing it. Taking a year off provides an opportunity to gain a clearer purpose for college and firmer convictions for the career field that one chooses, and this is crucial because one will inevitably be faced by distractions in the form of parties and outright laziness as there is no one pushing you around (Clydesdale 208). When one has thought out their career path, college is seen as a bridge to that desired career and this keeps one motivated and focused hence one takes personal responsibility for their studies. Being personally responsible for one’s studies makes it easier to stay away from such distractions and attend classes with commitment as opposed to lazing away in bed or just hanging out with friends (Griswold 87-88). Opposing Argument Primary among the drawbacks of taking time off before joining college is that one loses academic momentum. The rigor of academics and studying skills are lost as one no longer participates in an academic structure. This makes it more detrimental than beneficial to take time off, where one suffers further as friends may have chosen to enroll into college right after high school. This leaves one with the stresses of forming new friendships and reacquiring studying skills in a foreign environment. Loss of friends is also cited as another drawback of pushing forward college because it becomes difficult to meet up with friends who may have opted to join college immediately after high school. As time passes, it becomes difficult to reconnect with friends. Not having familiar faces around while going through college makes experiences there much harder and lonelier, which could make a student lose interest in their academics (Kokemuller). Notably as well, there is the danger of putting off college entirely where a student finds himself or herself deferring repeatedly. This happens where a student lacks a sense of direction and fails to receive enough support during the time off. At the same time, students may take time off without a clear plan of action where they spend this time simply travelling and taking internships or volunteer activities merely for pleasure. In the same way, students may get internships that turn into permanent jobs, which in turn cause them to lose interest completely in pursuing academic qualifications. Even when one chooses to go to college while working, they will more often than not pursue their academics as focused. This is because they will be too overwhelmed with work responsibilities, which leaves them neglecting academic responsibilities (Shellenbarger). Similarly, time off is seen as causing a delay in embarking on one’s career at a time when many professions are evolving rapidly. For example, medical students will go through extra eight years after the gap year where this is also seen as a delay in transitioning from adolescent into adulthood. Additionally, experiences sought out during time off will more often than not have financial implications for example where travelling abroad for internships is the intention. Instances that do not bear significant financial implications are volunteer activities that offer one housing and food in exchange for such services. In any case, such opportunities will be minimal as many seek after them. The issue then becomes finding an experience that does not impose financial burden on one’s parents or guardians, especially since they will still be faced with the financial burden of college fees once the gap year is over. Even where one is able to get financial aid in the form of education loans, there is still need to consider how the repayments will be made therefore; activities undertaken during the gap year should not be too expensive. Another perspective looks at taking time off after high school as an opportunity cost due to the fact this time causes one to lose potential income that would have been gained during that one year after graduation (Holmes). Conclusion Overall, taking time off before getting into college should be a decision made when one is very conscious of what they will do during that time. This means that one should chart out a clear plan that identifies which activities will be taken and the respective purpose that these activities will serve. One should be able to identify if the goals set out are achieved once the time off is over. Of importance as well is participation by parents and/or guardians during this post-high school planning process. This is because the process is largely dependent on support and guidance from experienced adults who have an understanding and knowledge of the work environment; above all, they can act as role models to the students. With this in place, time taken off after high school is invaluable because of the fact that a student is able to embark on a journey of self-discovery and become responsible and independent, which will enable them take personal responsibility of their studies and steer away from the distractions associated with college life. Once a student has developed emotional and intellectual maturity, they will not have difficulty forging new friendships in college as they will be able to identify peers with similar interests and who can positively affect their life well after college. Having this in mind makes, it clear that taking time off before joining college is more advantageous than it is disadvantageous. Works Cited Torpey, Elka Maria. "Gap Year: Time Off, with a Plan." Occupational Outlook Quarterly 53.3 (2009): 26-33.  Giegerich, Steve. "Students use 'Gap Year' for a Head Start; More High School Grads Opt to Defer College to Pursue Interests, Develop Life Skills." The Washington Post: 0. Aug 24 2003.  Clydesdale, Tim. The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens after High School. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press: 2007. Griswold, Matthew. Collegiate Scholars: A Case Study of High School Students Enrolled in College-level Courses. Arizona: Arizona State University. 2008. Print. Kokemuller, Neil. The Disadvantages of a Gap Year after High School. Global Post. Global post. n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013 Shellenbarger, Sue. Delaying College to Fill in the Gaps. The Wall Street Journal. December 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2013 Holmes, Bradford. Decide if a Gap Year Makes Sense for You. Us news. July 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2013 Read More