Prompt: a gap year from school It is becoming increasingly popular to have a year off between finishing school and going to university. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

The idea of taking a gap year before attending college is becoming more and more prevalent among high school graduates. There are many benefits as well as drawbacks of this phenomenon. Ċ Having a year off after high school graduation is advantageous in some certain facets. Firstly, students can have time to relax after a fundamental competition and be more prepared for a completely new environment in university. Some students take this as a chance to travel and get to know more about various fields such as foreign language and culture. They are also be able to acquire useful soft skills from attending temporary courses which are needed for the future but rarely taught in high school. Secondly, due to the inadequate provision of career orientation in high school, sparing another 12 months looking for a job or signing up for a vocational course is considered a remedy for students to figure out their future path. Using this one year's time reasonably can save a lot of time for gap year takers later as it equips them to be more confident, competent and oriented towards future. Ċ From an opposite angle, the disadvantages of a gap year are varied. Initially, compared to the students having a year off, those who go straight to college are likely to have a permanent job earlier. They finish their academic studies one year in advance, have better opportunities to get a job with stable income. Moreover, high school seniors might lose their studying habits as well as discipline. In other words, one year spent on traveling can demotivate them from tertiary education. Ċ In conclusion, despite having many benefits in terms of traveling and working, taking a gap year also has certain shortcomings that people should pay heed to.