Is it a good idea for people to take "GAP years"?

[[email protected]]

Is a GAP year a good thing to take?

I think there is often a lot of misconceptions out there that only "bad, lazy students" take GAP years.

Who would you recommend for someone to take a GAP year and overall is it a good decision for someone to take a GAP year?

[Gloamglozer]

I think there is often a lot of misconceptions out there that only "bad, lazy students" take GAP years.

Huh?  I think there are a lot of high achievers that take a GAP year to do volunteering events such as travelling to Africa to teach English.  Or take a year off after a hard year's work to travel the world.  Then there are others who take a GAP year to work full-time to save enough money for tertiary studies the next year.

[[email protected]]

I think there is often a lot of misconceptions out there that only "bad, lazy students" take GAP years.

Huh?  I think there are a lot of high achievers that take a GAP year to do volunteering events such as travelling to Africa to teach English.  Or take a year off after a hard year's work to travel the world.  Then there are others who take a GAP year to work full-time to save enough money for tertiary studies the next year.

Cool.

Do you know what proportion of university students take a gap year prior to starting their degree?

[Gloamglozer]

I believe this is the publication you're after.  It splits up the number of deferments by region.

But in short, in the year 2009-2010, a total of 5924 students deferred. 

[Fyrefly]

I took a "gap semester". One of the best decisions I ever made.

[boysenberry]

I took a "gap semester". One of the best decisions I ever made.

Why do you think so?

[taiga]

Depends what you do.

Go travelling, make money, do some volunteer work then you're aight.

I know someone who's taken the whole year off to study UMAT. That's rubbish in my opinion.

[Fyrefly]

I took a "gap semester". One of the best decisions I ever made.

Why do you think so?

Break from study --> Real life perspective.

[liuetenant]

the only stupid thing is you're stuck with the younger cohort, right? a part from that, GAPs should defintely be soemthing you should do! (i would, but my parents are asian )

[ninwa]

I know someone who's taken the whole year off to study UMAT. That's rubbish in my opinion.

I know someone who did that and got into med. Pretty risky though.

[stonecold]

I know someone who's taken the whole year off to study UMAT. That's rubbish in my opinion.

I know someone who did that and got into med. Pretty risky though.

I was gonna do it but chickened out...I am so full of it.  :p

[Souljette_93]

I know that misconceptions, having to explain it to parents is a bit :/

But GAP years don't really sound too bad, you can do so many things..like travel and experience the world around you, personally if I had taken a GAP year it would be for work. But I was lucky and didn't have to.

I just wouldn't like to be in a younger cohort ( like someone mentioned) I'm not against it, just wouldn't prefer it anyway

[pi]

I know someone who's taken the whole year off to study UMAT. That's rubbish in my opinion.

Was he in your year @ mhs? I think I know who too

[stonecold]

I know someone who's taken the whole year off to study UMAT. That's rubbish in my opinion.

Was he in your year @ mhs? I think I know who too

I think I met that guy at the premz awards.

I hope it works out for him.  Massive gamble.

[Fyrefly]

I just wouldn't like to be in a younger cohort ( like someone mentioned) I'm not against it, just wouldn't prefer it anyway

Lol.

You realise that within any given unit, there might be 1st years, 2nd years, 5th years, honors students, mature age students, overseas students (who in their home countries finish high school at a different age)... you don't really belong to a "cohort" in that sense that you belong to a cohort in high school.