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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

GAP year or not?

27 replies

Newmoon71 · 29/10/2023 18:59

What is the opinion on whether kids should take a Gap year or not, to travel, work, learn a language in another country, etc.

I took 6 months off (not in UK) as didn’t get i into the university I wanted, I used it to study and prepare better and took a couple of courses hobby related. It didn’t harm me and I got into the degree and university I wanted.

OP posts:
TheDogIsTheMainCharacter · 29/10/2023 19:14

I'm absolutely favour of them as long as they are reasonably well planned and any travelling self funded.

Can the student not apply and defer for a year?

I suppose an exception might be something like medicine or architecture which are long courses but even then I can't see a real issue unless the parent/s finds it difficult to support them.

We work for so long in this life, why not a year to do what we want?

PinkRoses1245 · 29/10/2023 19:19

I didn’t do it but wish I had. Parents shouldn’t pay for them though. And definitely no volunteering in developing countries or similarly exploitative activities

Dixiechickonhols · 29/10/2023 19:25

They seem increasingly popular at DD’s school. We are in an area where most dc will only get minimum loan so dc are looking at needing £5000 a year top up. A year out to work and save really helps.
As long as proper plan go for it. I know a dc who has a deferred Uni place for 2025, working 4 days a week at a decent job that will look good on cv/transferable skills and doing a business course too to keep studying going. That can only be a plus I think.
Only subject I’ve heard it’s a no for is maths.

Parker231 · 29/10/2023 19:27

Wish DT’s had done a gap year after their degree but Covid got in the way and they got job offers.

Kelta · 29/10/2023 19:31

The costs of finding yourself through university are so high now that I think it will become the norm. Not to gad about travelling etc but to work so that you can afford to live whilst you study.

Original poster
Newmoon71 · 29/10/2023 19:33

I am also in favour of it but speaking to some friends whose daughter wanted to take a gap year but the parents persuaded her not to. Also, all my friends kids went straight to university after finishing school.

How does it work? Do you apply and then ask to defer for a year after you are offered a place? Are universities ok with this.

OP posts:
faffadoodledo · 29/10/2023 19:40

I think all students should apply after A levels, and take a corresponding gap year. I hate the current system and this would remove uncertainty, and allow kids to earn and/or grow up a bit. One of my children took one - worked, learned Spanish, and went to Nicaragua with Raleigh. The other was told because she was taking maths it wouldn't be a great idea, so didn't. But if all mathematicians had to shed have been ok!

choirmumoftwo · 29/10/2023 19:40

My DS had a gap year, not to save and travel but because his predicted grades didn't allow him to apply to his universities of choice.
His gap year was extremely relevant to his course choice, was self funded and he quickly received five unconditional offers when he applied with grades in hand. Worked well for him.
DD on the other hand wanted to take a gap year then COVID happened so she made a late university application instead and graduated this summer having had a great experience. Worked for her.
I think if a gap year is well planned and self funded, it can be really useful.

Dixiechickonhols · 29/10/2023 19:49

DC can apply yr 13 and defer or just wait and apply post A levels grades in hand. Latter would remove a lot of stress as you aren’t going to see universities just in case and dc can just focus on getting grades.

Springwillcome · 29/10/2023 19:51

I didn’t but I wish I had. I coupd have really used the extra year to grow up a bit, I was very gullible when I went to uni and got involved with some awful men.

LillianGish · 29/10/2023 20:28

I think gap years are good if you have something in mind work/travel/whatever or if you are not entirely sure what you want to study or where you want to go. Applying with grades in hand you will have a much clearer idea of where you might realistically be accepted and on which course. Re. maths, my niece took a year out and went on to get a first - I don't think she was disadvantaged in anyway. She applied with grades hand and was offered a place practically by return of post. My own DCs experience has been that a very high proportion of their cohorts had had at least one if not two years off. DD ended up having one by default because she dropped out of her course very early on, DS didn't bother because he knew what he wanted to study and where and thought he might as well get on with it (he's now on a year abroad as part of his course which he says feels a bit like a gap year!)

mondaytosunday · 29/10/2023 22:38

I'm for it. For one thing it means (unless they apply and defer) that they will apply with grades in hand - so much better! Plus they will be a year more mature, hopefully more ready for independent and the self discipline of university study.
And if course perhaps earn some money for their expenses, or do something beneficial in other ways. And it may also allow them to decide if their chosen subject is really what they want to study - my daughter did a 180 on her original plan.
But it's down to the individual - some want to crack on.

WilderRose · 30/10/2023 06:11

My ds applied and deferred. If grades had been higher or lower than predicted he felt had option to start again and apply with grades. So 2 chances...
Stuck with deferred place and working in retail to earn some money.

poetryandwine · 30/10/2023 11:06

I am a former STEM admissions tutor (Russell Group). Applicants need to know that many STEM programmes requiring Maths don’t like gap years; the concern is that the Maths will be lost.

I think this is overblown and have argued against it, sometimes successfully, but most admissions tutors in my School disagree with me on this. STEM applicants considering a gap year should check with the admissions tutors of their top choices.

Otherwise, I think a purposeful gap year is a great idea for most. That year of growing up can make a huge difference to the way students approach university, and (for those who do) applying with grades in hand is much more sensible and less stressful than using PGs.

Original poster
Newmoon71 · 30/10/2023 14:19

poetryandwine · 30/10/2023 11:06

I am a former STEM admissions tutor (Russell Group). Applicants need to know that many STEM programmes requiring Maths don’t like gap years; the concern is that the Maths will be lost.

I think this is overblown and have argued against it, sometimes successfully, but most admissions tutors in my School disagree with me on this. STEM applicants considering a gap year should check with the admissions tutors of their top choices.

Otherwise, I think a purposeful gap year is a great idea for most. That year of growing up can make a huge difference to the way students approach university, and (for those who do) applying with grades in hand is much more sensible and less stressful than using PGs.

Interesting; my daughter wants to do an engineering degree; however this was only decided recently and I don’t think she has done much research on this yet, she is year 12 but I want her to take the lead on this and feel a year off will help her to grow up a bit and be more certain of what she wants to study and where. Maybe she will be more ready next year.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 30/10/2023 15:21

She may have a better idea after going to some open days and also she should take a look at this

www.etrust.org.uk/insight-into-university

Muddle2000 · 30/10/2023 15:24

Good way to try work experience.

dicedicebaby · 30/10/2023 15:34

Depends on your subject. It's not recommended for a maths degree.

My DS went to uni, hated the course so withdrew at Christmas and ended up having an almost gap year. He worked via a temping agency for months in all manner of jobs which did him the world of good. He then went away for a couple of months before starting uni way more mature. He said he would advise all students to take a gap year!

ErrolTheDragon · 30/10/2023 15:38

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to the question. Some kids know what they want to do and are ready to dive straight into a degree - my dd (an engineer Smile) was, she didn't even consider a gap year.

Re deferrals - afaik some courses will, some won't. It's probably the sort of thing she'd need to ask the admissions tutors of courses she was interested in (email contact details should be easy enough to find on course websites).

ErrolTheDragon · 30/10/2023 15:55

Muddle2000 · 30/10/2023 15:24

Good way to try work experience.

The work experience available to a student with just A levels may not be that great though. When looking for summer vacation internships, DD and her friends found the options after their first year were much more limited than for subsequent years. Not having any work experience before uni didn't seem to negatively affect her at all.

mrsconradfisher · 30/10/2023 17:14

I was very against DS having a gap year, non of his friends were going to Uni including his long term girlfriend and I thought he’d change his mind and never go.
After results day in August, he had to get 2 papers remarked and then didn’t want to go to the Uni he had firmed so he has taken an unexpected gap year. It’s honestly been the best thing he could have done. He’s working nearly full time, has been doing some online courses related to his degree choice, been learning how to cook proper meals, been going out socialising which he didn’t do for the whole of Y13, joined a gym and is also volunteering at his old school one day a week in the department related to his degree choice (PE). It’s honestly been the making of him. He’s also visited different Uni’s to where he first applied and is looking at things far more clearly without the pressure of exams as well. UCAS is going in today and hopefully he should get some offers fairly quickly.

GrassWillBeGreener · 30/10/2023 18:19

My eldest found a school-based gap year job overseas - a lot of these may fill fairly early normally but this was during covid. She already had her university offers but was able to change them to deferred offers. As she flew out in early July for 12 months, applying post-results would have been a little more complicated. She benefitted hugely from the experience and has appreciated having some savings behind her. Also - her experience contributed to her landing a great summer internship after her first year.

The youngest has just started maths, without a gap year. We did look seriously at the advice about gap years as there were excellent reasons for him to consider one. At least one Cambridge college does state on its web site that they may look favourably on gap years for maths applicants - so it's not totally impossible. But I think had DS decided on a gap year he would have been taking direct university advice as to how to plan to keep his maths going.

I look back and think I should have considered a gap year myself. In my case I was bored at school and desperate to start learning stuff at uni. So I discounted any idea of investigating applying to Oxbridge because our school year finished a few weeks into the start of the UK academic year.

massistar · 30/10/2023 18:33

My DS is on his gap year at the moment. He's got a deferred place at Uni for next year. There was no problem doing this at all and he should get first choice on accommodation when it opens. . He worked all summer and then went interrailing for a month. He's then heading off for a ski season in Italy. It's always been his plan to do a ski season though. I don't think I'd have been as happy if he'd just stayed at home.

FebuarySmith · 30/10/2023 19:36

Mine is on one now having decided late on towards the ends of A levels the course they had offers for wasn’t the course they actually wanted to spend 3 years studying. Is mid UCAS process once again having applied early. Is also working and saving towards uni costs and for some travel next summer. Was in an intensive school environment before so I’m glad the unexpected year out is being taken.

Juja · 30/10/2023 20:26

I'm a big fan. Both my two wanted to take gap years and both applied in Year 13 for deferred uni entry. They received offers from all Uni choices so it didn't make a difference to the application process. If they hadn't they could as others have said then applied again after A levels. For both my two they grew up enormously while taking a year out and it provides a break from the treadmill of institutional life.

We didn't provide any funding for the year out but they managed to pay their way through Saturday jobs, various grants and working and volunteering overseas . Coincidentally both went to France for the year - 2 years apart and to very different places.