It is undeniable that the number of school graduates who choose to take a gap year, focusing on travel and work rather than entering directly the university has risen considerably in recent years.Although there are valid arguments in support of taking a gap year, I would argue that its disadvantages are more significant overall.
On the one hand, taking time off before university can bring several notable benefits. One clear advantage is that travelling or working for a period of time allows school leavers to become more responsible, independent and self-reliant. This occurs because they learn manage money, solve their problems and adapt to new situations. For example, a working student abroad can improve time management and communication skills. Moreover, taking a gap year could be another benefit in terms of developing work experience. Since students understand better about the professional world with the help of work experience, they can choose a career more wisely and enhance useful skills that university can not teach.
On the other hand, the downsides of this trend seem to outweigh the positives. One major concern is that postponing tertiary education can lead to risk of procrastination. It means that students may loose focus and motivation during their gap year and delay their university education indefinitely. As a result, students may waste a significant amount of time and become unmotivated towards study. Furthermore, a more pressing issue is that postponing higher education can negatively affect academic and career progress. This could lead to students start their degree and career later than their peers, which affect their long-term plans in terms of workforce and earning a competitive salary.
To conclude, while it is true that taking a gap year for travelling and working can offer some advantages, I believe that its negative consequences make it a less desirable trend in the long term.