Hello everyone! Today’s topic is very straightforward for my larger question of are taking gap years worth it. This question is targeted towards those who like me know they are not going to take a gap year, but are considering every option possible! It is whether not taking a gap year, and directly going to post-secondary worth it! I will be talking about the pro’s and cons, but also mentioning a little of what makes a gap year worth it such as what activities people do when on a gap year! Hope you enjoy!
Starting with the pros and cons of going to post-secondary straight away is the main ideas that many mainly highlight such as how going to post-secondary can large your opportunities because you gain more connections as well as more education about subjects you are interested in! However, the downside to this is depending on your the program you decide to pursue, post-secondary can become very expensive, and the money spent on your knowledge may want to be spent on other trips such as ones someone would take on a gap year. Although, the faster you choose to attend post-secondary, the more chances of gaining better jobs you get as almost 65% of jobs require a person to have a post-secondary degree (1). Now this mentions the better advantages one might gain from attending post-secondary faster, but many feel burnout after their 4 years of high school, which can cause them to feel less motivated to continue a higher level of education. Being burnout is a normal feeling for everyone, and anyone can relate to this every once in a while; however, this is a con of going straight away to post secondary, as you may only get a short period of time to rest before having to take up more challenging classes, and simply a much more filling lifestyle.
Moreover, there is a solution to knowing what to expect when attending post secondary first, rather than taking a gap year. Going straightaway will expose you to a new lifestyle that may be very stressful to adapt too, but from online resources, I have found that many of them state you begin to focus more on who you are as a person rather than your grades (2). This is a good fact to remember, but not the best to follow as getting good grades will help you as a student gain opportunities to get scholarships, and if you do have scholarships help you keep them! On the other hand, some health facts that were constantly mentioned is as a Post secondary student, many require more than 8 hours of sleep (3)! This is because the amount of work you are learning can be overwhelming at times; therefore, making it harder to focus on retaining the information for future assessments and tests. So people who are attending Post-secondary, make sure to get lots of sleep!!
In addition, responding to a question that connects very well to this topic is what are some other things people do when on a gap year, other than internship and travelling. The reason why this question connects is because many people do sometimes still learn even thought they are not attending post secondary. Many people I know are simply enhancing their learning before entering post secondary in the programs they want to join such as volunteering, getting a job at an area they are interested to study in, and taking online courses to learn more about the material and see if the program they want to apply to is worth it! Doing this also helps them gain a better understanding of the topic, and the skills they learn over a year can help them strive even more in post secondary because they know what path they want to study and have the motivation to get to the top and gain the degree they are after (4)!
That question was going a bit off topic, but it was simply connecting it to the Gap year theme more, and ending the sub question of if going to post secondary right after graduating high school is right for you! I hope you all enjoyed my blog for today! See you next time on more talk about Gap years!!
(1) Brock, M. (2023). Comparing the Pros and Cons of Going to College. Retrieved May 12, 2023, https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/pros-and-cons-of-college/
(2) solutions, A. (2023). Do your post-secondary grades matter when applying for a role in Canada? Retrieved May 13, 2023, https://www.agilus.ca/blog/do-your-post-secondary-grades-matter-when-applying-for-a-role-in-canada#:~:text=Your%20grades%20will%20fortunately%20only,hundreds%20of%20open%20postings%20here.
(3) Chow, H. (2022). 10 Things No One Tells You About Post-Secondary Life. Retrieved May 13, 2023, https://blog.studentlifenetwork.com/2021/08/05/10-things-about-post-secondary-life/
(4) Hub, S. (2022). 10 Pros And Cons Of Taking A Gap Year. Retrieved May 13, 2023, https://www.thescholarshiphub.org.uk/pros-and-cons-of-a-gap-year/
Hi Negar,
This is such an interesting topic! I think it is extremely helpful to current grade 11 and 12 students, and even younger students who like to plan ahead. I like how you touched on different aspects in both the pros and cons section, making your answer very well-rounded.
I had one question as I read through your post. Is it a common scenario for students to feel relaxed and get used to this lifestyle during their gap year, then have a even harder time transitioning to university, where they will have big workloads and a busy lifestyle? I feel this topic might be interesting to touch on as well.
Here are a few links that might help:
https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/what-is-a-gap-year/
https://www.goabroad.com/articles/gap-year/cons-of-taking-a-gap-year
Overall, I enjoyed reading this blog post and look forward to learning more from you! Good luck:)
Hi Negar!
It was very interesting reading about your topic. As a senior myself, I understand the struggles and difficulties of choosing ur future and career, whether that is attending post-secondary school or not. Another topic to mention is the stress and possible downsides of a gap year. A few of my friends who took a gap year mentioned its loneliness, as they see the rest of their friends studying or working with other’s while they take a gap year. I hope that gives you a few ideas for your future blogs!
Here are a few possible resources to help with information :
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjBpYGn1_r-AhWKFzQIHaC0BvoQFnoECCMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gvicanada.ca%2Fblog%2Fgap-year-pros-and-cons%2F&usg=AOvVaw3WAvfVdtntThuZh9Ar4D9J
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjBpYGn1_r-AhWKFzQIHaC0BvoQFnoECCoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.casita.com%2Fblog%2Fpros-and-cons-should-you-take-a-gap-year&usg=AOvVaw1vZOgsAqoHWvEHR40_tYVW
I look forward to reading more about your topic!
Mai
Hi Negar,
I think this is such an interesting topic and I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog posts so far. A question I had was if taking a gap year affects your chances of getting into universities or if your real world experience actually made you more desirable.
Here’s an article that might help with your future research: https://www.globalcitizenyear.org/content/why-take-a-gap-year/
Good luck with your next posts!
Aniela
Hi Negar,
This was such a creative post to read! I loved how you explained your plan on if you are going to take a gap year or not. This was great because I feel the same way, so I can benefit from your posts. Some questions I have for you are: what are some other statistics of people that choose to take gap years over post-secondary schools? What are some statistics for people that regret taking gap years? What are some statistics for people that regret going to post-secondary schools?
Here are some links to further your research:
1)https://www.cangap.ca/
2)https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/what-a-gap-year-is-and-how-it-prepares-students-for-college
3)https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply/first-year-applicants/considering-gap-year
I can’t wait to read more,
Sarah
Hey Negra,
This is a fantastic blog post! I love how detailed and descriptive your responses were. As you mentioned, taking a gap year can be advantageous for your mental health, and it can give you the chance to enjoy your passions. I definitely agree with that statement because it can be beneficial to take a break from school to explore your interests, and to chase your goals. However, a question I have is how many people per year take gap year in Canada? Maybe you can look into that for your next post. Also, below I have provided links to stories of people who have taken a gap year which might help you with research. Nevertheless, good luck with your next blog post!
https://college.harvard.edu/student-life/student-stories/overthinkers-guide-taking-gap-year
https://studyworkgrow.com.au/2022/05/24/10-famous-people-who-took-gap-years/
Mahdiya A.
Hi Negar!
This is a very creative topic. I am only in grade 9 and I found your post not only interesting but also very helpful. I have thought about gap-years in the past and asked people about if taking one was a good idea and I have heard many mixed thoughts and opinions, this gives lots of information so thank you for that.
A question I have about this topic is if students end up regretting taking a gap year or not?
Here are some sources that may help you with your future research:
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/what-a-gap-year-is-and-how-it-prepares-students-for-college
Good luck with your future posts! – Hannah