It is becoming increasingly popular to have a year off between finishing school and going to university. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

These days, an increasing number of
students
have decided to take
one
Correct determiner usage
a
show examples
year
Correct your spelling
one-year
show examples
gap after their high school graduation. From my perspective,
while
such
discontinuity seems disadvantageous, I believe it can be beneficial for pupils in the long run. To commence with,
students
who take a one-year break before attending college may find it hard when
coming
Wrong verb form
come
show examples
back to their studies.
While
these
students
are not in school, they may lose touch with academic knowledge acquired beforehand.
Thus
, when enrolling in college, they may spend a long time getting the hang of the new curriculum and regain a basic understanding of some subjects they have already learned back in high school.
Nevertheless
,
this
problem is soluble if
students
practice self-study and frequently revise what they have learned.
On the other hand
, one advantage of
this
idea is that it gives
students
time to earn some money. As the cost for most colleges is exorbitant,
students
may end up incurring a huge loan and struggle financially.
However
, when taking a year gap, they can now join the labour force to get enough budgets to pursue higher levels of education
as well as
to maintain their survival.
Furthermore
, during their time at the workplace,
students
can
also
gain hands-on experience and enhance their skills including but not limited to negotiations, self-control, and problem-solving, which make them more desirable to the labour market after they graduate. In conclusion,
whereas
the drawbacks of taking a year gap are evident, the merits it bears far outweigh the demerits as it can help the student's financial condition and enhance their soft skills needed for future jobs.
Submitted by dphuonglinh0705 on

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task response
Ensure that the essay addresses all aspects of the task question, providing a clear position and a balanced discussion of advantages and disadvantages.
coherence cohesion
The logical structure of the essay is generally effective, but ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and supports the main argument effectively.

Answer the 'Advantages and Disadvantages' topic

IELTS advantages and disadvantages questions normally give you a statement and ask you to comment on the advantages and disadvantages of that statement.

Answer structure for the type of essay

  • Introduction
  • Body paragraph 1 – advantages
  • Body paragraph 2 – disadvantages
  • Conclusion

Examples to start your body paragraph:

  • The main advantage is...
  • The disadvantage of this...
  • The main benefit...
  • Despite these advantages...
  • One possible drawback...

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • gap year
  • work experience
  • internships
  • traveling
  • life experiences
  • personal development
  • independent
  • self-reliant
  • educational progress
  • graduation timeline
  • financial burden
  • academic momentum
  • structured academic environment
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