Should Your Child Take a Gap Year?
Posted by eka in High School on Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Princeton encourages it. Harvard is a big fan. Tufts at MIT some of the most prestigious universities of the nation pushes students to examine everything that could cringe most parents: The idea of postponing college for a year for a break though deserved.
It's called "gap year". And even if it is a common and popular rite of passage in Australia and Britain for decades, the concept began to receive significant steam here in America.
Why? A growing number of seniors in high school are reluctant to ride the conveyor belt academic preschool up to college. They are exhausted. Or not quite ready. Or who want to explore a few interests before deciding what to study at university. So instead of suitcases waiting for the first year to volunteer in New Orleans or teaching in Thailand. Begin the great American novel, or childbirth to help understand what they do with their lives.
Understandably, that makes a lot of parents nervous. But before you drive your children to armored car and send him to the same college dormitory, it is important to understand the facts, including what a gap year and what is not.
First, take a gap year does not mean that the student is condemned to remain degree-less forever. There is no formal study of how many students who eventually make their way to college, the gap, anecdotal evidence from admissions officers across the country says very few actually deliver radar college. During a gap year can actually make children more focused and ready for academic life hard. In fact, Harvard is probably the most competitive university in the country, believes so much in the sabbatical year, to encourage all students admitted to the examination one year before registration. And Princeton has just announced a new program called "turning point" that will give students newly arrived to spend a year performing public service abroad before beginning their first year.
The reason for supporting higher education for the gap year is clear: the better prepared students mean higher completion rate. And it is finalized that question. Parents should remember that having a child at school is only half the battle. According to the College Board, three of the five students who enter four-year public college, fail to grasp a degree within five years. And nearly 30 percent of all students entering college do not return their second year. Given that the average price this year of a four-year private college is a whopping $ 23.712 per year, it's a very expensive place to mingle. To send a boy who is not ready for college is like sending a boy who is not hungry for an all-you-can-eat buffet.
That said, not all years of difference are created equal. If you have a child determined to take a year off, here are some guidelines to follow:
Do talk about money
Just because you're ready for college smart does not mean you're on the hook for a sabbatical year as well. Remember, this is responsibility of learning in the real world. Be honest with you until - and not - are ready to go. Require that your child create a budget in depth of his years, beyond telling you how it would contribute financially. While many students dream of one year of unlimited travel, it is perfectly reasonable to require that your child wait a few tables for a few months to pay all or part of the year.
It's called "gap year". And even if it is a common and popular rite of passage in Australia and Britain for decades, the concept began to receive significant steam here in America.
Why? A growing number of seniors in high school are reluctant to ride the conveyor belt academic preschool up to college. They are exhausted. Or not quite ready. Or who want to explore a few interests before deciding what to study at university. So instead of suitcases waiting for the first year to volunteer in New Orleans or teaching in Thailand. Begin the great American novel, or childbirth to help understand what they do with their lives.
Understandably, that makes a lot of parents nervous. But before you drive your children to armored car and send him to the same college dormitory, it is important to understand the facts, including what a gap year and what is not.
First, take a gap year does not mean that the student is condemned to remain degree-less forever. There is no formal study of how many students who eventually make their way to college, the gap, anecdotal evidence from admissions officers across the country says very few actually deliver radar college. During a gap year can actually make children more focused and ready for academic life hard. In fact, Harvard is probably the most competitive university in the country, believes so much in the sabbatical year, to encourage all students admitted to the examination one year before registration. And Princeton has just announced a new program called "turning point" that will give students newly arrived to spend a year performing public service abroad before beginning their first year.
The reason for supporting higher education for the gap year is clear: the better prepared students mean higher completion rate. And it is finalized that question. Parents should remember that having a child at school is only half the battle. According to the College Board, three of the five students who enter four-year public college, fail to grasp a degree within five years. And nearly 30 percent of all students entering college do not return their second year. Given that the average price this year of a four-year private college is a whopping $ 23.712 per year, it's a very expensive place to mingle. To send a boy who is not ready for college is like sending a boy who is not hungry for an all-you-can-eat buffet.
That said, not all years of difference are created equal. If you have a child determined to take a year off, here are some guidelines to follow:
Do talk about money
Just because you're ready for college smart does not mean you're on the hook for a sabbatical year as well. Remember, this is responsibility of learning in the real world. Be honest with you until - and not - are ready to go. Require that your child create a budget in depth of his years, beyond telling you how it would contribute financially. While many students dream of one year of unlimited travel, it is perfectly reasonable to require that your child wait a few tables for a few months to pay all or part of the year.