Are Gap Years Beneficial? Here Are 5 Great Reasons Why They Are

Taking a gap year before or during your college years is growing in popularity, but is it really beneficial? There are many reasons to hit pause on the college track, and many different advantages that can be gained from taking time off to temporarily do something else. Whether you want to see the world, build up work experience, help others, or just take some time to take care of yourself, gap years can be tempting. Let’s take a look at why they can be beneficial.

1. Get Valuable Work Experience

Taking a gap year can give you a chance to take a break from academics and work instead. If done before attending college, taking a lower level entry position in the industry you plan to study in can be a good way to get your feet wet and make sure you really want to work in the industry before committing time and money to a college degree. If you’re not sure which career path you want to follow, a gap year can be a good opportunity to try several different short term jobs to see what kind of work you enjoy best. A gap year can also offer students an opportunity to attend internships, and build up industry connections and experience before graduating. Internships and work experience can make your resume stand out against other recent graduates, as well as give you real-life experience in the industry of your choice. Internships come in many variations and can be either paid or counted as part of your course hours for your degree. If you want to get a head start in your career, taking a gap year to work or attend an internship can help you get ahead of the pack.

2. Can Travel the World and Refresh Your Mind

Many students use gap year to travel. Traveling can become more complicated once you’ve settled down into adult life and have a home, job, and responsibilities to attend to. Traveling during a gap year before taking on those commitments can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Whether traveling abroad or within the country, traveling during a gap year can expand your horizons and help you make informed decisions about your future once you return to school. Traveling can be expensive, but some students choose to combine working and traveling in their gap year. If you plan to go overseas, many companies offer visas for students who want to come and work temporarily in the country. This can look great on a resume, and still offer you the opportunity to visit new places and gain experience on your time off. Working Holiday Visas (often abbreviated to WHV) are available in many countries all over the world for people age 18-30, and depending on the individual country can last to up to a year. The work requirements of a WHV are flexible, and are a good option for gap years abroad whether you plan to work at one place the whole year, or want to take on multiple shorter jobs as you travel.

3. Gain Life Experience with Volunteering

A gap year can be a great opportunity to do volunteer work, either abroad or in your local community. While not as financially beneficial as a job, volunteer work can also help a resume to stand out from the crowd, especially if it is related to your field of study or future career path. By taking some time off studying to volunteer, you can help others and build your own perspective at the same time. Some colleges offer volunteer programs for students taking a gap year. Other programs are offered by NGOs, which can help organize and schedule volunteer work on a gap year, especially when done overseas. There may be local opportunities for volunteer work as well, such as at conservation districts, animal shelters, churches, community outreach programs, and more.

4. Prevent Burnout Before Further Studies

School life can be very stressful. Between busy schedules, new environments, and changing relationships, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the college experience. If the stress becomes too great, the student risks burning out, a condition of combined mental and physical exhaustion that makes it difficult to continue working or studying. Burnout can slam the brakes on your progress in life, whether it occurs at school or at work. Taking a gap year, especially for highly intensive majors and career paths, can help prevent burnout by letting students take some time off to rest and recover. While it may seem counter-intuitive to take time off preemptively to prevent future time off, a gap year can take much less time than recovering from burnout and keep you moving forward on your planned path in life.

5. It Can Give You Space and Perspective

Many students like to go straight to college after high school as a way to keep their academic momentum going. However, this isn’t always the best option for everyone. For some people, it can be beneficial for some to take a break from highly structured school life and spend some time building maturity and self reliance. By stepping away from the imposed structure offered by many colleges, you can get experience setting your own schedule and fulfilling responsibilities on your own. For some, this can be a big help when they do return to school and help them get the most out of their college experience. Statistics show that around 90% of students who take a gap year return to school within a year. For that 90%, a gap year can help them gain perspective and make the right choice on a major and career path, instead of rushing in and having to make changes later. For the 10% who don’t return, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ve failed in their career path. The gap year may have given them time to realize that the college path isn’t for them, which is a good thing to find out before sinking a lot of time and money into a degree that you may regret later.

Are Gap Years Beneficial?

As we’ve seen, there are many reasons why a gap year can be beneficial. You may need a mental break from your studies, want some life experience before you take on responsibilities, or need time to think clearly about your future. If you feel fresh and have a clear plan for your future, then a gap year may not be needed. It’s better for some to keep up the momentum and finish their studies as soon as possible. For others, a gap year can be hugely beneficial in setting up their future.