While not going to University, and studying for a degree are both viable routes to take after finishing school; doing one or the other straight away without a break may not be as beneficial as you think.
By having a break and not going on to study immediately or throwing yourself straight into the 9-5, you have a bit more time to think about what you really want to get out of your next step. If you are certain that you want to go to university and study more or get a job you will not hinder your chances of getting work, or your learning progress, by having a year out. If anything, it will only help.
By having some time out, seeing some more of the world, gaining useful work and personal experiences, you will mature and become more employable. If you are able to tie in some useful experiences or do something worthwhile like volunteering in between your travelling, that will be doubly as useful. This will demonstrate to a future employer that while you had some free time, you still chose to go after relevant work experience or did something valuable such as helping a developing community. Doing some construction work for a volunteering project as part of your travels means that could do important work for a small amount of time such as 2 or 4 weeks, and have something impressive to talk about in an interview or on an application form but still have plenty of time to travel. Or signing up for an internship abroad can be a great thing to do in between backpacking – you will gain incredibly useful work experience and will often be allowed to get involved with tasks that might not be asked of you at home. By going abroad to gain this work experience will not only look very impressive, but will give you the chance to travel and experience a new culture at the same time. You will stand out from the crowd, and will have had an amazing experience.
Deferring a University Place
Deferring your place of entry to University in order to have a gap year is not something that is discouraged by Universities. Infact, it can very often be quite the opposite. If someone has done something other than study and has gained experience of the world and of other cultures than the one they have grown up in, they will be very desirable to a university. By having some time out from study and still returning and demonstrating a wish to still be in education and work for another qualification, this shows that the applicant is certain that they want to be studying. It shows maturity and a desire to learn which will be very encouraging for someone to read while there are trawling through thousands of applicants to their university. By having a year out you will return fresh and ready to learn, it will also make sure that you are certain in your decision. You will have grown in maturity, confidence, and self awareness, having experienced people and places very different to where you have come from. You will be a well rounded person that universities will want to be studying at their institution.
Not going to university or into the world of work straight away is a valuable option, one that comes at an opportunity filled time. You should make sure you think carefully about having a year out, and plan well for what you want to achieve in that time, as it will shape and enhance your future in ways that may not be achievable if you go straight into work or university.
By Ellie Cambridge
Why not take a look at the internship and volunteer placements that Frontier offers to see if there is one that will be beneficial and most suited to you.
