There is no consensus as to how soon after
school
a person should go for higher education.
However
, these days, more and more people opt to stay off
school
for a year between secondary
school
and
university
. The benefits and drawbacks of
this
practice will be explained in
this
essay.
On the one hand, taking a break off academic pursuits before higher education can help the
student
have some
time
to invest in
money-makingthe act of making money (and accumulating wealth)
. The financial implication of attending a
university
can be quite burdensome and having
time
to make some money before studies begin will be a most welcome development for most people.
For instance
, a survey by Harvard campus-life journals showed that most
first
-year students made money doing some form of work before the academic session started.
This
example highlights one of the merits of taking
time
off before
university
life.
Besides
, the
time
before an academic program commences can be invested in learning more about the intended course of study, resulting in the
student
consequently
having a better understanding of the discipline. An example of
this
is seen in medical students who sometimes take a year off before resumption to volunteer in hospitals. These students eventually have a higher pass rate than their colleagues. Again,
this
shows that the one year break before
university
studies begin can be of immense help to the
student
.
On the other hand
, there are a few setbacks to
this
trend that are worth considering.
Firstly
, the academic vacuum may be perceived as an opportunity to pursue things unrelated, and sometimes, unfortunately, inimical to the academic goals and future aspirations of the
student
. As an example, forty-five out of fifty
university
students who were questioned for their involvement in online scam said they were
first
introduced into it during their pre-
university
years, after secondary
school
, and
as a result
, their interest in academics began to wane.
This
instance goes to show how taking
time
off before
university
can expose the
student
to things that will eventually veer him or her off course.
Moreover
, the danger of exposure to unhealthy influence by peers is another significant demerit of
this
arrangement. Most students make friends during
this
period of academic life and are open to influence from
such
relationships, influences which may negatively impact their lives.
In conclusion,
although
taking
time
off before
university
life starts has its merits, there are
also
setbacks to it. Individuals should take
time
to consider both sides before making a decision.