Its not all rest and play (Gap Years in general)

Member Name: gmoczulski

Product:	Gap Years in general
Date:	29/01/09 (45 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Earn money/see the wolrd. nice break from exams

Disadvantages: You will feel as if you are missing out on the uni experience at first

Out of any review I will ever write on here I deem this to be one of the most important ones, speaking from experience it is a tricky decision as to whether or not take a gap year in between college and university. I found it tough to actually go ahead and defer my entry but in the end did. I am still currently on my gap year so can't give you the perfect review but its fresh and topical for me so will hopefully still be helpful.

Ok, so when your friends all go off to uni around the end of sept, you think great, they are going to be slaving away whilst I chill for a bit then travel. Wrong! In fact it may even be the opposite.

I quickly learnt that I would become jealous of the uni goers in the opening stage as they were continuously on the lash, largely due to freshers week, whilst I was getting up for work at 8 every morning and the majority only had 10 hours lectures a day! What a joke!

I soon began to regret my decision because I really felt I was missing out, but don't let this sway your decision. If you stick through the 7ish weeks of hard toil whilst your friends seem to be lving the dream it will soon get better. Your friends will all come back for christmas holidays so you will no longer feel left out, which is a great boost. And as soon as new year passes the travelling aspect which is almost mandetory on a gap year is in sight!

Once you are away you will see it was all worth it, whilst your friends are revising in dreary old Britain you will be relaxing on the beach or travelling and seeing the world! What could be better?!

However if you are not prepared to work and be a bit bored for the first 5 months i would not suggest its for your, nor is it if you are going to get out of the UK...it will be a loong year, although financially very beneficial for your pcket at uni. Furthermore do not do it alone, make sure you have some friends to travel with and meet up with during the work phase...THAT IS KEY.

I hope this is helpful.

Oh and one further point, it is actually really beneficial to apply to uni whilst on a gap as you already have the required grades, which truly helps and puts you at an advantage over all other applicants.

Summary: Make sure you have the character to get through the 1st half!