For those who care to check the facts, students who take gap years become better individuals in college as well as in real life after college. There are so many things to gain from gap year programs. We discussed some gap year benefits in our last post. However, it is surprising that many students do not consider taking a gap year. Here, we will be taking a look at three of the most prominent obstacles that prevent people from taking gap years:
Lack of Information and Understanding about Gap Year Programs
Many students do not take gap years because they don't know much about the programs and what they stand to gain from them. It is unfortunate but true that gap year programs have not yet gained widespread popularity in the United States. Most high school students know about them but don't fully understand what they really are. For such students, the chances of choosing to participate in a gap year program are quite low.
There are also several myths about gap year programs that some have come to believe. Such myths and gap year misconceptions, like - students are likely to forget what they have learned in high school in one year if they don't go to college directly. Some also erroneously assume that taking a gap year means taking a break from learning, which is the exact opposite of what it is. As students continue to know and understand gap year programs better, their popularity will most certainly keep increasing.
The Fear of Being Left behind By Colleagues
This is one of the major reasons many students will cringe at the idea of taking a gap year after high school. This is even truer for students who are very focused on their academic success and driven to secure a specific career. The fear of being left behind by classmates makes some strive to get into college by any means necessary. The idea of taking a gap year cannot be entertained by any student harboring such fears..
Students need to understand that school will always be there. The vast majority of gap year graduates go on to attend university. And most report that taking a year off helped them focus on their future major, get better grades and have more satisfaction in their careers. Beyond that, taking a gap year helps shape the person you are in such an influential way that it helps you avoid choices in college that you will regret years later.
Financial Constraint and Fear
As sad as it may sound, some students strongly believe they can't afford to take a gap year. There is a misconception that gap years are only for wealthy students who can afford to travel the world and take an entire year off of school just to focus on personal development.
While some gap year programs can be expensive, there are many other programs not exclusively packaged for affluent students. Students may never know how affordable many programs can be until they take the step of actually researching costs and learning about different ways to finance a gap year. In some instances, students can work and earn during a gap year program and many others (including Denver Gap Year) provide training, help and support on how to solicit tax deductible donations for the cost of their program. Denver Gap Year and other programs also provide convenient payment plans to space out the payments. When they take time to learn more about how to afford a gap year, they will realize they have many viable options.
There you have it! The three significant hurdles that prevent people from taking gap years. A better understanding of these hurdles and gap year benefits will help students make better decisions. Follow this link to discover more about our Denver Gap Year program.