Many students who finish school decide to travel around the world or go to work instead of pursuing higher education immediately. This development has both advantages and disadvantages.
One of the most notable advantages is that it gives students an opportunity to decide preicsely what they want to explore for the rest of their life. When school leavers take a year off before entering a university while traveling or working, they have a greater likelhood of studying what they truly want. As a result, they have higher satisfaction with their job and overall life. Beyond this gain, such a strategy can also allow learners to build a stronger portfolio. When individuals take a gap year, they can build a portfolio of their work to demonstrate their best skills. By engaging in extracurricular activities such as passion projects, hackathons, internships, and research, they can remarkably elevate their chances of receiving an offer from a university.
Nevertheless, this development is not without drawbacks. A primary concern is the lower probability of receiving a full scholarship. When students do not opt for pursuing higher education directy after finishing shool, a large number of universities are prone to viewing those students as less motivated or less committed to their education. Furthermore, it can lead to stress. When society or even some relatives perceive them as unambitious or unsuccessful, they may experience considerable social pressure, which can result in loss of motivation and aspirations.
In conclusion, although the trend of not going to university straight after finishing school can create disadvantages such as lower probability of receiving a full scholarship and pressure, it offers benefits such as a period to think carefully about what they initially want to study and opportunity to improve their portfolio.