In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

After high school, most of the students tend to feel lost on what to study
next
, so taking a gap
year
before becoming a university student is getting popular. Students are being advised to take some time off to define what they want to do for their future. Personally, I think it’s good for their state of mind. On average, students usually finish high school when they’re about 17 or 18 years old. They’re young, they don’t have enough life experience to make
such
a big decision for their lives. I believe that getting a job, travel to meet other cultures and volunteer in various national or international organizations helps the youth to understand their likes as well as to find their dreams and the strength to pursue them.
On the other hand
, taking a gap
year
can be extremely expensive for numerous families or even not a possible option at all.
For example
, in my country young students usually have one class at the end of their high school
year
where they receive a various amount of information about universities and the possibility of taking a gap
year
. Most of the Portuguese families are from middle class and don’t have the financial stability to let their sons and/or daughters travel around the world or do volunteering through some months or even a whole
year
. Working is a really difficult option as well since the country has a high tax of unemployed people. To sum up, I cannot deny that taking a time off before going to university is a good choice but in reality it’s not a possible option for every family.
Submitted by Beatriz Gomes on

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • Cultural immersion
  • Life experience
  • Work ethic
  • Career readiness
  • Self-discovery
  • Delayed gratification
  • Intellectual stagnation
  • Financial implications
  • Social dynamics
  • Academic trajectory
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