Now you know what Gap Year Essay is, but there is one more document that serves as an explanation for your educational break, namely Gap Year Certificate. It is often, that two documents are confused as substitutes for each other, however, they differ, drastically at that.
Gap Year Certificate is an official document that serves to officiate the educational gap. It is of the official nature that the document is also called Gap Year Affidavit. The certificate shall help you gain verification from your country’s government, that all the claims made by you in the Gap Year Essay are true and fair. The certificate is also a big help in providing a character and activities verification for your time spent in gap years.
Hence, Gap Year Certificate is an officiated and verified statement of declaration that you took some years of gap in your educational journey and the details stated by you in its regard are true and fair to the extent of your declaration to the Indian government. On the other hand, Gap Year Essay acts as your monologue of why you took the gap years and other details. While an extremely important document, it does not have the standing enjoyed by the Gap Year Certificate. Hence, it is recommended that you get your Gap Year Essay officiated through Gap Year Certificate to avoid verification complications.
You will have to buy a stamp paper, stating the denominations of INR 100, and then include the required information and points before submitting the same for verification and attestation from the designated gazetted officer. The cost of stamp paper shall be the same as the denomination mentioned on the header of the paper. You might have to include police verification, in relation to your character and residential, to provide a firm backing for your application.
Your Gap Year certificate must include the following details:
Personal details including Name, Age, Gender, Date of Birth, Permanent Address, Contact Number, E-Mail Id, etc.,
Official ID details, of the one submitted along with the certificate,
Details of the milestone qualifications, such as X, XII, and all above degree or diploma qualifications,
Details of the last qualification,
Date of gap beginning,
Details of Gap (if started mid qualification or not),
Reason behind your gap years (briefly),
Name of the last institute, school, college, or university,
Name of the institute, school, college, or university for future application,
Date of Application,
Candidate’s Personal Undertaking,
Candidate’s Signature,
Gazetted Officer or Advocate’s Personal Undertaking, and
Gazetted Officer or Advocate’s Signature.
As stated, your country’s government, here the Indian government, shall issue the certificate. You will have to apply for the Gap Year Certificate with the Indian government, here a judicial gazetted officer, or advocate. Once the respective gazetted officer verifies your documents and application they shall attest your certificate and you may now use the same for application to any national or international exam, university, job, etc.
You shall have to apply for the Gap Year Certificate on a stamp paper of at least INR 100, as a monetary personal undertaking. Other documents you need to include when applying for Gap Year Certificate include:
Termination/Leaving Certificate of School, College, or University (as the case may be),
Undertaking or declaration of your recent previous institute,
Last qualifying examination’s mark sheet,
National ID Proof (such as Aadhar Card),
Address Proof,
Birth Certificate or Proof of Nationality,
Gap Year Essay or Reason in description behind the gap year.
A gap year can be an opportunity to do something worthwhile before going back to the mundane academic routine but it can also be looked at negatively if you are unable to justify the break. In order to prove that you took the gap and filled it with constructive activities and it was not a waste, you should avoid making a few mistakes while writing the gap year essay .
The mistakes have been explained below:
Do not show your gap year in a negative light. It should not seem as if it was not fruitful for you or that you did not gain any new experience. Try to find out or get involved in productive activities so that you can justify your gap.
Even if you did not work or do something productive during your gap year, do not directly mention it in your essay. You can write about some activities that made you curious to pursue the course of your choice.
Do not try to make your gap sound unnecessarily dramatic. You should not be fabricating false experiences as you may get caught if an interview takes place or if there is any discrepancy. Being candid and truthful is often rewarded.
Not providing sufficient proof to support your claims or activities mentioned in your gap year essay can be a huge mistake. You can get letters of recommendation from people you have worked with or provide experience certificates or learning certificates to prove that you have utilised your time effectively. A Gap Year Certificate can single-handedly help you to make your case point.
The tone of the essay must neither be too casual nor overly personal. It is important to establish a personal connection, but you must avoid presenting yourself as still too involved. Since personality growth is an important aspect of gap years, you must not come off as still dealing with the effects of the period.
Do not set a preachy tone to your essay. You have to state your reasons and share rational experiences, not advocate the requirement or advantages of taking educational gaps.
Do not overemphasize your problems behind the educational gap, such as financial ones. Over lamentation can be seen as an indicator of your negative and unmotivated personality.
While writing a gap year essay, you must keep in mind that your essay should address directly the questions that the admission officers will have in their mind such as what you did in your gap year, where did you spend your gap year and how, why did you take a gap year, how value did the gap year add to your life and how it is to impact your future. Let us check what the study gap explanation letter sample must look like.
A gap year should never be seen in a negative light. Students not only learn within the periphery of classrooms but also from the world as a classroom. People learn valuable lessons every day from in and around their surroundings, and taking a gap year often means students are developing new skills and experiences to utilise in college. Therefore, the gap year essay must consist of a justification of the gap year with evidence. The admission committee will conduct a holistic evaluation and may even give you brownie points for your efforts at being a rounded individual.
If you have any queries regarding a gap year essay and want to know further about how to write it, contact us at abroad@collegedekho.com.
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What do you write in a gap year essay?
You can write about the reasons for taking the break in your gap year essay. You can also mention the effects it has had on your personality as a whole and the learning experiences you have gained. It should highlight your professional as well as personal aggrandisement.
Where can I get samples of gap year essays?
You can get samples of gap year essays from the internet. From there, you can get an idea of the format and content of a gap year essay. You may also get some tips to write a good gap year essay and what you should avoid writing in the gap year essay. Additionally, you can take help from experts who can guide you through the entire process.
Can I write about work experience in a gap year essay?
Yes, you can write about work experience in a gap year essay. It will be a testimonial of your proactive nature and the learning experiences which you have gained during the work period. It will also show that you know the inner workings of a company and now you want to contribute to your professional experience with the help of higher studies.
What reasons for a gap year can I write in a gap year essay?
You can cite monetary and health issues in your gap year essay. Apart from these two most common reasons for a gap, you can write about any employment opportunity, voluntary or freelancing activity, travel or learning a new skill as a reason for a gap year. To support them, you can also write the challenges you have faced and how you have overcome them.
What should be the format of a gap year essay?
The format of a gap year essay follows a conventional essay format with a proper introduction, body and conclusion. In the introduction, you can write in brief about yourself and the cause of your gap year, then you can elucidate it and in the end, you can write the impact it had on your life.
How to start a gap year essay?
You can start your gap year essay by giving a short introduction of yourself and how you have spent your gap year. You can touch upon the reason for which you had chosen to take a gap. You can mention the delay in enrollment due to special projects, activities, travel or spending time in another way which is meaningful.
How can I conclude my gap year essay?
You can conclude your gap year essay by citing the effect it has had on your personal and professional development. Write about the experiences gained during this time and how they have made you a better human being. You can mention how you can utilise these learnings in your future endeavours.
Can I lie in my gap year essay?
No, it is recommended to not lie in a gap year essay. The admission committee can cross-check or verify the information during the interview and if they find any discrepancy, your candidature will be dismissed. Therefore, it is crucial to utilise your gap year by immersing in worthwhile activities and enlist the same in your gap year essay.
Will my gap year essay result in a negative decision from the university?
No, your gap year essay will not result in a negative decision from the university unless you show your gap year in a bad light. If the admission committee finds that you utilised your gap year well, learned new skills, took part in employment activities or achieved something worthwhile, they will be more than happy to welcome you.
Do I need to provide proof of my activities during my gap year along with my gap year essay?
You may or may not need to provide proof of your activities during your year gap along with your gap year essay. But if you submit it, it will provide solid evidence of your activities and support the case. You may include the activities in your resume or get letters of recommendation (LORs) to substantiate your gap year essay.
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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how do i explain a gap year on my college applications.
I took a gap year after high school and I'm worried about how it will look on my college applications. How can I explain my gap year in a positive way so it doesn't hurt my chances of getting accepted?
It's great that you're considering how to present your gap year in a positive light on your college applications. Many students take gap years, and colleges are often open to these experiences, as long as they are framed constructively.
First, consider what you did during your gap year. If you engaged in any meaningful activities, such as volunteering, internships, or personal projects, make sure to highlight these experiences in your application. You can include them in the 'Activities' section or even write an essay about how they influenced your personal growth.
If your gap year was more focused on personal circumstances, like family commitments or health issues, it's important to be honest about this. You can briefly explain the situation in the 'Additional Information' section of your application. Just remember to focus on how you've grown and what you've learned from the experience, rather than dwelling on any negative aspects.
Good luck with your applications!
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You have just submitted your primary application and after a brief respite, the secondary essays begin to flood in. Do not fret! With a little practice and patience, you will be churning out these essays! It can be easy, however, to become overwhelmed with the task at hand. My advice is to begin writing some of the more straightforward essays to help you boost your confidence and get the ball moving. A great place to start is the prompt about your gap year. Here are a few tips and misconceptions to guide you through this common secondary prompt.
In many cases for this essay, you will have very little space to describe what you are doing or plan to do. As such, do not add flowery language and get to the point as quickly as possible. Your main goals here are to (1) tell your reviewers what it is that you are doing/plan to do and (2) what you have learned/hope to learn. Ideally you want to focus on the latter and explain how these extra years will eventually align with your goals of becoming a physician.
One thing that is often not known (or is simply forgotten) is that these secondary essays are not your last opportunity to update your schools about what is happening/what you are learning during your gap year. Throughout the admissions process, applicants are often encouraged to write update letters to the schools (just double check that each of your schools accepts update letters). This secondary is a great chance to tell the schools the things that you are working on now and what you have learned from them.
Something that many applicants do during their gap years is work on their candidacy – most commonly working on their MCAT score. However, something that might be feared at this point in the cycle is that this information is not enough for this essay. However, medical school is a lot about resilience and overcoming obstacles. Therefore, talking about the plan and approach you have taken to strengthen your application is a valid approach for this essay! Ideally, your plan worked and you did in fact achieve your goals; so, talking about what you have learned in the process is absolutely helpful in showing your ability to go through medical school and become a doctor.
While many people spend their gap years doing something that is “easily defendable” in terms of its relation to a future in medicine, others may do something completely different. All the above is great! The most important thing to do in this essay is to talk about what you have learned and how it will make you a better physician in the long run.
Now, if you have taken many years off and have not touched the field of medicine for any of those years, it may be more difficult to defend why you are applying to medical school. If you are going through this scenario, my advice is to try to have something even remotely related to medicine going on in the background. Your primary focus of your gap year(s) can be unrelated to medicine, but make sure you have some kind of touchpoint with the medical field during that time, even if it's in a very limited capacity.
Pav graduated magna cum laude with a BSE in Chemical and Biological Engineering and minors in Engineering Biology and Global Health Policy from Princeton. He is now an MD-PhD student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
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Why students should take a gap year essay sample, example.
Perhaps the first factor speaking in favor of taking a gap year is that by doing so, a student learns responsibility and how to organize his or her life to a greater extent. Taking a gap year is expensive in terms of travelling (which is one of the main occupations of students during their gap years) or spending free time in some other way. When students realize this simple fact, they usually get temporary part-time jobs to cover the expenditures of future vacations (WhateverResources). They can also collect money for further education to decrease the amount of student loans that they need to take out. All this makes students more self-sufficient and responsible for their decisions, the way they spend money, and organize their time.
The other significant reason for taking a gap year is better academic performance. Whereas many students and their parents are concerned about possible problems with academic performance after taking a year off, recent research proves the opposite. In particular, studies show that students who decide to take a gap year before entering a college had a GPA that was on average 0.1-0.4 higher than those students who enrolled into higher education immediately after high school (FoxBusiness). Researchers believe it is connected to the possibility to choose one’s sphere of interests, and make a more balanced and reasonable decision before choosing what to major in. In addition, another reason why the second category of students often may perform worse is fatigue from studying at high school; those who take a gap year do not experience this problem.
Taking a year off is also a perfect opportunity to see the world and feel completely free of daily routines, troubles, and assignments—students are able make new friends around the world, find inspiration, and dedicate time to introspect about their own behavior. To some degree, this chance is the only one a person may have throughout their his or her life, because in the future awaits all kinds of academic assignments, career choices, family, and other manifestations of life in higher education (Mihaylova). Many students choose to visit countries they know they will never go to in the future; this often provides them with inspiration, different perspectives, broadens their outlooks, and helps them to understand the diversity of the world they live in on a deeper level.
As it turns out, there is no need to rush to enroll in a college immediately after high school; taking a gap year to take a breath and look around seems to be a more reasonable alternative. During a gap year, students learn more about responsibility and organizing their lives, because they have to earn their own money to pay for the leisurely part of the gap year. Students who take a year off usually demonstrate better academic performance than those who enter colleges immediately after high school. In addition, a gap year is most likely the only chance for a person to see the world without being bothered by such problems as loans, assignments, career, and so on. References
Mohammed, Ali George. “What Does It Mean to Take a Gap Year?” WhateverResources. N.p., 13 Sept. 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.
“Taking a Gap Year: What Students Should Consider.” Fox Business. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. <http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/09/20/taking-gap-year-what-students-should-consider/>.
Mihaylova, Jane Kwan. My Personal Gap Year. Somewhereburg: Random Authors, 2012. Print.
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Essay topic
In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this .
In many countries, youngsters are often encouraged to take an year off, to work or travel across the world, before embarking on their formal university education. This recent trend, also known as “gap – year”, has numerous merits and a few demerits, which will be discussed in this essay.
To begin with, the biggest advantage of taking sabbatical to explore the world is that it gives them an opportunity to discover their career interest. Such trips are not only fun , but also gives them a chance to socialise , engage in volunteering, and understand global issues and global culture . This helps them to discover their real passion which is the foundation stone for a fulfilling career. For instance, data from Harvard University, 2010, pointed out that drop-out rate from university courses is around 10 percent less in those children who chose the course after taking a “gap year” in comparison to those who headed straight to university after the high school.
In addition to this, working for a year before starting university reduces the financial burden of higher education to an extent. As the advanced studies are costly in most countries, working for a year helps them in saving money so they have to borrow less money and are under less financial debt, when they start higher studies.
In contrast to above viewpoints, the most significant disadvantage of such a break is that it can be a distraction from further studies. Some students find such breaks so relaxing and enjoyable that they decide to shun further studies permanently.
Although the incidences of such cases are few, the effects can be disastrous for their further career. For instance, a 2010 report from Florida University revealed that 1 in 100 students, who take “Gap-year” never go for advanced studies and struggle throughout their life to make the ends meet because of being unskilled.
To conclude, the break of a year taken before pursuing university studies helps students to discover their career interest and also allows them to consolidate financially. However, for a minority of high school graduates it can lead to an end of an academic career .
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Search the site, search suggestions, should you consider taking a gap year.
Taking a year off from school can seem a bit intimidating. However, taking a gap year between high school and college was an integral part of my journey to college, and it could be a part of yours as well!
Gap years are becoming increasingly more common for graduating high school students. They can be invaluable opportunities to work, travel, learn, and grow.
What did I get up to on my gap year?
During the summers that flanked my year off I worked as a camp counselor. I had worked at the camp throughout high school so it felt comfortable to start and end my time off with something familiar. However, going into my gap year I had no idea what I was going to do during the school season. I knew that I wanted to travel, but I didn’t have the money to do so. So the first thing I did was look for a job close to home. I ended up working part time in a Wegmans bakery and as a nanny for a local family. During the seven months that I worked, I was researching and planning a two month (self funded) trip through western Europe for myself and a friend. In late March, we left our jobs (with advance notice to our employers) and set off for the trip of a lifetime! We visited Dublin, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and London. We stayed in a combination of Hostels and friends' homes. It was so much fun to explore new places and meet new people. It was such a transformative experience!
How do you know if a gap year is the right choice for you?
Consider the following questions when deciding whether a gap year would be a good option for you.
Do you need a break?
Many of us work our butts off during high school to be the best we can be, and that can be tiring. Occasionally, students who graduate from high school and go directly to college might feel burnt out. This feeling is more common than many students realize, and it is completely valid! You can take time off from school to reflect on your goals and interests, focus on your health, and/or gain experience in environments different from a classroom. It is not a race to graduate. This information from Harvard's Admissions Office might be helpful to you as you consider a gap year: .
Me receiving my high school diploma
Do you feel like you need time to mature?
College is a place to learn, grow, and gain maturity. However, it does require a certain level of maturity and independence going in as well. If you find yourself depending on others (such as your parents) to be responsible for you, you may consider using a gap year to practice maturity and independence.
Do you wish you had more money?
Gap years can be used to work a full-time job or to take on an internship. It’s okay to simply use your time off from school to work and make money if it will help lighten the burden of your financial responsibilities. Additionally, just because you work doesn’t mean you can’t have fun during your gap year. (I did both!)
My best friend Sam in my Wegmans work uniform
Would you like hands-on experience before getting to college?
Working a job in a field that you are interested in studying, such as government, marketing, medicine, or business can be a valuable way to gain experience. Internships and volunteer positions can also be great ways to get hands-on experience.
Do you have a skill you want to hone?
Some of my friends used their gap years to write and perform music, work as photographers, or to compete in various national and global competitions! Some people use their gap years to further explore their interests by taking courses in subjects that they might not have been exposed to during high school. (However, please know that, if you're an incoming Harvard student, you're not allowed to fully enroll in any other college during your gap year; also, none of the courses you take during your gap year will be eligible for transfer credits). You could look into your local community center to see if they offer any adult education courses; I briefly took a sewing course at a local craft store.
Do you want to travel?
While you can certainly travel during college through study abroad programs, sometimes it’s nice to travel without having to worry about doing your homework at the end of the day. Traveling during time off from school allows you to be a true tourist and to take advantage of many different opportunities. That being said, if you do not want to travel just as a tourist, you can often travel and do amazing work at the same time! There are a number of internships/jobs available for students wishing to go abroad.
Me and my travel buddy in front of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona during our gap year
The bottom line
There are many reasons to take a gap year, but consider what's best for you. If you feel like you are ready to jump into college right after high school, go for it! However, if you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, then you might consider taking time off from school. If you decide that you do want to take a gap year, but you aren’t sure how to go about it, a good place to start is your school guidance counselor. They may have information about opportunities in your local area and might be able to help you begin to plan your year off. They can also help you talk to your parents about why a gap year may be the right choice for you.
For some more information and resources about gap years, check out the Gap Year Association !
You should also check out Harvard's student-run club for people who have taken time off, the Gap Year Society .
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If you have taken time off and need to explain why in your application, you should look at a medical school gap year secondary essay example or two. If you have taken a gap year before medical school , you might find yourself in the position of needing to explain why. Most medical schools provide an opportunity to speak to this gap year, often in your medical school secondary essays .
It’s important to talk about your gap year because the gap can be seen as either a positive or negative by your institution. You need to show yourself as the perfect candidate, so take advantage of this opportunity.
In this article, we’ll talk about gap years and give you medical school secondary essay examples that speak specifically to gap years. This way, you can write your own and attend the med school of your dreams.
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Why take a gap year.
There are lots of great reasons for a gap year as well as a couple of uncomfortable reasons that you can turn into positives.
Unsure of taking a gap year before medical school? Watch this video:
Medical school is expensive. You might have needed an extra year to work a job or two and save up. This is not a problem; admissions committees know this. If you’re heading into your gap year, try to find work that has some bearing on health care so that you can double up on reasons for your gap year.
You can’t make an essay out of, “I needed money,” however. You should talk about your responsibilities, which could include supporting family members. You should also demonstrate your prudence, planning, and forethought and talk about your long-term goals. This way, you’re not just discussing the reality of needing money but illuminating your character and showing why you’re an ideal candidate for medical school.
You might need to pick up extra courses to make your application work. Maybe you actually need a course you don’t have. Maybe you just want higher grades for a better transcript, so you’re retaking some classes. However it shakes down, picking up your academic muster is a great reason for a gap year.
When speaking to your courses, talk about how they have improved your knowledge and understanding – show, don’t tell, using examples that show your improvement.
You wanted to see the world, meet people, and find out about other cultures, so you took a year off while you had the opportunity. Great! Medical schools love a well-rounded individual who has the empathy derived from journeying to other destinations. Talk about your travels in the world and how they have shaped and changed your outlook on life.
Sometimes, personal responsibilities create pitfalls that get in our way. You might have had to deal with an illness or other strain in your personal life. This could be tragic – like the loss of a loved one and the fallout from that experience. Taking a gap year to deal with trauma is fine. Talk about your experiences – as much as you are able – and how they have changed you.
This is the hardest gap year essay to write. You flunked a course and needed to retake it. How to get into medical school with a low GPA requires making certain moves – like retaking courses – to realize your dream. If you need a higher score due to medical school GPA requirements , or because you can’t get into medical school with a low MCAT , you might need to write about this experience.
Take heart: you can turn a negative into a positive! Say that you could have taken your lower grades and gone for one of the easiest medical schools to get into but that you are convinced that an institution with higher thresholds would fit you best. Provide the reasons you believe that is true. Talk about how you don’t rest until you’ve worked your hardest. Talk about how your failures will never hold you back or be repeated. Your “failure” can turn into an essay about the hardest-working, fastest-learning student the admissions committee has ever seen.
You need to highlight the experiences you have had, lessons you’ve learned, and growth you’ve undergone during your gap year. At the same time, avoid vagueness in your essay that will leave your admissions committee thinking poorly of your usage of time.
While essays from different schools might have different word limits, most are between 500 and 750 words. You can go a little lower or higher than that, depending on the school.
I was heartbroken. On reviewing my transcript in connection with my top-choice medical school, I discovered that I was two courses short. Inorganic Chemistry – with lab – and a mathematics course in Statistics were both prerequisites. As it had been communicated to me, they were optional, and I had taken different courses for chemistry and math.
At first, I was filled with despair and anger, but those feelings passed quickly as I realized that I could be upset all I wanted, but what I really wanted was to move forward and go to the school of my dreams. It wasn’t time to feel sorry for myself; it was time to get to work.
While I was not keen to delay my future, I took advantage of every option I could. I was able to take both courses at a local community college and have time to really focus on them, plus I could get a job and save up money for medical school.
What I had been dreading, I wound up loving. My Inorganic Chemistry course was fascinating. I particularly loved the laboratory work, where I wound up doing experiments in thermodynamics. I was allowed to come in on weekends to conduct research; I had to ask for extra time because of how exciting and engaging I was finding the work to be. My research was on how energy is lost in energy-matter conversions, and I wrote a paper on why perpetual motion machines cannot work. I’m not pretending this was groundbreaking research, but it was a wonderful expedition into a new world.
In the second half of my course, I researched magnets and how they might affect medicine. I’m not talking about the use of magnets in healing, but how magnetic fields might affect medical technology. We use magnets in MRIs, for example, but these can damage other medical technology like pacemakers. I found all the lab work and experimentation in this course both intriguing and inspiring.
Statistics class was less fun. Cataloguing and number crunching has never been my strong suit, and I must admit that this disinclination toward this branch of mathematics was why I avoided the course when I thought it was optional. However, as difficult as I found it, I am glad I took the course. While I still don’t enjoy working with statistics, I am comfortable doing so. This has improved my confidence, and I no longer feel intimidated when contemplating the prospect of documenting patients or looking for anomalies in datasets to help diagnose problems.
My gap year started as a frustrating necessity that I accepted with a sigh. But during the year, I have gained confidence, piqued my curiosity, and learned that hard work and a good attitude can change a very negative experience into a positive one. I feel like a better person – not just a better candidate – thanks to this wonderful year.
Here're some more tips for making your medical school application stand out:
When we got the news, I was heartbroken, but not because it would mean a delay before pursuing my dream of becoming a doctor. Well, that was part of it, but my real sorrow came from the news that my mother was very sick and would need a tremendous amount of care.
It wasn’t just one thing, but several. In addition to a recent cancer diagnosis, she had had a bad accident while mountain climbing – one of her passions – and suffered a fractured leg and a concussion. I knew that between home care and medical bills, I would not be going to school in the fall.
Mom insisted that I go anyway, but I knew she would need me at home, so I insisted right back until she gave in. She’s not always easy to get along with, particularly since the concussion. It doesn’t matter to me. We might argue from time to time, but she’s still my mother and I couldn’t love her more if I tried. So, I canceled my medical school applications with letters of apology, and I learned what kind of home care Mom would need.
I was already working a part-time job in the evenings, doing some lab work with my Uncle Greg. Uncle Greg is a big influence in my life, and his scientific leanings inspired me to study biology and ultimately medicine. Moreover, he is more of a dad than anyone I’ve ever known. I explained the situation to Uncle Greg, and he offered me as many hours as he could. I also picked up a job working at a hardware store.
Everything went fine for a month or two, but I was feeling the emotional strain. Uncle Greg came around more to help out, and a neighbor also started coming by. This is when I recognized the importance of community in handling hard times. Pride is a luxury: I asked for help and got it. I found so many people in my friend circle who were willing to help, even in little ways like preparing a meal or letting me vent my frustrations and helping me emotionally.
Throughout my gap year, I came to appreciate the value of family and community as I never had before. It was harrowing and difficult, but I came through feeling cared for and loved by friends and by my community at large. Mom is doing much better now, and we’re finally in a place, in terms of health and finances, that allows me to apply to medical schools again.
Your school is at the top of my list due to its emphasis on programs like rural medicine and other community initiatives. With my love and understanding of the importance of social networks, I believe our values are aligned, and your institution will benefit me more than any other could.
The hard part wasn’t looking at a transcript with such a low GPA; it was knowing I would have to admit it. My parents were furious, and I had nothing to say because I was angry at myself, too; I let myself down. After the initial shock and disappointment, however, I knew that I could not accept defeat. I would push past this and fight harder than ever for my goals in life. I let my passion drive me forward instead of holding me back.
I re-enrolled in classes to bring up my test scores. I targeted the classes that had the low grades – I hadn’t flubbed everything, after all.
I knew that to bring my grades up, I would need a whole new routine. So, I applied multiple methods to improve my results. First, I talked to a friend of mine who I knew had stellar grades. She helped me by explaining her study habits to me, and I used her rubric for inspiration to create my own. One of the most fascinating things she told me was about breaks and burnout. She said I was essentially studying wrong by studying in too-intense bursts. By spreading out my sessions and breaking up studying with physical activity, chores, work, or relaxation, I would achieve better results.
I also now employ a study app on my smart phone. This app helps me set up lesson plans and study sessions and keeps me in balance with other activities and nutrition. Nutrition surprised me, too, because while I understood that eating right was good for you, I had let my dietary habits slip in school; it’s easy to get hooked on junk food. I quit junk food cold turkey and switched to a healthier diet. Almost immediately, I saw results in my ability to learn and process information.
My improved studying habits paid off, and my three worst grades turned into my three best grades. On top of it all, I had restored some balance in my work-play-school and improved my health. My low grades had turned into a major lifestyle revision, which has left me feeling happier and healthier as well as more prepared for medical school applications.
You’re now ready to write your own medical school gap year secondary essay. Keep in mind that all essays boil down to selling yourself as perfect for the institution you’re applying to. Even a gap year essay comes down to addressing, “ Why this medical school ?” or “ Why should we choose you ?”
How to write a college essay can be hard. Even knowing how to start a college essay can be difficult! In addition to studying medical school secondary essay examples, we also recommend finding a college essay review service , which can be of great help.
At this point, you’re ready to start writing about your gap year with skill and knowledge that only essay examples can give!
This changes from school to school, but 500 words is about average. Sometimes this is given in a character count – assume it includes spaces unless otherwise told – or a page count, but the main thing is to never exceed the limit.
We recommend you take a little time every day for 2 or 3 weeks. You have to write it, refine it, and proofread it – and that’s even before sending it out for other people to look over.
As we’ve said, a gap year can be a great advantage. If you’re going to use your time well, then yes, it’s worth it, but you also need to factor in your timeline for your future goals, too.
Yes. Everything counts because it gives an impression of who you are: a careful spellchecker, or somebody who doesn’t care about their work.
You’re probably thinking surface-level. Maybe you needed money, so you got a job. What’s to write about? Tell the story of your dreams of med school, the hardship of knowing you can’t afford it, and how you won’t quit due to a hurdle in your path. That story is compelling and interesting. You probably learned something valuable along the way, too.
It’s recommended. If you took the gap year, it would be good to know why. You don’t want ambiguity leading the admissions committee to thinking that you just did nothing for a year.
Pick a main reason and focus on that. Mention the others in one paragraph or connect them to the main reason. For example, maybe you were saving up money but also helping your family through financial troubles. You can easily talk about both in the same essay. It is good to stay focused, however.
Some schools won’t have a gap year essay, or secondary essays, so there might not be a direct prompt. If your school doesn’t have a direct prompt, you can use some of your medical school personal statement to speak to your gap year – it is part of your journey to med school, after all.
If the institution you’re applying to has no essays whatsoever, you cannot address the gap year directly. Trust that they don’t need to hear about it, or will ask about it as one of their medical school interview questions .
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How to make your secondary essays stand out, (even if you think you don't have extraordinary experiences).
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“It’s day one of a really uncertain year … here’s to adventure, I guess.” I naively wrote those words on the first page of a brown leather journal that followed me into more than 100 random “host houses” that I nomadically called home for a year.
Like many 18-year-olds, high school was the necessary stepping-stone for college. I was insistently Type A in high school with an intense focus on top grades and engaging in extracurriculars, with the foresight of a well-dressed college application and a sheer determination to prove that I would find success upon leaving my small Texas hometown.
But I’ll always remember the melancholic feeling of a rolled diploma in my hand as I walked across the graduation stage. Much of my academic efforts had felt more like sleepwalking rather than learning. I craved an experience that would make me feel strongly about something — a cause, mission or profession, I wasn’t sure.
In July, a month before my college move-in date, I found that opportunity: I had applied for and was selected to travel across the country on behalf of the Future Farmers of America, a nonprofit organization I had been involved with in high school. The role required deferring a year of college to visit and speak at different high schools — 317 in total — and advocate for agriculture education in the classroom.
An FFA staff member handed me the keys to a Ford truck that was wrapped with elaborate rolling fields of crops down the side doors. I was given a list of schools to visit, a travel partner named Conner, a couple weeks of training and a clothes hanging rack for the back seat.
I wasn’t a wanderlust bohemian. I had a plan. A plan to go to college, major in business and become a CEO. But something within me knew before I attempted to lay out a career path, I needed to see more. My gap year didn’t squash my aspirations — it challenged them, flipping my 10-year plan on its head, making me ask why.
I needed to see more. My gap year didn’t squash my aspirations — it challenged them, flipping my 10-year plan on its head, making me ask why.
Washington, D.C., was the first travel stop for Conner and me. I’ll never forget an early morning that took place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I sat in awe as the sunrise’s gleam reflected on the water. To my right I smelled and peripherally saw a large, hairy animal — maybe standard in my hometown Gilmer, Texas, but not on the National Mall.
“Goat’s name is Miles,” said a voice hidden behind the large mammal. “And I’m Steve. We’re sort of a team.”
Interest piqued, I petted Miles and listened to Steve share the duo’s unlikely journey. From Seattle, Washington, to Washington, D.C., they had trekked 3,600 miles over four years, raising over $100,000 for a startup orphanage in Kenya. Quitting his job, departing normalcy and choosing an adventure that impacted and united folks across the globe.
Steve and Miles didn’t inspire me to call my admissions counselor and bail on my college degree, but they did challenge me to think about my life in its limited totality. That encounter left me wondering how I wanted to help the world, how I planned to change it, and thinking less about what was ordinary and practical. As an 18-year-old, being given the freedom to think imaginatively before re-entering the classroom walls provided a substantial framework for when I began at my university.
In total my gap year brought me to 18 states and across 60,000 miles. Each night, organized through FFA, a volunteer guest host kindly provided us a place to sleep. A new face, new life story and a newly gained perspective. Those lessons learned around 150 random American family dinner tables may have been my most significant takeaway.
It’s not lost on me that my experience was not a typical gap year. Host homes, school visits and living out of a truck are not the gap year norm. But regardless of structure, gap years take on their own mold. And when approached with intentionality, they produce an environment where failure is encouraged and growth is inevitable.
Part of my gap year with FFA was working alongside rural media to promote agriculture education. I became fascinated by media work: local radio shows, writing scripts for promotional videos, and the couple times I got to be on a camera set — all things I never saw much of growing up and had no clue could be a real profession.
I minored in journalism at Texas A&M University a few years later, wrote for the school’s satirical paper and applied to over 50 journalism internships throughout college.
The spring of my junior year I interned at TODAY and soon became a full-time employee — all thanks to a year that allowed me to make sense of where my passions met profession.
The last words on the final page of that now tattered journal from my gap year read, “Too much to capture on paper but I have written enough to transport me back to these wonderful moments of life.”
More than fond memories, I find those moments have etched themselves into my core self, helping direct the next adventure ahead.
Home — Essay Samples — Education — Gap Year — Should College Students Take a Gap Year?
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Published: Jan 30, 2024
Words: 721 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read
Introduction, background information on gap years, discussion of the pros of taking a gap year, examination of the cons of taking a gap year, analysis of the counterarguments, a. opportunity for personal growth, b. chance to gain practical skills and knowledge, c. enhanced academic performance, a. delay in starting college, b. financial implications, c. increased risk of academic pressure and expectations, a. refutation of the idea that taking a gap year is a waste of time, b. refutation of the belief that a gap year is only for privileged individuals, c. addressing concerns about academic performance and faltering focus, references:.
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Should students take a gap year.
A gap year is a break student take after high school before joining universities or colleges. After the rigorous training in high schools, some students prefer taking time off by having an active holiday outside a school environment. Some universities recommend the gap year to students joining the schools. After reception of the joining letters, students can always apply for a delay time before their entry in such universities. The delay time is considered by some learners as a way of taking a break from tests, assignments, and homework. A gap year can have its benefits and limitations depending on how one plan the gap year.
A gap year is considered by many students and parents as a recharging period i.e. it’s a time where students replenish their academic desires and efforts. Most students who take the gap year return to classroom environment with vigor and new focus to excel in class. During the gap year, students take their time to look back at their academic life to know the challenges they faced in school and work on how to overcome the challenges. This is a beneficial factor for a gap year as academic performance depends on how best one can focus.
Learning and exploring new activities, e.g. volunteering, taking part in community work, joining local football clubs, learning foreign languages, etc., is also a benefit associated with a gap year. These new activities help students learn new skills applicable to their future lives in college or elsewhere. Working with the community makes students appreciate and understand their culture better. Working with the community and other people also boosts the confidence of students because of working with people of diverse ages and knowledge. Also, traveling and learning new language make students more socialized. All these skills and qualities gained as a result of going abroad or working as volunteer etc. help in dealing with a variety of students in college and also raise ones’ professional experience.
With a gap year, students get the opportunity to work towards the college and course of their desire. A student may be rejected by a university of his desire but the kind of work the student take during the gap year can interest the admission board of the college. For example, a student interested in pursuing a course of community development can get his gap year working for the community as a volunteer; this will interest the admission board as the individual will be considered experienced and relevant to the course.
A gap year can be very destructive to a student’s life if not well planned. A student may involve himself in harmful activities, such as drug abuse, crime, etc. since the student has excess time. This will affect the student negatively to the extent of totally leaving school.
Also, a gap year can lead to some individuals’ academic derailment. People who don’t take some classes during the gap might find academic life hard to bear after the gap. Not taking a few classes will affect their academic performance and focus negatively.
Therefore, before taking a gap year students need to have clear plans on what they want to accomplish during that time. Students need to get engaged during the gap year to avoid negative energy on drugs and crimes. Even, though the students are free from classrooms and exams, they still need to take a few classes during the holidays. This will keep them academically focused. In general, a gap year is relevant to students and students should be encouraged to take it.
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Home » Resources » The Gap Year Argument
While Socrates may not have been referring to “The Gap Year,” he was correct that contemplation of the self is invaluable during periods of transition—whether geographic, academic, or occupational. Relaxed reflection is essential to the practice of everyday life—particularly those moments of life between signposts of success . Below, we tackle the arguments against the gap year, and the best argument in favor of it.
“why wait when i am ready for college now”.
This is always the first question students ask when confronted with the prospect of a gap year. Of course, you are ready for college in many ways. However, adapting to a new set of academic and social responsibilities is not easy for everyone, and it can be fun and fulfilling to tackle each responsibility without the burden of classes or tuition. You may be ready now, but a gap year will likely leave you extremely prepared, not just ready.
This is one of our favorite excuses. The best counterargument is to work a full-time job. After a month or two of 40-hour workweeks, most teenagers will beg to go back to school. But the discipline of rising early for work does have academic merit. A 9-to-5 approach to college ensures strong grades without stressful cramming or all-nighters. Give it a try and you’ll probably find the work of college is closer to 30 than 40 hours per week.
College courses, unlike high school courses, are homogeneous mixtures of lower- and upper-classmen, often with some graduate students mixed in. As such, the age of any college student rarely becomes a major issue.
The concept of a gap year (often up to 15 months, including two summers) is almost always misunderstood. Many parents and students fear the onset of lethargy and mental atrophy, and wonder what to do over that seemingly unconventional period of time. To those people, we always stress a multi-faceted approach . Imagine the opportunity for personal growth inherent in the following sample timeline:
Beginning school as a freshman in the fall after your gap year, you will have the distinct advantages of maturity , additional education , a rested mind , and i ncreased social confidence . Often, self-growth is the process that occurs in the background of life while we aren’t paying attention. As a result, it can be ignored or devalued. The self, especially during times of transition, should instead be prioritized . During this phase of your life, little is more important than understanding who you are and where your passions lie.
So, once you’ve finished getting yourself into college, do yourself a favor and pause to consider setting aside some time for reflection. Instead of going straight to college, taking a gap year might result in more success and less stress—while potentially saving tuition money in the process.
If our anecdotal authority is not persuasive enough, check out this wonderful piece on the value of deferring enrollment, written by William Fitzsimmons, Harvard College Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.
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7 samples on this topic
Taking a year's break between high school and college, the so-called gap year, is becoming more and more popular among students. Moreover, the university admission committees have even added gap year justification papers describing its pros and cons as an essential part of the application.
Below are some of the most interesting free essay writers ' prompts prepared by professional writers you are free to use to source creative ideas and best writing practices. In case you suffer from writer's block, our gap year essay sample will come in handy. It will help you understand how a top-notch paper should be written, what to include in the text and how to format it. We believe that handling this type of assignment will pass less painfully if you take one of our prompts as a template.
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10 reasons to take a gap year essay sample, free argumentative essay on why high school grads should take a gap year, example of should kids start college right after high school or wait a year or more essay.
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by Dave | Real Past Tests | 1 Comment
This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the real IELTS exam on the topic of taking a year off to travel also known as a gap year in the UK.
It is an interesting topic and I tried to come up with a unique opinion (not that you need to do that on IELTS!).
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Before reading, listen to the audio for some extra practice:
After graduation many students take a year to travel. Some think that it would be more useful to work for a year. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Real Past IELTS Exam
It is very common for privileged students from developed nations to take a year for travel between the end of high school and beginning of university in lieu of working part-time. In my opinion, it is much better to develop your capacity for leisure activity rather than getting a job in this interim period.
The main reason many advocate employment during a gap year is the cultivation of a strong work ethic. When someone begins working, their bad habits necessarily subside. For example, a worker has to be on time, work diligently, follow orders, get along with co-workers, show initiative, have a positive attitude, endure long days, and make ends meet with little pay. This is the molding process of adulthood which entails reconciling your personal desires with the expectations of the community at large. The individual who opts to spend their gap year working, will enter university more well-rounded, disciplined, and humble.
However, a strong work ethic is bound to develop later while the ability to enjoy one’s leisure while traveling is a far more valuable skill. Most people acclimate to work with a part-time job during high school or in unversity. At worst, they develop these qualities after graduation. Since they have been either working or studying their entire lives they have neglected the ability to enjoy leisure that distinguishes higher classes. The average person who has been working their entire life goes on holiday or retires and feels restless. To enjoy your leisure time traveling you must be able to set aside future worries, live in the moment, get outside your comfort zone, have a wide range of hobbies and skills, and be active for a full day without a workday. Chances to cultivate these habits will see far less light with a career and family so it is best to nourish them before university.
In conclusion, the gap year is a crucial space for individuals to develop a personal relationship to their leisure time. This is important as an ever-advancing career can become an undesirable transformational experience.
1. It is very common for privileged students from developed nations to take a year for travel between the end of high school and beginning of university in lieu of working part-time. 2. In my opinion, it is much better to develop your capacity for leisure activity rather than getting a job in this interim period.
1. The main reason many advocate employment during a gap year is the cultivation of a strong work ethic. 2. When someone begins working, their bad habits necessarily subside. 3. For example, a worker has to be on time, work diligently, follow orders, get along with co-workers, show initiative, have a positive attitude, endure long days, and make ends meet with little pay. 4. This is the molding process of adulthood which entails reconciling your personal desires with the expectations of the community at large. 5. The individual who opts to spend their gap year working, will enter university more well-rounded, disciplined, and humble.
1. However, a strong work ethic is bound to develop later while the ability to enjoy one’s leisure while traveling is a far more valuable skill. 2. Most people acclimate to work with a part-time job during high school or in unversity. 3. At worst, they develop these qualities after graduation. 4. Since they have been either working or studying their entire lives they have neglected the ability to enjoy leisure that distinguishes higher classes. 5. The average person who has been working their entire life goes on holiday or retires and feels restless. 6. To enjoy your leisure time traveling you must be able to set aside future worries, live in the moment, get outside your comfort zone, have a wide range of hobbies and skills, and be active for a full day without a workday. 7. Chances to cultivate these habits will see far less light with a career and family so it is best to nourish them before university.
1. In conclusion, the gap year is a crucial space for individuals to develop a personal relationship to their leisure time. 2. This is important as an ever-advancing career can become an undesirable transformational experience.
What do the words in bold below mean?
It is very common for privileged students from developed nations to take a year for travel between the end of high school and beginning of university in lieu of working part-time . In my opinion, it is much better to develop your capacity for leisure activity rather than getting a job in this interim period .
The main reason many advocate employment during a gap year is the cultivation of a strong work ethic . When someone begins working, their bad habits necessarily subside . For example, a worker has to be on time , work diligently , follow orders, get along with co-workers , show initiative , have a positive attitude , endure long days, and make ends meet with little pay . This is the molding process of adulthood which entails reconciling your personal desires with the expectations of the community at large . The individual who opts to spend their gap year working, will enter university more well-rounded , disciplined , and humble .
However, a strong work ethic is bound to develop later while the ability to enjoy one’s leisure while traveling is a far more valuable skill. Most people acclimate to work with a part-time job during high school or in unversity. At worst , they develop these qualities after graduation. Since they have been either working or studying their entire lives they have neglected the ability to enjoy leisure that distinguishes higher classes . The average person who has been working their entire life goes on holiday or retires and feels restless . To enjoy your leisure time traveling you must be able to set aside future worries , live in the moment , get outside your comfort zone , have a wide range of hobbies and skills , and be active for a full day without a workday . Chances to cultivate these habits will see far less light with a career and family so it is best to nourish them before university.
In conclusion, the gap year is a crucial space for individuals to develop a personal relationship to their leisure time . This is important as an ever-advancing career can become an undesirable transformational experience .
privileged lucky, rich, born in a developed country
developed nations rich countries
in lieu of instead of
part-time hourly paid, not full-time
capacity ability
leisure activity not having to work
interim period time in between
advocate argue for
gap year year before university in the UK
cultivation development
strong work ethic hard worker, disciplined
necessarily subside have to decrease/get weaker
on time not late
diligently focused, not lazy
get along with co-workers on good terms with other employees
show initiative ambitious
positive attitude good outlook
endure get through
make ends meet with little pay pay their bills without a high salary
molding process maturing
adulthood becoming an adult
entails reconciling involved balancing
personal desires what an individual wants
expectations of the community at large what the world wants
gap year year before uni
well-rounded all around
disciplined hard-working
humble not arrogant
strong work ethic disciplined
bound to will inevitably
far more much more
acclimate get used to
at worst in the worst situation
neglected don’t pay attention to
distinguishes higher classes separates the best from the worst
retires stop working
restless not content
set aside future worries forget about future problems
live in the moment present in the here and now
get outside your comfort zone be willing to try new things
wide range of hobbies and skills lots of interests
workday 9-5 job
cultivate these habits develop these qualities
far less much less
nourish feed
crucial space important place/time
personal relationship to their leisure time understand well how to use free time
ever-advancing career ambition
undesirable transformational experience not wanted change in yourself
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ˈprɪvɪlɪʤd dɪˈvɛləpt ˈneɪʃənz ɪn ljuː ɒv pɑːt-taɪm kəˈpæsɪti ˈlɛʒər ækˈtɪvɪti ˈɪntərɪm ˈpɪərɪəd ˈædvəkɪt gæp jɪə ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən strɒŋ wɜːk ˈɛθɪk ˈnɛsɪsərɪli səbˈsaɪd ɒn taɪm ˈdɪlɪʤəntli gɛt əˈlɒŋ wɪð kəʊ-ˈwɜːkəz ʃəʊ ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪv ˈpɒzətɪv ˈætɪtjuːd ɪnˈdjʊə meɪk ɛndz miːt wɪð ˈlɪtl peɪ ˈməʊldɪŋ ˈprəʊsɛs əˈdʌlthʊd ɪnˈteɪlz ˈrɛkənsaɪlɪŋ ˈpɜːsnl dɪˈzaɪəz ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz ɒv ðə kəˈmjuːnɪti æt lɑːʤ gæp jɪə wɛl-ˈraʊndɪd ˈdɪsɪplɪnd ˈhʌmbl strɒŋ wɜːk ˈɛθɪk baʊnd tuː fɑː mɔː əˈklaɪmeɪt æt wɜːst nɪˈglɛktɪd dɪsˈtɪŋgwɪʃɪz ˈhaɪə ˈklɑːsɪz rɪˈtaɪəz ˈrɛstlɪs sɛt əˈsaɪd ˈfjuːʧə ˈwʌriz lɪv ɪn ðə ˈməʊmənt gɛt ˌaʊtˈsaɪd jɔː ˈkʌmfət zəʊn waɪd reɪnʤ ɒv ˈhɒbiz ænd skɪlz ˈwɜːkdeɪ ˈkʌltɪveɪt ðiːz ˈhæbɪts fɑː lɛs ˈnʌrɪʃ ˈkruːʃəl speɪs ˈpɜːsnl rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp tuː ðeə ˈlɛʒə taɪm ˈɛvər-ədˈvɑːnsɪŋ kəˈrɪə ˌʌndɪˈzaɪərəbl ˌtrænsfəˈmeɪʃən(ə)l ɪksˈpɪərɪəns
Remember and fill in the blanks:
It is very common for p_____________d students from d___________________s to take a year for travel between the end of high school and beginning of university i________f working p__________e . In my opinion, it is much better to develop your c___________y for l__________________y rather than getting a job in this i______________d .
The main reason many a______________e employment during a g___________r is the c______________n of a s___________________c . When someone begins working, their bad habits n__________________e . For example, a worker has to be o_________e , work d_____________y , follow orders, g________________________s , s__________________e , have a p________________e , e__________e long days, and m___________________________y . This is the m_______________s of a________________d which e__________________g your p______________________s with the e____________________________________________e . The individual who opts to spend their gap year working, will enter university more w________________d , d______________d , and h___________e .
However, a s__________________c is b_____________o develop later while the ability to enjoy one’s leisure while traveling is a f__________e valuable skill. Most people a___________e to work with a part-time job during high school or in unversity. A_________t , they develop these qualities after graduation. Since they have been either working or studying their entire lives they have n____________d the ability to enjoy leisure that d___________________________s . The average person who has been working their entire life goes on holiday or r_________s and feels r__________s . To enjoy your leisure time traveling you must be able to s______________________s , l_________________t , g_____________________________e , have a w________________________________s , and be active for a full day without a w___________y . Chances to c__________________________s will see f___________s light with a career and family so it is best to n____________h them before university.
In conclusion, the gap year is a c___________e for individuals to develop a p______________________________________e . This is important as an e________________________________r can become an u_________________________________________e .
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Learn more about taking a gap year with BBC 6 Minute English:
Learn about some gap-year work opportunities here:
https://www.gapyear.com/jobs-abroad
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Whether it's to travel the world or just take a breather before moving on to the next chapter, students sometimes pause their educational pursuits for a so-called gap year.
Lately, gap years are more focused on using the time to save for post-secondary tuition, said Michelle Dittmer, president and co-founder of the Canadian Gap Year Association, a non-profit organization that provides resources for students taking or considering a gap year.
"There's a lot of problem-solving when it comes to the dollars and cents of gap years," Dittmer said.
"[Young people] have these big, huge goals. They want to do all these things," she said, "but they don't have the capital to make it happen."
Many students take on multiple jobs during their gap year to fund their time off and save for the future. Some combine work and travel by joining programs such as the federal work-abroad program International Experience Canada, Dittmer said.
Alim Dhanji, a Vancouver-based wealth adviser with Assante Financial Management Ltd., said a financial plan for students who opt for a gap year doesn't have to be complex.
It's about setting goals and pinning down a realistic plan, he said. If the goal is to join a post-secondary program the following year, for example, the time can be used to set aside the right amount of money.
Dhanji added he advises students on how budgets differ while working as opposed to while travelling. If the student is planning to travel, they need to consider additional costs and the likelihood of having to delay their savings goals or having to delay going back to school.
For those who are choosing to work, saving ahead of school could reduce dependence on student loans, he said.
When a gap year is planned well, Dhanji said, "They learn budgeting and financial management skills ... if they are earning some income."
"This can also provide some valuable lessons for later on in their life," he added.
Dittmer said younger Canadians who consulted her were typically planning to spend their gap year either applying for scholarships, travelling or finding full-time employment.
A gap year is sometimes a family decision, especially when a student isn't bearing 100 per cent of the tuition cost, Dittmer said.
Parents may also be concerned that their kids will feel happy to be earning their own money and not want to go back to school, Dittmer said.
She suggested that students who plan to not return to school ask themselves, "What could you realistically earn during that time and what is the trade-off between experience and dollars?"
She explained students shouldn't only be focused on one aspect of their gap year, such as saving money, but should also think about growing and investing in themselves, such as by taking courses and learning new things.
A 2022 report by Statistics Canada that followed students born in 1984 through graduation and into their early 30s found about 13 per cent of high school students took a gap year before starting post-secondary education.
Among students who completed high school in the early 2000s and later enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program, the gappers earned about 12 per cent less in total between the ages of 17 and 31 compared with their peers who didn’t break their educational stride.
But gappers who went for diplomas or certificates earned more than the non-gappers during the same period of time.
While a gap year could provide a solid foundation for the future, students may worry they're going to fall behind when they resume their studies.
"Young people are concerned that they are going to be (older) than their peers because they have taken time off," Dittmer said.
The illusion tends to fade away when students share the program with others much older and much younger than them, she added.
"The reality is that they'll be able to make friends and work alongside people of any age when they return back to school," Dittmer said.
Another myth is that students will forget how to study during their year off, but Dittmer likens studying to riding a bike.
"If you haven't ridden a bike in 10 years, when you get back on, you're going to be a little bit wobbly but it will come back to you," she said.
Dittmer said a gap year can be the year for a better financial foundation for some and a stronger mental health foundation for others, depending on what the student is looking for.
"It really is a tool that more people should explore so that they are ready and are making better choices for their future," Dittmer said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2024.
Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press
More the mix.
A new book explores b.r. ambedkar’s little-known years in britain, revealing his far-reaching influence on anti-discrimination movements..
Published : Aug 26, 2024 20:12 IST - 7 MINS READ
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Dr B. R. Ambedkar (first from right in second row) with his professors and friends from the London School of Economics and Political Science, circa 1916-17. | Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
While Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s studies in, and connections with, Columbia University are well-known and much celebrated, not many know that he also studied for a masters in Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE), and was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in London. In fact, his doctoral work in economics and finance at LSE was instrumental in the setting up of the Central banking mechanism now known as the Reserve Bank of India.
Rupa publications, price:rs.995.
Even less studied is Ambedkar’s work in London during the 1930s as part of the two Round Table Conferences held in 1930-early 1931 and late 1931-early 1923 respectively, and his subsequent work in the UK championing the cause of the “Depressed Classes”. The book Ambedkar in London is an attempt to bridge this gap, even as it reveals the extent of his involvement in, and influence upon, the struggles of the underdog all over the world.
Edited by William Gould, professor of Indian History at University of Leeds; Santosh Dass MBE, former civil servant and human rights activist; and Professor Christophe Jaffrelot, Research Director at CERI-Sciences Po and Professor of Indian Politics and Sociology at King’s College London, this excellent compilation of essays covers a wide range of geographies and schools of thought.
It is not incidental that the trigger for this volume was the mobilisation by several UK-based Dalits to set up the Ambedkar Museum at 10, King Henry Road, in Camden, a residential borough in the heart of London where Ambedkar spent several years as a tenant. The struggle to set up the Museum after decades of obscurity and years of lobbying and advocacy with civic authorities, the Maharashtra and UK governments, and not least, the residents of King Henry Road, is emblematic of society’s reception to the values that Ambedkar himself struggled for.
Ambedkar in London is divided into two parts. Part one covers Ambedkar’s years in London as a student in the 1920s and a lobbyist and policymaker in the 1930s. The foreword by Suraj Milind Yengde, who has worked on the issues of caste and race in Africa, the US, and now the UK, emphasises the international scholarly and policy footprint of Ambedkar whose work continues to impact present-day India and inspires generations. The Introduction by Santosh Dass and William Gould connects Ambedkar’s sojourns in London with the progress of the struggle for the rights of Dalits in the UK, which is explored in greater detail in Chapter 8 in the second part of the book.
The first three chapters, by William Gould, Sue Donnelly and Daniel Payne, and Steven Gasztowicz KC respectively, cover Ambedkar’s stint as an activist research scholar, student of LSE, and student of Law in London, while the fourth by Jesus F. Chairez-Garza discusses Ambedkar’s networking and activism in the First Round Table Conference. “Dr Ambedkar in the 1920s: The Transitional Decade” by Christophe Jaffrelot is a comprehensive treatment of the years between Ambedkar’s life as a student in London and his leadership in the Round Table Conferences in the 1930s.
The second part of the book, while broadly discussing the contemporary movement for the rights of Dalits in the UK, also harks back to Ambedkar’s interaction with the Black intellectual W.E.B Dubois and the subsequent engagement of the Black movement in the US with the Indian freedom struggle and the Dalit movement in India. The African-American community was in sympathy with Indians struggling against white supremacy/colonialism, and also aware of the overlaps between caste and race. Santosh Dass has collaborated with Arun Kumar to trace the growing Ambedkarite movement in the UK in Chapter 6; with Jamie Sullivan to explain how the Ambedkar Museum in London was set up; and writes in detail about the campaign to outlaw caste discrimination in the UK in Chapter 8. The African-American scholar Professor Kevin Brown, renowned for his work on race and caste, writes on Ambedkar in London and the African-American community in Chapter 9.
Also Read | Ambedkar in the here and now
A fuller evaluation of Ambedkar’s contribution and intellectual and political leadership at the national and international sphere is yet to be achieved, but this compilation of essays does cover extensive ground, and connects the contribution of the younger scholar Ambedkar to the mature Constitutionalist, Law Minister, and politician in a substantial manner.
“This compilation of essays connects the contribution of the younger scholar Ambedkar to the mature Constitutionalist, Law Minister, and politician in a substantial manner.”
In his Conclusion, Gould writes: “[t]he early 1920s in London position Ambedkar’s intellectual contributions in the longer term…(his) powerful principles and strategies for Dalit representation and keen principles and strategies for Dalit representation and keen sociological approaches to Indian inequality that characterise his mature phase can only be fully explained in relation to his longer-term intellectual contributions. In his early writings this included the politics and governance of space, the nature of the colonial economy, the idea of the rule of law, and the wider context of political power in interwar India.”
Chairez-Garza and Jaffrelot argue that Ambedkar’s experiences and connections to London around the early mobilisation of the Depressed Classes through education and reform were significant to his later, and more radical, ideas about caste. Gould feels that Ambedkar’s study in London helped him better relate the significance of space and transnationalism to the issues of social segregation and exclusion of the untouchables.
The bungalow on King Henry’s Road in North London where Dr. B R Ambedkar lived as a student in the 1920s. | Photo Credit: PTI
Thus we find that Ambedkar embodied, as an exemplar, that education was the first strategy to ensure the social and economic progress of Dalits, and thereafter became an important means of fostering the wider Dalit movement. Even as his own sponsors saw in his education and progress a means to be more influential in the public life in India, Ambedkar himself saw it as a means to be taken more seriously as an internationally qualified person with the capability to take on both the colonial government as well as Indian politicians who enjoyed a higher social status.
These approaches have stood the Dalit movement in good stead. The principles of institution-building and social mobilisation as modelled by Ambedkar continue to be popular, including in the Buddha Vihara in London as well as at the smallest village or taluk level even now in India.
The other important model that he followed is the spatial contextualisation and representation of the Depressed Classes in the face of caste discrimination. This elicited results in the UK, as the Dalits strove to have caste discrimination officially acknowledged in anti-discrimination legislation: the struggle against social elitism continues as a significant challenge even now both in India and the UK, stemming from an inability—or unwillingness—of the social and political elite to understand the structural advantages conferred on them by historical privilege.
Ambedkar’s spirited and multi-pronged challenge to this inequality includes education, institutionalising legal obligations to the progress of the disadvantaged, political representation and even, towards the end of his life, a spiritual challenge to the entrenched privilege enjoyed by a few on the basis of birth and religious claims.
Also Read | The relevance of Ambedkar
Thus, it was Ambedkar’s critical analysis of the nature and influence of the caste system which set the tone for the pre-Independence struggle against caste discrimination in India and also inspired the leaders of struggle of the African-Americans against racial and colour discrimination. W.E.B. Dubois wrote appreciatively of Ambedkar’s speech in the First Round Table Conference.
Ambedkar’s signal contribution to the framing of the Indian Constitution was the drafting of the Preamble and the foundational values of liberty, equality, and fraternity, based not so much on the slogan of the French Revolution as on the teachings of the Buddha and their values in Indian society.
There is no doubt that Ambedkar would have been proud of the team that successfully campaigned to set up the museum in London dedicated to his memory and legacy. Interestingly, they used the very slogan—“Educate, Agitate, Organise”, which Ambedkar coined to achieve the goal of representation of the underdog—to occupy the space which had hitherto excluded them, and which shall now inspire succeeding generations.
Cynthia Stephen is an independent journalist and social policy researcher who tracks developments related to marginalised sections and women.
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Looking for a gap year essay example? 🖖 This argumentative essay describes all the pros ️ and cons of taking a gap year before college.
A gap year is a period of experiential learning, usually taken between high school and college. And to clarify, a "gap year" doesn't actually have to be a year—maybe you take one full semester off before enrolling in college, for example. Gap years can take many forms—travel, internships, volunteer work, paid work, or classes for ...
A gap year essay is written by students who have taken a gap in studies before college or university admission. Read the article to know how to write a gap year essay to study abroad.
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In conclusion, my gap year has been a transformative experience that has not only contributed to my personal growth but also made a difference in the world around me.
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Band 8 essay sample In many countries, youngsters are often encouraged to take an year off, to work or travel across the world, before embarking on their formal university education. This recent trend, also known as "gap - year", has numerous merits and a few demerits, which will be discussed in this essay.
Conclusion Deciding whether to take a gap year after graduation is a significant choice that requires thoughtful evaluation of personal circumstances and goals. There are undeniable advantages to gaining valuable life experiences, self-discovery, and financial savings during this time. Conversely, potential drawbacks like loss of academic momentum or falling behind peers must be considered.
Taking a gap year between high school and college was an integral part of my journey to college, and it could be a part of yours as well!
How to Write About Your Gap Years in Secondary Essays If you're applying to medical school in a gap year or you're planning on taking a gap year, you'll likely have a secondary essay question you'll have to answer about it.
of a "gap year". In your essay argue for or agai. st a "gap. f taking a gap yearevaluate its influence on. onal development. Wr. te around 400 words. Giv. to do what you wantThe last year at school is for many students a time to make decisions concerning their fu. ure life and career. While all of them want to pass their final exam and ...
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Get original essay. One of the most significant advantages of taking a gap year is the opportunity for personal development and self-discovery. During this time, students have the chance to step out of their comfort zones, explore new cultures, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Immersing oneself in unfamiliar environments fosters ...
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Introduction Many high school seniors are faced with the decision to take a gap year before starting college. A gap year is a break from traditional education where students take time off to work, travel, participate in service programs, or pursue personal interests.
A gap year is a break student take after high school before joining universities or colleges. After the rigorous training in high schools, some students prefer taking time off by having an active holiday outside a school environment.
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