Wanting to defer to 2022 - apply now or wait a year?

[SparklingLime]

For a year 13 wanting to defer uni until 2022, is it best to apply now for a deferred place, or wait a year to apply and hopefully gain some relevant work experience meanwhile? For engineering/physics/maths. Trying to work out if there are any negatives to not applying at all this year.

Has s/he checked that the departments they are considering applying to will accept deferrals / look favourably at gap years? Mayhs in particular is usually quoted as a subject where deferrals may not be allowed, due to the fear of 'deskilling' in the interim.

Thanks @Marchingfrogs. No, but this is the sort of concern I’m grateful to be made aware of.

I’d guess that others must be in this situation. I’ve seen an active thread for year 12s, but nothing for year 13s. Unless I’ve missed it?

@SparklingLime I would think there would be an added advantage to applying next year with grades in hand and work experience to boot. As long as your DC can demonstrate that they have made use of their gap year to their personal betterment, the universities he applies to next year should not look on his application unfavorably. He will also not be under the same exam pressure if he applies next year which is another bonus.

I truly don’t think most universities bother about gap years and what they get up to. Realistically lots of DC will just have menial jobs to earn cash and lots of the wealthier ones will go on world tours, do those charity programmes (funded by parents) or sit on tropical beaches. It’s their grades which get them their places. Perhaps this isn’t true for Oxbridge or Medicine?
My eldest DC took gap years and only applied with grades in hand. I didn’t want the distraction of UCAS application while they were studying.
My current year 13 DS is applying now despite wanting a gap year, mostly because the school insist. But given there are no proper open days etc I’m sure he’ll reapply once/if he gets a chance to view the Unis.

Thank you so much, @GaribaldiGirl and @Middersweekly, that’s really reassuring.

SparlingLime

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3828249-applying-for-uni-in-2021

This is running on and off.....

Thanks, @Baaaahhhhh.