The Gap Year The “gap year” has been a common rite of passage in many foreign countries for decades, but it has now started to gain significant steam here in America as told by Danielle Wood, a parent from Today’s Parenting. This leads to many questions that parents and students want answered, such as: “Is the “gap year” a good or bad consideration?” “Will this decision put me behind?” “Does this stop me from ever going to college?” “Will I ever get my college degree?” All of these questions have can be answered yes and no, all depending on the person and their determination. Some people argue that a gap year is not a good idea, however; others say it is a great idea and every student should consider taking one.
If you have no intentions of working towards going to college during this time off, then of course you want get into college. No one is going to just through a college invitation to you and say “hey you are in enrolled and you did nothing”. If you are lazy and expect hand-outs then a gap year is probably not a smart thing to do. Gap years can also be a bad thing for those who forget what they have learned easily and aren’t quick to catch back up. In conclusion, whether or not the choice of a student taking a gap year is bad, solely depends upon that individual and whether or not it is a good choice for them and who they are as an individual. As a motivated individual, I personally think that if a student takes a year off that they should be very motivated and dedicated to making the best out of the time they have. Gap years can be used to advantage only if you are determined to go to college no matter what it takes. During a gap year one learns to become responsible and independent in the real world and they also learn valuable life lessons before going to college, placing them at an advantage over a freshmen right out of high school. The only way to truly find if this decision is right for you is to judge yourself and your ability to stay on track and in line.

Works Cited
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Wood, Danielle. “Today’s Parenting” Web. 22 Apr.