According to a recent report by the Grattan Institute, more than 50,000 students who started university this year will drop out. But why? One reason is that students are increasingly feeling pressured to go straight into tertiary education, whilst at the same time being overwhelmed by the choice of courses available. After the rigours of the HSC and IB, many students feel burnt out academically. So what can be done to keep students in university? One solution could be to have a Gap Year.
Historically, Gap Years have been thought of as a waste of time; students treated it as an extended holiday, lounging on the couch or at the beach. In fact, the Gap Year can be much more beneficial, if used and planned correctly, and more and more universities in Australia and abroad are looking for students with broader life experience. For example, Harvard actively encourages their students to defer enrollment to allow for a Gap Year because students who take a Gap Year are more likely to graduate with higher results than those who go straight to university. (Crawford and Cribb 2012, Clagett 2013).
So how does a Gap Year help?
A new study of more than 900 first-year students by Sydney University researchers has revealed that students who take a year off are more motivated and demonstrate more "adaptive behavior" such as planning, task management, and persistence. Earlier research has shown that Gap Year students are 'more mature, more self-reliant and independent'. (Birch, Australia, 2007)
In today's work environment, people who work best with others – who have emotional intelligence (EQ rather than IQ) – tend to be more successful. In all respects, a Gap Year will challenge the student to work better with a more diverse array of people.
Most importantly, however, Gap Year students can apply years of classroom knowledge to life experiences, resulting in greater clarity about career goals. Their Gap Year experiences gained can set them on a different track or confirm their direction. Either way, they enter university with a much clearer path. A well-structured Gap Year program can make an enormous contribution to an individual's personal development. In an independent study of 280 Gap Year students, the highest three rated outcomes of Gap Years were:
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“a better sense of who I am as a person and what is important to me”
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“a better understanding of other countries, people, cultures, and ways of living” and
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“additional skills and knowledge that contributed to my career or course.” (Haigler & Nelson)
To have this kind of impact a Gap Year must be carefully planned. Having a vague desire to ‘travel’ or ‘volunteer’ is not enough; time and effort have to be put into specifics. Cost is also a major factor, so cost- benefit analysis is needed. Volunteer programs, for instance, are rarely free.
Students should also consider whether they will lose academic momentum. They are likely to forget some skills and knowledge, making the transition back to full-time study harder. Some find it difficult to be a year ‘behind’ if their course of study is long or their career requires years of experience to succeed.
Sophia Sillar (Class of 2016) took a Gap Year during which she volunteered in Africa. I asked her what she had learned:
Literally everything! At school, you don't realise how much of a bubble you are in - it seems like school is the be all and end all to being successful in life, but travelling made me realise it’s actually the opposite! Just by meeting new people and immersing myself in new environments I felt like I learned so much more about the world and the people in it… I learned so much: on the whole process of saving, working, finally leaving, and learning how to be self-sufficient. It's so amazing when you start to really embrace the culture around you and learn that everyone is different and has their own unique path … taking that extra year really helped me to open my eyes.
The right Gap Year can be transformative and we encourage the girls to consider the possibilities.
Mrs Rachel Brown
Year 11 Coordinator