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Topic: Some students prefer to take a year off between school and university, to work or to travel. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

In recent years, a gap year between high school and university has become a popular alternative among many young people. Although this trend is not without advantages, the downsides would be more significant.

There are several merits of that trend. First, since many adolescents are undecided about their future, either in subject choice or career path, a year off allows them to have some more time to ascertain the right long-term decisions. In fact, high school leavers can get many kinds of part time jobs in that year to gain experience about working environment, which can give them a hint about the profession they want to do later and motivate them to enter higher education as a result. Second, by travelling to many places after finishing high school, the young can have many chances to broaden their horizons, either with people or with cultures. Plenty of evidence suggests that such experiences are conducive to the youth’ maturity and social skills before going to the university life where they might live independently.

Nevertheless, the demerits of this trend should be more considered. First, while taking a gap year can be a refreshing break from nonstop academic pursuit, many students find it difficult to get back into schedule and regain the studying momentum. For example, one might be more reliant on earning money to satisfy his thirst for purchasing stuff such as cars or technological devices, as a result, he will be willing to end the path of tertiary education for that reason. Second, travelling in a gap year can be an expensive endeavor to many young adults, especially students coming from low-income families as it costs them a lot, ranging from transport to foods and accommodation during a long time.

In conclusion, the disadvantages of taking a gap year after high school are too overwhelming compared to they are otherwise. Young people should also consider their own expectation to make the best decision.