By Iman Bakhit
Staff Writer
A minority of Costa students take a gap year after they have graduated, but the concept of gap year and what it can bring is beneficial, because it can take pressure off of finance, help relieve academic stress, and develop new skills for the next upcoming college year.
Students take a gap year after finishing high school, a year before going to a college or university. During this time, students may take advanced academic courses, extra-academic courses and non-academic courses, such as yearlong pre-college math courses, language studies, learning a trade, art studies, volunteer work, travel, internships and sports.
According to the College and Career center, the number of Costa students taking a gap year is slowly increasing. A gap year may seem unreasonable to most, but it has been very effective to many looking for a break from work, or gaining leadership skills. The experiences gained can better prepare one for college, both academically and socially.
According to Shalyn Tharayil, a College and Career counselor at Costa, the idea of gap year is slowly gaining popularity at Costa because it is a great way to prove to colleges how productive one is and how they use the time they are given. This can help improve students reputations and provide them with efficient study habits, which are beneficial tools to succeed in college.
According to The National Association for College Admission Counseling, gap years are a perfect way for students dig deeper into a career that interests them. They also suggest taking a gap year to study and strengthen academic records in hopes of gaining entries into better colleges. Gap years, when used efficiently, can better one’s chances into getting accepted into a prestigious college.
Joe O’Shea, director of Florida State University’s Office of Undergraduate Research and author of “Gap Year: How Delaying College Changes People in Ways the World Needs” discusses how going overseas also helps to cultivate a type of independence and self-confidence that staying close to home in a familiar environment probably does not. Furthermore, taking the traditional kind of gap year after high school helps students to take full advantage of their time in college. Therefore, students can overcome academic stress and gain self-esteem which can benefit students when coming back to college.
According to the Brightside organization, an organization dedicated to guiding students through education and student life, during college, gap years enrich student’s courses, strengthen co-curricular endeavors, and animate undergraduate research and creative projects. Students can also use this time to work and earn money for college, taking the pressure off finance. The cost for college education is can be high, and being productive during a gay year can ease that.
According to a survey conducted by the American Gap Association, ten percent of students only use the time as a distraction from their studies and become lazy. Even though most students use this time to be productive and social, not everyone is entirely fit for it. Doing this, it’s easy to forget the material needed for college the following year, which can be detrimental.
In spite of the negative aspects of gap years, such as the expensive price and whether or not students use the time efficiently, they provides students with clarity and give them an edge when returning to school. Students should consider gap years after graduating high school, as it might greatly improve their college experience in the future.
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