It is often seen that students take a gap of a year or more on completion of their high school before joining a university. Their main purpose is to either explore the world or find a job. I think it has more benefits than drawbacks, because they are able to understand the job market and can easily identify which career suits them the best.
The advantage of this practice is to understand the job market and get involved in the practical field, before getting admission in a university. Students prefer to get involved in various fields and understand the pros and cons of a particular discipline. By visiting different places around the world they also know the cultures of various societies. Moreover, their vision is enhanced about the world and see things in a practical way. This ultimately helps them in polishing their abilities and making a case study of various departments, before enrolling in a university. For example, many students who take a gap between their studies in Pakistan realize that they need to avoid engineering disciplines, because there are very few opportunities for engineers.
The biggest disadvantage of taking a year off is that sometimes after getting a suitable job, students don’t want to study in the university. They think it is more reliable for them to stay in the workplace, rather than wasting their time and money on education. However, this kind of attitude cannot be effective for longer. Sometimes they also get involved in businesses, losing their financial resources because they don’t have practical skills. For example, some Asian students who want to study abroad take a study gap, but often ending up working as a labourer because they focus on short-term goals.
In conclusion, students who take a study gap must utilize their time in an effective way. This will be very helpful in shaping their career in the future.