Some students take a year off between finishing school and starting university to travel or work. Do the advantages of taking a gap year outweigh the disadvantages?

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Taking a
gap
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year
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is becoming increasingly popular among high school graduates. Many do so to clarify their future plans, retake exams for higher scores, or work to earn money for university.
While
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this
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break can be beneficial in certain ways, it
also
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carries potential drawbacks,
such
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as delaying formal education or risking a long-term reliance on part-time jobs. On the negative side, a
year
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-long pause in studies may lead some individuals to abandon higher education altogether.
For instance
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, those who start working during their
gap
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year
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might be tempted to continue earning money
instead
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of returning to academic life.
This
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mindset could reduce the number of students completing university degrees.
Additionally
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, some
school-leavers
Correct your spelling
school leavers
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might become overly idle, turning the
gap
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year
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into a period of laziness and procrastination. Without consistent effort or clear goals, they could miss out on valuable skills and find it difficult to secure well-paid jobs later, especially given the high level of competition in the current job market.
Nevertheless
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, there are important advantages that outweigh these disadvantages. Many young people do not want to rely entirely on their parents and prefer to gain financial independence before starting university. Working for a
year
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allows them to save money and ease the financial burden of tuition fees.
Furthermore
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,
this
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break can serve as a second chance for those who
performed
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perform
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poorly on entrance exams
due to
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stress or insufficient preparation. By using the
gap
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year
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productively—earning, planning, or retaking exams—they often stand a better chance of enrolling in their dream courses.
Similarly
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, students who feel uncertain about which specialization to pursue can benefit from extra time to explore their options. In conclusion,
while
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a
gap
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year
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may slow a student’s academic progress and pose a risk of lost motivation, its potential to provide financial stability, academic clarity, and personal growth is generally more compelling.
Therefore
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, I believe the advantages ultimately outweigh the disadvantages, provided students use
this
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year
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wisely to prepare for their future.

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task achievement
Expand on some of the counterarguments to provide a more balanced view. For example, consider discussing how some students thrive during a gap year and illustrate that with examples.
coherence and cohesion
Ensure that your points flow logically from one to the next. Consider using more linking phrases to guide the reader through your argumentation more smoothly.
coherence and cohesion
The introduction clearly outlines the topic and sets the stage for the discussion, grabbing the reader's attention.
task achievement
The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points and reiterates your position in a clear manner, which is a strong aspect of the essay.

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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