Do you think it’s a good idea for students to take a gap year before attending college?

by ABCnews.com Posted 2012/05/14 10:28:10

Related Topics: Student, College, Gap, students

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	Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.	7,496 votes	49%
	No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.	7,903 votes	51%

+26

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sundance 2012/05/14 20:11:15 (edited)

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+12
For the record, I picked yes, simply because I believe a break will do you good. The whole real world crap, is a handful of BS. Take a year, clear your head (and your pipes). Then your ready to go and become all super responsible. That way, whoever is paying for your college ( and chances are it isn't you), will not be left feeling like you jilted them, when you drop out from stress. Education is important, but then again, so is sanity.....Just a thought....
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Beat Ma... to Kyle 2012/05/15 07:28:10

A good point. It keeps your mind sharp and keeps some structure in your life.

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Resp 2012/05/15 03:05:58

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

Keep going! Don't take a break.

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TC1116 2012/05/15 02:47:53

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

+1
Although it "would" give them valuable real-world experience...it can also be good to start right into college. Less for the thought that they might abandon college plans...and more because they may not be as focused. This is all subjective to the person, really. Some people are actually MORE focused, taking a year off. But - you may also want to consider that certain scholarships and awards may not be possible after taking a year off, too.

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MW121 2012/05/15 02:35:42

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

I think the problem with many grads today is that no one really knows what they want to do... Taking time off can be good, but it can also be bad, especially when trying to compete with limited number of openings as colleges tighten due to funding.. Some think just going to college will get them a job, but we're in a time when that's not even happening... So I think we need to restructure our educational system and start teaching kids what's really out in the real world. Get them excited about opportunities and all the different fields so when they do graduate, they actually have more direction than what many seem to have now... I have some nephews that are graduating and two have direction and 2 have no clue... I don't think taking time off is good, when you are moving forward with what you want to pursue.. I pursued my goals and worked for 10-15 years before I ever took a vacation.. Vacation is when I retire and I can't slow down.. There's never time to slow down when you want to stay successful...

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Joanna the Great 2012/05/15 02:23:49

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

And what if they abandon their college plans because they find a better opportunity in the work force?

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Merry☆ 2012/05/15 02:22:09

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

+2
I feel like all the math I learned would just fall out of my head. o.o

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Whyputaname 2012/05/15 02:06:00 (edited)

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

Yes, considering that you just spent 12 yrs in school....Go out and get real world experience...Do some volunteering like the Peace Corps or something of that nature....

Then go to college you will appreciate it more.....Most people who go right after High School usually end up quitting because going to college is what is expected of them......

...

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Anna 2012/05/15 02:01:51

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

I want to become a lawyer, so that's about 7 years of collage minimum. I don't want to waste anytime. I can travel and learn more about the world during breaks if desired. For some people taking a break is a good idea, it lets them figure out what they want from life, I already know what I want to do, a yea off would be a year lazing about and forgetting what I learned for me. Plus, collage prices are rising every year. I could go on my hiatus thinking school costed one amount, only to come back and find that the price had risen a couple grand and any scholership opportunities I had disappeared.

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Rusty's Mom 2012/05/15 02:00:21

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+2
Too many young adults go to college without any real goals or appreciation for what they would like to do. Much better to take some time off, get a job, do some volunteering, and make a plan. And, while we are at it, not everyone needs college. I have the utmost respect for plumbers, barbers, waste water technicians, home health care aides...

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Whyputa... to Rusty's... 2012/05/15 02:11:39

+2
Well said.....

Sometimes a trade school could be a better place......

Electricians make great money and so don't plumbers......

Those are two fields that will never go dry...As long as water has to come into the house and sewage leaves we will need pipes....

The same goes for Electricity....As long as there are lights to be turned on and computers to be used we will always need Electricians.....

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Beat Ma... to Whyputa... 2012/05/15 07:30:06

+2
I agree. Many times though, kids stay out of the trades and go to school because it's what is expected. Our culture (especially parents) still look down on blue collar workers as "less educated" and "crude" people. I think that there is a big shift coming, but like anything, these attitudes take time to change.

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Jiorgia 2012/05/15 01:36:49

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

I am taking many gap years, i want to travel and see the world for a while then study.
i'm not even sure i want to study in australia, maybe going to the UK or the US to study instead...
then i would still have to decide what i want to study.

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Alexis 2012/05/15 01:24:38

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

I plan on being a veterinarian, which takes almost 8 years. No breaks for me, I won't dely the long process ahead of me. Id probably only take a month off, and then begin my journey.

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Melody 2012/05/15 01:14:08

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+2
Not everyone wants/needs to go to college to live a happy and successful life.

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☠ Live Free Or Die ☠ 2012/05/15 01:04:17 (edited)

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

+1
Psh, take a year off if you can move out and support yourself. I'd be damned if I just sat and chilled in my moms house for a year, grown, not going to school still eating up her food and burning her money. Even if I were working, I'd probably give her all the money I made.

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Jiorgia to ☠ Live ... 2012/05/15 01:40:37

+1
haha i read this and realised that that is exactly what i am doing right now, but then again i am here as a break between my travelling to see her for mothers day before heading back out into the world...

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Soms Cougli 2012/05/15 01:02:42

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

Real world experience? Yes, depending on what you do. Taking a gap year isn't going to be useful if you don't do something with it.
I took a six month gap, moved states, moved back, and now I'm a chef (: You never know what you'll find.
Gap years aren't for everyone, though. Some people, like most of my friends, jumped straight back into university, and love it.

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RoseyRhod 2012/05/15 01:02:21

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+3
Depends on the person. For my son it was absolutely necessary to help him figure out what he wanted to try and do. He went to college right out of high school, and it didn't work out so well. So he took a couple of years where he volunteered, doing work such as helping on farms. He learned a lot about life. When he was ready, he went back to school. He recently completed his pharmacy technician certification, and is preparing to go to school to become a surgeon. I'm glad that I didn't insist that he "go to college now or else." He would have become burned out and resentful.

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Shonny to RoseyRhod 2012/05/15 05:12:51

I'm glad you posted this. I'm going through this with my son now. He's 19 and went straight to college after high school. When he got there he totally wouldn't study even though he made As and Bs when he did. He refused to spend the six hours or more of homework and study time, although he seen me doing it. I gave him this Spring off but feel upset that his friends are farther along than he is. I get so confused and don't know if I should wait until he says that HE is ready or threaten to put him out if he doesn't get back in school. frustrating.

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Bella 2012/05/15 01:00:13

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+1
But its their choice

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Karin 2012/05/15 00:50:56

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

They will gain more experience if they spend the gap year time in a right way. And it will be experience which they cannot get in college

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chamchamgal 2012/05/15 00:48:18

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+1
It helped me get my "Party" years over with. When I went back to college school was number one instead of house parties.
College just might not be for everyone.

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Allie 2012/05/15 00:33:03

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

certain people can handle taking a year off, but i feel like most people would just never go back. i think if the person is set and knows that they need to attend college but they want a year off to work or whatever then more power to them, they just need to make sure they can handle it

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clasact 2012/05/15 00:28:58

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

get the education while you can ,you never know what could happen in a year

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Shonny 2012/05/15 00:27:42

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

Well.. yes and no. There are benefits to approaching college with a more mature mind, but you forget stuff the longer you are out of school, and perhaps a few students will get lazy and not return to school after that designated year.

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Jimbo 2012/05/15 00:14:56

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

If they have to money to do it.

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EdVenture 2012/05/15 00:12:23

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

The can't afford to displace themselves in their career workforce and given the historic increases in the cost it may be all that much more out of reach. Time waits for no one

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Jenna ☮♡ッ 2012/05/15 00:06:04

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

It depends on the person.

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Marcus Clark 2012/05/15 00:05:43

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

The answer would be different for different people. Not everyone even needs to go to college. If a person has a clear idea of their life goal and it definitely includes a degree (such as doctor, lawyer, engineer...) then perhaps it would be good to go straight from High School to college, especially if there is an academic scholarship available. If a person is just going to college because it is "the thing to do," it is a better idea to take some time off from school until they have a better idea of where they are headed.

Another excellent suggestion for many is to join the military for at least one term. Not only does this aid in life experience and maturity, but it can also help PAY for college.

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Emma 2012/05/15 00:05:27

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+2
my brother took a year in between high school and college and then went to penn state . My other brother went to Europe for a few weeks before attending law school and it seemed to help them

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Boris Badinov 2012/05/14 23:57:13

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

Don't coast. Hit the gas..

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Shonny to Boris B... 2012/05/15 00:32:10

+2
The only problem is that teens just out of high school take college for granted and piss away their classes and school responsibility. Now, there is only a six year limit (in a life time) on Federal grants, immature teens will end up blowing their chances for affording school by the time they are serious and ready to buckle down. sad but true

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Michael The Archangel 2012/05/14 23:16:35

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

NO, it may lead them to abandone their college plans is my answer also.

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mae 2012/05/14 23:08:11

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

+1
For some, maybe. But for most--NO. The gap time puts their friends a year ahead of them, and can make some feel even more defeated than before. College is BETTER THAN HIGHSCHOOL ! GO! You'll like it!

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Kigan 2012/05/14 22:41:26

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+1
I took a break. It allowed me to straighten out a lot of things in my life.

This isn't true for everyone, but it is a good idea for some.

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charles_1 2012/05/14 22:38:33

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

+1
No. Your brain is like a muscle. Stop using it to learn and it gets weak. Hustle up and knuckle down and get to college. If you take any worthy degree program it will challenge your intellect and require a lot of hard work. There's nothing more real world than working your way through college.

Taking a year off on your parents dime is childish. I certainly would not stand for it in my house.

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Jake Blanton 2012/05/14 22:37:41

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

Only if the gap was an enlistment in the military. Taking a break to just bum around is not acceptable...

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the judgebigdogeagle 2012/05/14 22:19:22

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

From what I saw with my friends kids.They need a shorth break like 6 months. No longer

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★earthbound_misfit★ 2012/05/14 22:16:26

Yes, it will give them valuable real world experience.

+1
Actually, it's up to the individual, but it might give some time to figure out what you actually want to do before risking wasting time and money toward the wrong degree. I didn't take a gap year, and I'm not real thrilled with the degree I'm getting. Whether taking a gap year would have helped or not, I don't know. I just don't think there should be any rush if you're unsure.

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Aquaduck 2012/05/14 21:58:03 (edited)

No, it may lead them to abandon their college plans.

Their break is the 3 months before fall wraps around again. No one made them take summer classes :)
But all in all it depends on the person. Everyone's different.

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