By Anna S, Year 12
There’s been a lot of discussion recently between my friends and me about the benefits and drawbacks of taking a gap year after A-levels, with the main stance being that you should “travel when you’re young”. Whilst gap years seem to be really popular only 5-10% of students actually take one*. This surprised me, considering how many people I know that are taking one or at least thinking about it. However, with some university courses like medicine, for example, taking about 7 years, it does seem logical to take a break before starting a long few years. In contrast there is also the argument that after a long summer break, it might be a better idea to return to a routine and dive straight into University. Having just had my post- GCSE summer, I can safely say that I was definitely ready to return to school. Partly because of the excitement of starting Sixth form, but also because a part of me missed the routine that school gives you; the jam packed schedule that means you are always on-the-go and constantly keeping busy. There was also a huge element of wanting to be back in a classroom, learning again. I wonder if after my A- level summer I would prefer to go straight to university, instead of spending a whole year out of education?
Part of the appeal of a gap year is the idea of new experiences, however there is an argument that university on its own is equally as much of a new experience as taking a gap year. Personally, I’m torn between the desire to travel and explore the world more- especially to visit family in New Zealand and immerse myself in the new cultures and traditions that we often hear about- and the desire to jump straight into university.
An alternative to taking the full gap year, is just to travel the whole of your A-level summer and return to the UK before the university term starts. The majority of universities go back in mid September and A-levels finish mid June, therefore you have roughly 3 months to explore and travel at your discretion. After more than 13 school summer holidays, the idea of being away the whole summer seems far more exciting and different, therefore more appealing. You also get the balance of knowing you have university to look forward to in just a few months. Personally, I would be worried that if I were to take a gap year I would want it to live up to the expectations I have because of all I’ve heard from those who’ve taken their own gap years. The feeling of being in limbo with no work to do is something that I really dislike, therefore, I would feel the pressure to make my gap year absolutely amazing.
On the other hand, there comes the idea of taking your gap year after university (an idea that is rising in popularity). However, it is easy to veto this idea right away because of the uncertainty that you will still want to go to the same places and travel with the same people that you would have travelled with had you gone after A-levels. It can seem almost impossible to imagine yourself after university, therefore it can feel too far away to plan for. But for many, the appeal of this option is that after university you would have had possibly seven years to save up for travelling. You also may have travelled more in your university summers so may have more experience and therefore more insight into where you want to go.
Of course, there are other options for a gap year, aside from travelling. Gap years are all very well, but they are not free… and financing a whole year away from home can be a very intimidating idea for your first year away from the comfort of home. Therefore many chose to work for a variable proportion of their year. Some may choose to get a job in a school, as a gap year assistant, or maybe work in another country to combine both an aspect of travelling and also of getting some money (and work experience). Or maybe work locally, to save on accommodation and food by staying at home for a little while. There also comes the option of whether you will save up with a part time job throughout your years in sixth form, however this means balancing working towards your A-levels with a job, which can be tricky.
Finally, you have the tough decision as you begin to think about where you would like to go on your gap year. Do you explore the well- travelled (and therefore relatively safe) “backpacker route” from Thailand to Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia? Or would you rather explore a less- travelled (and therefore less vetted by fellow gap year students) routes through South America? I recently had a discussion with a friend where we mused over where we would like to go on our gap year. We both knew of family friends that have taken the Southern Asia route and have thoroughly enjoyed their time. The stunning beaches and great nightlife are clearly a huge appeal for a large proportion of eighteen year-olds. However, we also looked at the routes usually taken through South America, as it is somewhere neither of us have ever been before. Part of the appeal of South America is the variety of culture and landscape. However, it is arguably less safe than Southern Asia for young travellers especially when considering countries well- known for gang and gun violence such as Brazil and Colombia. The idea of travelling half-way across the world from your family (in some places more than a 15 hour flight away), can be very daunting. For a pair of eighteen year- old girls South Asia might be considered the safer choice for a gap year travel path, due to its popularity. However, it is understandable to feel that spending a year (and a lot of money) to follow the same itinerary of so many others may feel less independent and adventurous.
At the end of the day, whether or not you choose to take a gap year comes down to what you value. I'm still figuring it out for myself, but the best part is: there’s no right answer and the opportunity to travel doesn’t disappear just because you don't take it straight away.
*According to UCAS (2023) and Teaching Abroad Direct
