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A gap year, also known as a sabbatical year, is a period of time when students take a break from their studies, usually after completing high school or before beginning graduate school. During this time, students engage in a variety of educational and developmental activities, such as traveling, working, volunteering, or taking courses. [1] Gap years are not limited to a year-long break and can range from several months to a few years.
The activities undertaken during a gap year vary widely and depend on the individual's interests and goals. Some students may take courses to improve their academic skills in areas such as math or language studies, while others may learn a trade, pursue art, or participate in sports. [2] [3] Volunteer work is also a popular choice, as it allows students to give back to their communities and gain valuable experience.
Research suggests that students who take a gap year tend to perform better academically than those who do not. However, some parents may worry that their children will continue deferring their education, rather than resuming studies at the end of the initially-planned period. [4] [5]
A gap year is described as “a semester or year of experiential learning, typically taken after high school, and prior to career or post-secondary education, in order to deepen one’s practical, professional, and personal awareness”. [6] During this time, students engage in various educational, work-related, and developmental activities [7] such as internships, work experience, travel, volunteering, participation in cultural exchanges, studying art or learning a trade, etc. Though gap years come in many different formats – from structured programs to personal exploration – the purpose of taking a gap year is usually founded on the common needs of young people to gain deeper self-understanding, expand their worldview, and recharge between traditional academic experiences. On the other hand, rejected college or employment applications have also caused high school students to pursue a gap year. [8]
Taking a gap year can have significant benefits to one's academic path as well as a career trajectory. This time taken off can help college students from “burning out” or turning to indulgent behaviors as a result of unhealthy stress. During this year, students can explore different interests while gaining experience and maturity before beginning college. It gives young people the time to make an informed choice about the path they wish to pursue, as well as the experience of real-world situations to match academic theories. Gap years and similar sabbatical experiences are popular around the world (as can be evidenced below per country), but are just beginning to become more popular in the United States. Studies conducted by American colleges are showing that the average GPA for students who have taken a gap year is significantly higher than the average GPA for students who have not [9] . Amidst much evidence supporting the positive outcomes of taking a gap year, the room for improvement remains – as the gap year experience is largely geared primarily toward students with “means.” Some still argue an opposing view, as parents are among the concerned that taking a year off from school has the potential to break a student's focus and derail their path rather than recharge it. [10] Ultimately though, the idea of a gap year is growing as it helps students gain the independence necessary for a smoother transition into adulthood. [11]
Gap years first became common in the 1960s when the young, baby boom generation, wanted to get away from the severity of war from the silent generation. [12] At first, the primary purpose of the gap year was for countries to exchange cultural ideals in the hope of preventing future wars.[ dubious – discuss ] [13] The outcome of this exchange was the growth of the gap year industry.
The introduction of gap-year companies in the 1960s and 1970s started the gap-year industry. With the long-term success of organizations like Topdeck, Flight Centre, and Raleigh International, the gap year industry developed rapidly. In 1967, Nicholas Maclean-Bristol created Project Trust, which sent three volunteers to Ethiopia from the UK. [14] The goal of this was to help the nation develop, but also build the volunteers' own skills. In 1972, Gap Activity Projects (now Lattitude Global Volunteering) was started to send UK youth around the world on Gap Year experiences. Their participants, still called "Gappers", went a long way to branding the year between high school and university as a Gap Year. In 1973, Graham Turner innovated the gap year industry by purchasing a bus and selling tickets to Kathmandu. This led to Turner creating Topdeck and Flight Centre, which are successful gap-year companies today. [13] In 1978, the Prince of Wales and Colonel John Blashford-Snell began Operation Drake which is now known as Raleigh International, an expedition voyage around the world following Sir Francis Drake's route.
In 1969, the first gap year organization was founded in Worcester, Massachusetts. The organization called Dynamy was founded with the intention of teaching young people self-confidence and the role they play in a large community. [15] In the 1980s, the gap year idea was promoted by Cornelius H. Bull in the United States to allow students more time for individual growth. Cornelius saw that students needed a bridge between high school and college that would help develop more hands-on skills. [16] To do this, he founded the Center for Interim Programs in 1980 which had goals of increasing self-awareness and developing new cultural perspectives. [17]
The modern Gap Year pioneers came in the form of Peter Pedrick and Tom Griffiths [18] [19] [20] who brought the gap year market onto the web in 1998 with the launch of gapyear.com. They created one of the first social media websites [21] [22] and actively promoted the concept in newspapers, radio and tv interviews using collected data and statistics. [23] [24] [25] [26] They wrote books, [27] [28] launched Gap Year magazine (published between 2002-2012) [29] and invented products, offerings, phrases and concepts that form the skeleton of the international gap year industry seen today. [30] [31] [32]
Australians and New Zealanders have a tradition of traveling overseas independently at a young age. [33] In New Zealand, this is known as "doing an OE" (Overseas experience). Sometimes this is limited to one year, but at times Australians and New Zealanders will remain overseas for longer, many working short-term in service industry jobs to fund their travels. Europe and Asia are popular destinations for gap year travels. [34] In Australia, exchange programs and youth benefits provide many opportunities for young people to gain experience through travel in a gap year. The Gap Year Association provided approximately four million dollars in 2016 in the form of scholarships and need-based grants. [35]
In Denmark, during the late 1990s, the percentage of students continuing their education directly after high school was down to 25%. Along with this drop, there was a rise in the number of students enrolling and graduating within ten years of finishing high school. [36] Data also shows that women in Denmark take more gap years than men. [37] In 2018, a record low of 15% of that year's high school graduates had chosen to continue their education directly after graduation. [38]
Denmark has sought to limit the number of students who take a year out, penalizing students who delay their education to travel abroad or work full-time. [39] In 2006, it was announced that fewer students than before had taken a year out. [40] In April 2009, the Danish government proposed a new law that gives a bonus to students who refrain from a year out. [41]
In Ghana, most senior high school leavers have a year out from August to the August of the following year, although this is not mandatory.[ citation needed ][ further explanation needed ]
Transition Year in Ireland is for school students, after taking the Junior Certificate (i.e. typically aged 15-16). It is usually optional and focuses on non-academic subjects. [42]
In Israel, it is customary for young adults who have completed their mandatory military service to engage in backpacker tourism abroad in groups before starting university or full-time work (Hebrew : טיול אחרי צבא, lit. 'post-army trip').
Israel has also become a popular gap year travel destination for thousands of young Jewish adults from abroad each year. [43] There are over 10,000 participants in the Masa Israel Journey gap year annually.[ further explanation needed ] [44]
The employment practice known as simultaneous recruiting of new graduates matches students with jobs before graduation, meaning sabbaticals are highly unusual in Japan.[ citation needed ][ further explanation needed ]
While unusual, gap years in Japan are not completely unheard of. Some students will take a gap year or two to readjust or reassess their career path or school of choice if not accepted into the school they had originally hoped for.
While waiting for their JAMB result after secondary school, Nigerian youths usually learn a trade or skill or enrol in another academic program (remedial, pre-degree, JUPEB, A-levels, IJMB, etc.) to increase their chances of getting into a university. Some students also use this opportunity to write their SAT and ACT exams and gain admission into schools abroad. [45]
It is quite normal in Norway to have a gap year between high school and further education or a job. Some join the military as part of the compulsory military service, some take part in Folkehøyskole (Folk high school) and some are combining work (typically work that requires no formal education, such as cashiers and waiters) with traveling or volunteer work. It is also fairly common to study a language in another country, for instance, Spain, France, or Australia.
Similar to the way that some students travel during a gap year, many Romanian and Bulgarian students instead study abroad and in recent years the number of students who choose to do this has been growing. [46]
In the Republic of South Africa, taking a year off is common for those in more affluent classes.[ citation needed ] Those who leave school often travel abroad to gain life experience.[ citation needed ] It is not uncommon for gap year students to travel to Cape Town for life experience.[ citation needed ] Common volunteer opportunities include working in animal welfare or tree planting.[ citation needed ]
In the United Kingdom, the practice of taking a gap year – seen as an interim period of 7 or 8 months between completing secondary education and starting university – began to develop in the 1970s. The period was seen as a time for gaining life experience through travel or volunteering. Universities appear to welcome post-gap-year applicants on the same basis as those going straight to university from previous education.[ citation needed ]
Shorter gap-style experiences (volunteering, expeditions, courses, and work placements) are gaining in popularity, as they can be taken without the need to take a full year out of study or work.[ citation needed ]
A kind of a gap year after university graduation in the UK was short-term voluntary military service as a commissioned officer: Short Service Limited Commission was introduced at the end of the 1970s when many units were short of young officers. In 1999 the name was changed to Gap Year Commission. It was discontinued in 2007. [47]
In the United States, the practice of taking a "year off" remains the exception, but is gaining in popularity. [48] Parents are starting to encourage their high school graduates to take a gap year to focus on service opportunities. [49] Schools are also beginning to support gap years more; most notably Harvard University and Princeton University, are now encouraging students to take time off, and some have even built gap year-like programs into the curriculum, [50] and many high schools now have counselors specifically for students interested in taking a gap year. [51]
Taking a year off has recently become slightly more common for Americans, the main reason is that students often feel burnt out with schooling and want to take time to make sure their lives are headed in a direction that suits them. [52] Some 40,000 Americans participated in 2013 in sabbatical programs, an increase of almost 20% since 2006, according to statistics compiled by the American Gap Association. Universities such as Georgetown University, New York University, [53] Amherst College, Princeton University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Middlebury College, [54] Davidson College, [55] Yeshiva University, [56] and Reed College have formal policies allowing students to defer admission. [52]
Tufts University offers a program called 1+4 which allows students from lower income-families to volunteer abroad or within America for a period of one year before starting their bachelor's degree. [57] Naropa University [58] in Boulder, Colorado, is the first U.S. university to fully integrate the gap year into a four-year undergraduate degree, which makes financial aid directly available to any student considering a gap year. [59]
Some formal gap year programs can cost as much as $30,000, but cheaper alternatives are becoming more widely available; some reduce costs by offering room and board. [60] [61] For example, the National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps program, offers 18- to 24-year-olds (no age limit for Team Leaders) an all-expense-paid gap year (room & board, meals, transportation, etc.) in exchange for a 10-month commitment to National and Community service. [62] AmeriCorps NCCC members travel the country in diverse teams and perform a variety of tasks such as rebuilding trails in national parks, responding to natural disasters, or working as mentors for disadvantaged youths. [62] As with most AmeriCorps programs, service members receive an education award of approximately $6,000 upon completion of their service that can be used toward qualified educational expenses or student loans. [63] The zero cost to the member model AmeriCorps offers makes it an attractive alternative to costly gap year programs while leveraging taxpayer dollars to strengthen American communities.
Additionally, new federal partnerships such as FEMA Corps offer traditional gap year seekers an immersive professional and team-building experience that can serve as a launch pad for their careers. [64] Some government programs designed to help students afford college prohibit students from taking a gap year. For example, the Tennessee Promise program requires that students must "Attend full-time and continuously at an eligible postsecondary institution as defined in T.C.A. § 49-4-708 in the fall term immediately following graduation or attainment of a GED or HiSET diploma; except that a student enrolling in a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) may enroll in the summer prior to the fall term." [65] Malia Obama, daughter of former President Barack Obama, took a gap year before attending Harvard University in the fall of 2017. [66] Universities such as Harvard and Princeton are encouraging students to take a Gap year. This time that is taken off can be beneficial so students don't "burn out" or partake in indulging behaviors that promote unhealthy stress. [67]
In Yemen, a gap year is mandatory between secondary school (high school) and university. Unless one attends a private university, one must wait one year after secondary school before applying to university. Until the 1990s, it was mandatory for male graduates serve in the army for one year, and to teach in a school or work in a hospital for female graduates (and for men who cannot join the army for health reasons). [68]
Community service is work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community contributing to a noble cause. In many cases, people doing community service are compensated in other ways, such as those helping getting a lunch for free. In many countries, there are programs to incite people to do community service. People may do community service to get citizenship. In some cases, it is possible to replace a criminal justice sanctions with community service. There may also be school or class requirements. Obtaining certain benefits may be linked to doing some form of community service. For all these reasons, it is distinct from volunteering.
Twelfth grade is the twelfth and final year of formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final year of secondary school and K–12 in most parts of the world. Students in twelfth grade are usually 17–18 years old. Some countries have a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all.
Teach For America (TFA) is a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to "enlist, develop, and mobilize as many as possible of our nation's most promising future leaders to grow and strengthen the movement for educational equity and excellence."
City Year is an American education nonprofit organization founded in 1988. The organization partners with public schools in 29 high-need communities across the US and through international affiliates in the UK and Johannesburg, South Africa. City Year teams are made up of 18 to 24 year olds, who provide student, classroom, and whole school support, intended to help students stay in school and on track to graduate high school. City Year is a member of the AmeriCorps national service network, and is supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service, school district partnerships, and private philanthropy from corporations, foundations and individuals.
Pre-medical is an educational track that undergraduate students mostly in the United States pursue prior to becoming medical students. It involves activities that prepare a student for medical school, such as pre-med coursework, volunteer activities, clinical experience, research, and the application process. Some pre-med programs providing broad preparation are referred to as “pre-professional” and may simultaneously prepare students for entry into a variety of first professional degree or graduate school programs that require similar prerequisites.
AmeriCorps is an independent agency of the United States government that engages more than five million Americans in service through a variety of stipended volunteer work programs in many sectors. These programs include AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps Seniors, the Volunteer Generation Fund, and other national service initiatives. The agency's mission is "to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering". It was created by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. In September 2020, the agency rebranded itself as AmeriCorps, although its official name is unchanged.
The Experiment in International Living, or The Experiment, is a worldwide program offering homestays, language, arts, community service, ecological adventure, culinary, and regional and cultural exploration programs of international cross-cultural education for high school students. It is administered by World Learning, a non-profit, international development and education organization based in Brattleboro, Vermont, in the United States.
An alternative break is a trip where a group of college students engage in volunteer service, typically for a week. Alternative break trips originated with college students in the early 1980s as a counter to "traditional" spring break trips. These trips are usually led by 2 "site leaders" who are students that have already participated in an alternative break and have gone through extensive leadership training.
College Possible is a nonprofit AmeriCorps organization making college admission and success possible for low-income students in the United States through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. Its model uses recent college graduates serving an AmeriCorps term of service as near-peer mentors for students lacking the social resources to successfully enroll in and graduate from college. Headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the organization serves students in all 50 states with offices located in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area, Chicago, Milwaukee, Omaha, Portland, Philadelphia and Seattle.
The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act or Serve America Act was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on March 9, 2009, by Representative Carolyn McCarthy of New York. Originally titled the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act, the bill reauthorizes and expands the AmeriCorps program that was first established in 1993. It passed in the House of Representatives on March 18, 2009. The U.S. Senate debated and approved an amended version of the bill on March 26, 2009, renaming it the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, after Senator Ted Kennedy. The House of Representatives voted on the bill a second time, approving the amended version on March 31, 2009. It was signed by President Barack Obama on April 21, 2009.
AmeriCorps VISTA is a national service program designed to alleviate poverty. President John F. Kennedy originated the idea for VISTA, which was founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965, and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993. VISTA is an acronym for Volunteers in Service to America.
The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order (10924) of President John F. Kennedy and authorized by Congress the following September by the Peace Corps Act.
Citizen Schools is an American nonprofit organization that partners with middle schools across the United States to expand the learning day for children in low-income communities. Its stated mission is "educating children and strengthening communities". Currently, Citizen Schools serves over 5,000 students and recruits over 4,280 volunteers over 31 program sites in 13 cities across 7 states. The center pieces of the Citizen Schools model are its apprenticeship programs run by volunteers that culminate in public demonstrations called WOW!s, and partnering with some middle schools to expand learning time for students. Citizen Schools offers the AmeriCorps National Teaching Fellowship providing a 2-year paid service opportunity for citizens interested in using their personal talents to enhance life opportunities for middle school students. Fellows in their second year can participate in a residency program operated by one of three university partners to obtain teacher certification in California, Massachusetts and New York. In honor of its 20 anniversary in 2015, Citizen Schools honored 20 alumni of the Fellowship who continue to make a profound impact in the community today.
Masa Israel Journey was established in 2004 by the Jewish Agency and the Government of Israel. Dedicated to its mission, Masa offers young Jewish adults from the diaspora transformative experiences in Israel. Masa's commitment to fostering personal and professional growth, combined with cultural exchange, has proven them as pioneers in the realm of immersive Israel experiences, spanning from 4 week to 10 month programs for ages between 16-50.
Post-graduate service is a range of commitments that people who have recently graduated with a college degree can make to volunteer in a community in need. Discussed within the setting of colleges and universities, post-graduate service is seen as an alternative to entering the workforce or going to a graduate or professional school.
Nativ College Leadership Program is the gap year program in Israel, run by United Synagogue Youth. It includes an academic component in fall semester, travel, and a community service component in spring semester. It is associated with Conservative Judaism.
The racial achievement gap in the United States refers to disparities in educational achievement between differing ethnic/racial groups. It manifests itself in a variety of ways: African-American and Hispanic students are more likely to earn lower grades, score lower on standardized tests, drop out of high school, and they are less likely to enter and complete college than whites, while whites score lower than Asian Americans.
Gapyear.com was started in the UK, in 1998, by Peter Pedrick and Tom Griffith. It was one of the world's first social media networks and focused on assisting young and old volunteers and backpackers to take a gap year. It was the first company to consolidate and promote the gap year industry internationally and online.
International volunteering is when volunteers contribute their time to work for organisations or causes outside their home countries. International volunteering has a long association with international development or environment, with the aim of bringing benefits to host communities. It can include a range of services, from healthcare advancement to economic development to governance.
Dek siw means "fossil student" and refers to Thai students who have graduated from high school but not yet entered a university. Dek siw spend a year studying at home or at cram school hoping to do better on GAT-PAT, O-Net and the central examinations for a better chance to gain admittance a top university.
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