More and more students are taking a year off between finishing high school and going to university. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

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It is becoming increasingly common for high school-graduated
students
to take a gap
year
before going to
college
. In
this
essay, I will discuss why the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. On the one hand, late entry to a
university
might provide some disadvantages for
students
.
Firstly
, they might encounter some challenges when they enter
university
since they have left formal education for a
year
. They might already be demotivated to learn again because they are comfortable with their daily life in their
year
off.
Therefore
, it takes
time
for them to readapt to the studying environment and to be familiar with the
college
educational system.
Secondly
, they potentially have a relatively large age gap with their peers, which might give them a hard
time
making friends. Having age gaps could be a challenge for some
students
since people tend to be more comfortable grouping with people who share common things with others.
Hence
, some of them might not enjoy their
college
years because they could not experience the exciting parts of the
university
.
On the other hand
,
this
measure offers various positive impacts for
students
.
To begin
with, having a spare
year
gives
students
more
time
to discover their potential. Exploring their interests is fundamental and it can be done in several ways. As an example, they could take some courses that attract them or maybe experience some jobs to find what kinds of work match their personality and talents. Through
this
discovery, before taking a major in
university
, they can decide whether the major will benefit their
future
career.
This
also
means they have additional
time
to plan their
future
carefully because freshly graduated high school
students
tend to have a lack of
time
to decide, leading them to make reckless decisions that might affect their
future
careers.
Furthermore
, since some
students
can utilise their
time
to get a job, they could immerse themselves in a professional working atmosphere.
This
kind of experience often allows them to adapt to the
university
environment.
Thus
, they tend not to have culture shock after entering
college
. In conclusion,
while
having a
year
off might make
students
demotivated, it allows them to explore different things to find the perfect major for their
future
careers.
Therefore
, on balance, I remain firmly convinced that the demerits are eclipsed by the merits.
Submitted by someonewhodwells on

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coherence cohesion
The essay consistently follows a logical structure; introduction and conclusion are clear, but the main points could be more effectively supported with specific examples and evidence.
task achievement
Your task response is adequate, with both views being presented. However, the essay could be strengthened by providing clearer evidence and more detailed examples to support claims. Additionally, fully expanding on the negatives in the conclusion would ensure a more balanced view.

Support ideas with relevant, specific examples

Examples make your writing easier to understand by illustrating points more effectively.

Examples, if used properly, not only help you get higher marks for ‘Task Response’ but also for ‘Coherence’.

When giving examples it is best to put them after your main idea or topic sentence. They can be used in the middle of supporting sentences or they can be used to start a new sentence. There is no rule for where exactly to give examples in essays, logically they would come after your main idea/topic sentence or just after a supporting sentence.

Linking words for giving examples:

  • for example
  • for instance
  • to illustrate this
  • to give a clear example
  • such as
  • namely
  • to illustrate
  • take, for example

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