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

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Nowadays, more individuals are opting to have a year off between finishing school and going to university.
Although
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this
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approach enables them to gain valuable work experience, it
also
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hinders their capability to focus on their
further
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studies, as
this
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time break can result in a loss of academic momentum. One advantage of taking a year off is the opportunity for pupils to gain valuable insights through internships and part-time jobs that can provide them with practical skills. These practical skills, in turn, allow them to have stronger resumes upon finishing their studies, providing them an edge over most potential candidates who are applying for the same job.
Furthermore
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,
this
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time off enables them to travel and witness different cultures and
this
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, indeed would foster a positive mindset by broadening an individual's worldview.
This
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positive mindset becomes invaluable during challenging times and the knowledge and moral values gained from diverse cultures empower them to tackle these situations more effectively.
On the contrary
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, having a break from academics can hinder social connection with peers, if peers are going straight to the university. In the following case, the student taking an off may go through a feeling of being left behind as their friends have begun with their future studies, which in turn can make them out of sync with friends.
Additionally
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,
this
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could lead to a loss in academic momentum and can hinder pupil's ability to focus on their study material as they have been out of touch for a longer period of time.
In other words
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, they might find it challenging to return to the structured environment of university
after
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this
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gap and it, can make learning and attaining fresh concepts tedious. In conclusion, both approaches have their own merits. I believe that having
this
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break allows for better
overall
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development of these students and
also
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, provides them with opportunities to immerse themselves in diverse cultures and helps them gain moral values that can be beneficial in their difficult times.
Moreover
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, students can earn real-world experience through internships and part-time work that would help them make a stronger resume than other undergraduate candidates.
However
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, dropping out for a year could result in a loss of academic momentum and would make it challenging for them to return back to a structured environment.

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task achievement
Consider strengthening the introduction by briefly outlining both advantages and disadvantages before diving into details. This sets a clearer direction for the reader.
coherence cohesion
Try to add transitional phrases between points to enhance the flow of ideas. This will also help in creating a smoother reading experience.
task achievement
You might want to incorporate specific examples or research findings to support your arguments more robustly, especially regarding the impact of internships and the challenges of returning to study.
content quality
The essay presents a balanced view of the topic by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages effectively.
language
The use of varied vocabulary and sentence structures demonstrates a good command of the language and engages the reader.

Word Count

IELTS says that you should write a minimum of 250 words in writing task 2. If you go under word count you will lose marks in task response.

A very long essay will not give you a higher band score.

Aim for between 260 to 290 words in writing task 2. This will ensure a concise essay and will be realistic in terms of time management. You have only 40 minutes to write the essay and you need around 10 minutes of planning time, so you will not be able to write a long essay in 30 minutes.

Discover more tips in The Ultimate Guide to Get a Target Band Score of 7+ »— a book that's free for 🚀 Premium users.

Topic Vocabulary:
  • gap year
  • internships
  • part-time jobs
  • resumes
  • practical skills
  • personal growth
  • academic performance
  • focused and motivated
  • academic momentum
  • structured environment
  • financial issues
  • unpaid internships
  • feeling of being left behind
  • out of sync with peers
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