The pros and cons of taking a gap year after high school graduation

Taking a gap year between high school and college isn’t for everyone, but it can help you gain valuable life experiences and learn new things about yourself. It’s a decision that’ll have implications for your finances, your education, and many other facets of your life, so it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of it.

Here’s a list to consider to help you get started when it comes to making this decision.

The potential pros of taking a gap year between high school and college

Taking a gap year can help you save money

Taking a year off between high school and college to work and save money can help you financially in the long run. You might be able to reduce the number of student loans you’ll need to cover your education, which means you’ll have less debt when you graduate. You might even discover a new career path or interest that’ll shape what you end up studying during college.

Some students say that taking a gap year helped them find themselves

Taking time off can help you find things you’re passionate about. You can use this time to find a job or volunteer opportunities in your field of interest. This can also help you decide what programs or schools to investigate when you finish your gap year potentially.

Sometimes universities and colleges encourage students to take gap years

Some schools actively suggest that incoming students consider a gap year. Students who’ve had the opportunity to travel to different areas of the world and gain new experiences can bring a lot of value to school programs and classroom discussions.

You could get a better understanding of the world by taking a gap year

Whether it’s community service, volunteer work, working full time, or taking some time to travel, all of these things can provide valuable life-shaping experiences. Building life experiences can really open your eyes to new things and help you develop more knowledge of the world around you, which can help you in the long run.

You might learn skills during your gap year to help build up your resume

Unique experiences can really help your resume stand out from the pack. For example, maybe during a gap year, you find an opportunity to work on a farm overseas for your room and board costs. Maybe you spend the year in another country teaching English. Maybe you volunteer at your local animal shelter. The possibilities are endless, and these experiences can really help you build your resume.

A gap year might give you time to pursue your passions and expand your network

As you’re exploring yourself to find out what you’re passionate about during a gap year, you’ll likely find others with similar interests. This underscores why this is a great time to start building your network. A person’s network consists of their professional relationships and people they’ve met along their path. A robust network can be a great way to help you find a job or mentor, as people generally like to help others that share the same interests.

The potential cons of taking a gap year

Sometimes, taking a gap year will take away your momentum

Taking a year off can, in some cases, cause you to lose momentum. It’s like riding a bike uphill; if you get enough momentum, you can make it to the top. But if you stop halfway, you might not be able to ride easily to the top, and you’ll end up walking your bike up instead.

It’s not a perfect analogy, but some students will lose momentum to pursue higher education if they step away.

Taking a gap year can be expensive

For some students, taking a gap year can be a great way to save money. That being said, if you’re someone who wants to spend this time traveling the world, then you’ll need to find a way to pay for those travel experiences, and that won’t always be cheap.

Some students regret taking a gap year

After deciding to take some time off, it might not be what you expected. What if it’s a waste of time? What if you can’t afford it or change your mind about taking a gap year altogether? By that point, you’ll have to wait for the next school year to get started with college.

By taking a gap year, some students fall behind their peers

Some students don’t like the idea of falling behind their peers that they were in high school with. This really comes down to individual preferences, but if you always had your sights on attending college with your closest friends or find yourself stressed at the thought of being a year behind classmates from high school, a gap year might not be for you.

Final thoughts

You’ve heard it a thousand times – college is important, and it’s a major commitment. But, so is a gap year. Regardless of what you decide to do, you need to fully commit. If you decide to take a gap year, make the most of your time off – explore the world, learn a new trade, save your money to avoid going into too much student loan debt – the options are limitless. This choice isn’t for everyone, though, and sometimes going straight to college from high school is the right choice.