Members
Gap Years and Deferred Entry
Going from one stage of education to the next, from school to college to university and then onto a job may not suit everybody and some students like to take a year out in-between to do something completely different.
Taking a year out from education can be exciting and challenging. Some students take time out to travel, whilst others work for a year or take part in voluntary placements.
Whatever you do in your gap year it is really important to do something that is worthwhile - lounging around watching daytime TV is not a useful option! Your gap year experience should help you in your future career or to achieve your goals. It is likely your gap year experience will help you develop your personal skills and provide you with a life enriching experience.
But what exactly can you get involved with during a gap year?
- Work in the UK - often to get money to fund study at university or travelling.
- Work abroad - gives you the experience of being in a foreign country whilst still earning money.
- Volunteer - there are lots of schemes in the UK and abroad teaching, working for the environment and in conservation where you can spend between two weeks and two years working on a project. Often food and accommodation is paid for but you don't get paid while you're working. Some schemes ask you to pay to join their project (up to £2500).
- Study abroad - this can give you valuable language skills.
- Travel - many people just want to see more of the world. You may need to save to do this. It's important to be clear where you want to go and plan every step of your journey. It's vital that you stay safe when you travel. Lots of people go in groups or on organised tours of a country.
There are lots of advantages of taking a gap year which include:
- Gaining valuable experience and confidence.
- Time to think about what you really want from life.
- Learning new languages or developing those you already have.
- Saving money if you're working.
- Learning more about different cultures.
But there are some disadvantages too:
- Employers might think you do not have a clear direction for your career path.
- It can be hard to go back to 'normality' once you've had some time out.
- Getting the best gap year experience can be very costly!
If a student decides to take a year out, but wants to secure their place at university first, they can defer their entry into university. Deferred entry means students apply to university the same as normal, take exams and confirm a place at the institution of their choice - but then instead of starting when their friends do they go the following year. This is really good for students who don't want to worry about what they will be doing or where they will be going after their year out. However, it means that students apply to university not knowing what their A level grades will be. In some cases this may mean their choices are limited because they achieve better grades than expected - or they don't get the grades that they hoped for.
In contrast, other students don't apply to university until after they get their A level results, which means they can wait until they get their exam results before they apply. The downside of this means that students might be away or travelling when they should be applying to university or attending an interview. However, this is a really good option for students who don't really know what they want to do at university and spend a year doing things that will help them make up their mind.
A gap year might not suit everyone, some people might prefer to carry on with their education and a gap in the middle might interrupt their momentum, which means they might not be as motivated to return to study after they have been travelling the world or earning money by working in a year out. There is also always the possibility of taking a gap year at the end of your degree or even include a year abroad or work placement within your degree.
Whatever you decide you have to ensure it is the right decision for you.
Why not have a look at these websites to find out more?: