Comments on: Should You Take a Year Off Before Starting College? http://www.outlawstudent.com/2009/03/15/should-you-take-a-year-off-before-starting-college/ Renegade Advice About Scholarships, Financial Aid, College & Jobs Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:16:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Counselor Buddy http://www.outlawstudent.com/2009/03/15/should-you-take-a-year-off-before-starting-college/#comment-3295 Counselor Buddy Wed, 31 Mar 2010 21:22:39 +0000 http://www.givemescholarships.com/?p=123#comment-3295 As a high school counselor, I find that most students who take a year off before college rarely end up going back to school, at least not following the time-line they envisioned. A majority of the those students find a job, begin acquiring bills (debt), then have a hard time figuring out how to cut back in work hours, still pay their bills and make time for school. If a student wishes to take a year off to enjoy life before entering the workforce, I would advocate taking that year off after college. Food for thought... As a high school counselor, I find that most students who take a year off before college rarely end up going back to school, at least not following the time-line they envisioned. A majority of the those students find a job, begin acquiring bills (debt), then have a hard time figuring out how to cut back in work hours, still pay their bills and make time for school. If a student wishes to take a year off to enjoy life before entering the workforce, I would advocate taking that year off after college. Food for thought…

]]> By: Natalie http://www.outlawstudent.com/2009/03/15/should-you-take-a-year-off-before-starting-college/#comment-3294 Natalie Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:10:43 +0000 http://www.givemescholarships.com/?p=123#comment-3294 Haha, "reliably unreliable". I have to say, I debated taking a year off for awhile. However, I realized that it wasn't worth it for me. While I will say that I am a little naive and I don't know what the "real world" is like yet, I don't think that taking a year off will help me discover it any faster. If I did, I'd be stuck in this same house, with the same job I've had for 3 years now. Going to University is a change for me, to be on my own and to mature into adulthood (I'm not saying that I'm going to turn into an adult after the first year, I just mean I'm going to learn from my mistakes and ecetera). Also universities offer scholarships to students who are coming fresh from high school. It's for their advantage in the end, but to start with it helps me pay for university, while still letting me work part time while studying so I can in addition pay for university fees. Plus I'm the youngest and like Glater suggests, "By waiting, those with younger siblings may save their families money because more financial aid is available" so I really have no motivation from that point. In addition from the NY Times article, I'm the only one paying for my education - my parent's income has no relevance to my university fees. [I really appreciate your point of view on this subject because you mention all sides of the story and you add your personal opinion and show it throughout your article. Your style of writing also catches my eye (sarcasm makes the world go 'round).] I wish however, that universities would offer specific scholarships for students who take a year off. Sometimes people don't know what they want to do, and need a another year to figure it out. Other situations can arise where students can't afford it or a friend might've stabbed them in the eye with a pair of tweezers, forcing them to take a year off - basically millons of events or situations could have occured to make this person decide to take the year off. They shouldn't be punished for waiting - they should be offered the same opportunities as first year students that graduated high school the same year. While we don't have to write essays to gain an entrance scholarship, I think a person who took a year off who would like the scholarship wouldn't mind explaining in an essay why they took a year off and what they did during such time (proof may be required, but if all points are valid - then getting it won't be hard getting it, right?). All I'm saying is that taking a year off for most high school students seems like an absurd idea - mainly because of finances and because it's the social norm. Change one thing and maybe the norm will change as well. Thank you for bringing this subject up. :) Haha, “reliably unreliable”.
I have to say, I debated taking a year off for awhile. However, I realized that it wasn’t worth it for me. While I will say that I am a little naive and I don’t know what the “real world” is like yet, I don’t think that taking a year off will help me discover it any faster. If I did, I’d be stuck in this same house, with the same job I’ve had for 3 years now. Going to University is a change for me, to be on my own and to mature into adulthood (I’m not saying that I’m going to turn into an adult after the first year, I just mean I’m going to learn from my mistakes and ecetera). Also universities offer scholarships to students who are coming fresh from high school. It’s for their advantage in the end, but to start with it helps me pay for university, while still letting me work part time while studying so I can in addition pay for university fees. Plus I’m the youngest and like Glater suggests, “By waiting, those with younger siblings may save their families money because more financial aid is available” so I really have no motivation from that point. In addition from the NY Times article, I’m the only one paying for my education – my parent’s income has no relevance to my university fees. [I really appreciate your point of view on this subject because you mention all sides of the story and you add your personal opinion and show it throughout your article. Your style of writing also catches my eye (sarcasm makes the world go 'round).]
I wish however, that universities would offer specific scholarships for students who take a year off. Sometimes people don’t know what they want to do, and need a another year to figure it out. Other situations can arise where students can’t afford it or a friend might’ve stabbed them in the eye with a pair of tweezers, forcing them to take a year off – basically millons of events or situations could have occured to make this person decide to take the year off. They shouldn’t be punished for waiting – they should be offered the same opportunities as first year students that graduated high school the same year. While we don’t have to write essays to gain an entrance scholarship, I think a person who took a year off who would like the scholarship wouldn’t mind explaining in an essay why they took a year off and what they did during such time (proof may be required, but if all points are valid – then getting it won’t be hard getting it, right?). All I’m saying is that taking a year off for most high school students seems like an absurd idea – mainly because of finances and because it’s the social norm. Change one thing and maybe the norm will change as well.
Thank you for bringing this subject up. :)

]]> By: Christina http://www.outlawstudent.com/2009/03/15/should-you-take-a-year-off-before-starting-college/#comment-3293 Christina Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:21:06 +0000 http://www.givemescholarships.com/?p=123#comment-3293 I am one of those folks who took a year off between high school and college. It gave me time to really consider whether the school I had applied to was the best fit for me (it wasn't). I also had a chance to take a full-time job and to vounteer that year before committing my time to a specific area of study. Those work opportunities really helped inform my future decisions about choosing my major and career. When I did graduate at age 23, many of my fellow graduates were the same age or older. In the job market and in life, one year makes no difference at all. There are some social challenges, though. If your high school classmates leave the area for college, you'll need to find some new social support networks for that one year off. As well, when reunions, both formal and informal come around, you won't be on the same footing as your friends who went straight to college. But this is ok. Missing my 5-year high school reunion for college finals was well worth it in the greater scope of my life. I am one of those folks who took a year off between high school and college. It gave me time to really consider whether the school I had applied to was the best fit for me (it wasn’t). I also had a chance to take a full-time job and to vounteer that year before committing my time to a specific area of study. Those work opportunities really helped inform my future decisions about choosing my major and career. When I did graduate at age 23, many of my fellow graduates were the same age or older. In the job market and in life, one year makes no difference at all.

There are some social challenges, though. If your high school classmates leave the area for college, you’ll need to find some new social support networks for that one year off. As well, when reunions, both formal and informal come around, you won’t be on the same footing as your friends who went straight to college. But this is ok. Missing my 5-year high school reunion for college finals was well worth it in the greater scope of my life.

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