
The United Kingdom’s government is a huge supporter of gap years because they help students gain maturity and maximize their college experience.

In Europe, gap years date back to the 17th century when students would take a 7-8-month break from academics before beginning college coursework.
Traveling the world after high school pdf#
If you need more help explaining the concept to your family, check out our PDF guide here. You’ll prepare for college-and in many ways, the rest of your life. A gap semester or year is a period of self-discovery and hypergrowth that can help you find place in the world. Gap years provide so many benefits that aren’t so widely known. If your family has always expected you to go straight through high school and college then shoot out into the job market or grad school, it can be hard to imagine telling your parents that you want something different-even if that different thing will push you out of your comfort zone and help you make the most of what’s next on your path. You can also take a gap after any semester of college, or after college graduation. In many cases, students take their gap year or semester right after high school before they begin college coursework. What is a gap year?Īccording to the Gap Year Association, a gap year is a semester or year of experiential learning, typically taken after high school and prior to career or post-secondary education, in order to deepen one's practical, professional, and personal awareness. You can travel the world, engage in service learning, gain internship experience, or learn a foreign language.

Is it important for you to see the world and experience other cultures? Do you want get work experience before entering school? Are you ready to pick a major?īy taking a gap year after high school, you’ll have time to figure out what you want and start to put your plans into motion. Taking the time to figure out what you want from life can help you plan for a better future. Even as you spend most of your time preparing for the next step, it can be hard to zoom out and think about the big picture of your post-high school life. The second half of high school tends to be laser-focused on college applications as you pile on extra-curricular activities and try to make it to every club’s yearbook photo.

Taking a gap year after high school can help you maximize your college experience.
