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.

Taking​ ​a​ ​gap​ ​year​ ​between​ ​school​ ​and​ ​university​ ​is​ ​becoming​ ​increasingly​ ​common​ ​in many​ ​countries.​ ​

This

essay will​ ​discuss​ ​the​ ​advantages​ ​and​ ​disadvantages​ ​of​ ​doing

this

,​ ​and​ ​say​ ​​whether​ ​a​ ​gap​ ​year​ ​is​ ​beneficial​ ​or​ ​not​ ​depends​ ​on​ ​how the​ ​time​ ​is​ ​spent. Looking​ ​

firstly

​ ​at​ ​the​ ​advantages,​ ​​the​ ​most​ ​significant​ ​benefit​ ​of​ ​taking​ ​a​ ​gap year​ ​is​ ​personal​ ​development.​ ​While​ ​working​ ​or​ ​travelling​ ​for​ ​a​ ​year​ ​young​ ​people​ ​will inevitably​ ​have​ ​many​ ​new​ ​experiences​ ​which​ ​will​ ​help​ ​them​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​in​ ​various​ ​ways .

In addition

to

this

, travelling​ ​internationally​ ​leads​ ​to​ ​an increased​ ​understanding​ ​of​ ​other​ ​cultures​ ​and​ ​of​ ​the world​ ​and​ ​their​ ​place​ ​in​ ​it,​ ​whereas ​work​ ​experience​ ​will​ ​enable​ ​students​ ​to​ ​make better-informed​ ​decisions​ ​about​ ​their​ ​future​ ​studies​ ​and​ ​career​ ​options.​ ​A​ ​

further

​ ​benefit of​ ​work​ ​experience​ ​is​ ​a​ ​greater​ ​appreciation​ ​of​ ​money​ ​and​ ​a​ ​degree​ ​of​ ​financial independence​ ​that​ ​earning​ ​it​ ​will​ ​create.

However

,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​

also

​ ​several​ ​disadvantages,​ ​especially​ ​if​ ​the​ ​time​ ​is​ ​not​ ​well​ ​spent.​ ​If​ ​a young​ ​person​ ​goes​ ​travelling​ ​with​ ​their​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​spends​ ​the​ ​majority​ ​of​ ​their​ ​time hanging​ ​out​ ​and​ ​partying,​ ​

then

​ ​they​ ​are​ ​not​ ​really​ ​going​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​themselves​ ​or increase​ ​their​ ​understanding​ ​of​ ​other​ ​cultures.​ ​

Similarly

,​ ​if​ ​the​ ​only​ ​job​ ​they​ ​are​ ​able​ ​to get​ ​is​ ​low-level,​ ​unskilled​ ​and​ ​repetitive,​ ​

then

​ ​

this

​ ​experience​ ​will​ ​not​ ​be​ ​of​ ​much​ ​use​ ​to them​ ​in​ ​future.​ ​

Although

,​ ​it​ ​may​ ​well​ ​reinforce​ ​the​ ​value​ ​of​ ​ ​ ​university​ ​education​ ​in terms​ ​of​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​life​ ​and​ ​career​ ​options.​ ​It​ ​might​ ​be​ ​better​ ​to​ ​travel​ ​or​ ​gain​ ​work experience​ ​after​ ​university ​ ​when​ ​young​ ​people​ ​are​ ​generally​ ​more​ ​mature​ ​and​ ​so​ ​more likely​ ​to​ ​spend​ ​their​ ​time​ ​productively. In​ ​summary,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​both​ ​advantages​ ​and​ ​disadvantages​ ​to​ ​taking​ ​a​ ​gap​ ​year.​ ​If a gap year used as a productive way , it will give work experience and knowledge ,

however

Add a comma

,however

show examples

it is wasted so it results in negative outcomes .