Taking a gap year before doing a STEM degree

[tourdefrance]

DS1 is applying to do maths and physics at uni but wants to have a gap year. DP is concerned he will lose knowledge / skills in that year. He hasn't really got any plans other than get a job (retail / hospitality) and maybe do some traveling. He was hoping to do a third year at sixth form to do Further Maths AS and a bit of Engineering but he will already have 3 A Levels by then so its unlikely they'd allow him.

I think you need to check with the universities he is applying to. I've heard many don't like a gap year before a maths degree because of loss of knowledge, but no experience of this, just something I've seen discussed.

DS is applying for Natural Sciences (maths/physics/chem) with a gap year (he has plans for that, but not academic ones). He's got offers from four places and is waiting to hear from Cambridge. So it hasn't hurt him so far!

It really isn't recommended these days to take a gap year before a maths degree.
I did it back in the 80s and it took me a whole term to be able to focus again.

Hi, OP -

PP are right that the best thing to do is to check directly with the relevant degree programmes. It is best for DS to email anyone on the admissions team, preferably at School or Dept level, to ask about this. The recipient will route the message to an admissions tutor. If the only contact information you can find is for University or Faculty Admissions that’ all right; it may just take longer to get the message to an appropriate person.

I am in STEM and as an admissions tutor I would often support applicants wanting a gap year. They do need to be strong and IMO they should continue their Maths, or resume it intensively during the latter part of the year. It is too bad you think DS won’t be able to do AS FM at his College because that would be ideal, and lend weight to his request.

I hope DS will investigate this possibility as it would be so helpful. If it doesn’t pan out, he should have a workable back up plan for Maths, because that may really help his case. And then, bearing in mind the experiences of @TeenToTwenties and many others, he needs to follow through on it, in order to get off to a strong start at uni.

Good luck with this

Thanks all, he has applied for 2025 entry at the moment and has got 3 offers so far. Will there be the opportunity to ask this at at offer holder day or is it best to email separately.
We don't have a definite answer about whether he can do FM next year, they are being noncommittal / generally discouraging to him when he has asked. I may need to formally email the principal and ask for an answer one way or another.

He needs to email separately, because he needs a written (emailed) answer.

Agree he needs to email separately about this, and as soon as you can.

Also, look for an alternative college, surely he needs FM?

Thanks, I will help him draft an email.
No he doesn't need FM to study either maths or physics at the universities he's applied for (not Oxbridge but still good universities).

My nephew had a year out from starting his maths degree and worked in an auction house! No issues. Uni of Manchester.

Maths does go fast. I wouldn't recommend a gap year.

If school won't let him back can he study FM himself using online resources and sit the exam as an external student? Also have a look at Open University courses if FM isn't possible.

This is an interesting idea.

I wasn’t even thinking that DS needs to sit the FM exam, only to demonstrate that he is keeping up with his Maths. I don’t think a further condition should be imposed on his offer

Yes he has suggested he could study further maths independently, but I’m sceptical he would have the motivation without the structure of lessons and homework.

There are distance learning options. Have a Google. Also try FMSP, nrich.maths, mathcentre. Independent study skills are important at degree level so would be good skills to have anyway.

Isaac Physics also covers some FM topics. As @poetryandwine no need to actually do the exam.

Applying for deferred entry is unlikely to stop a student being offered a place at many universities, particularly for a STEM course where there are subjects that are much harder to recruit to. That said, STEM courses tend to take off pretty fast and students who have just come from school or college find it hard enough to adapt and to recall knowledge and skills. In my experience, gap year students, particularly those who have been travelling rather than working, take longer to settle down, to flourish and to get decent marks. Thai fishermens' trousers with very low crotches and lots of string round wrists and/or bare feet fill first year lecturers with dread.

I know this is an ancient thread, but people do stumble across them, so a quick update. DS got a deferred offer from Cambridge for NatSci, and now has a gap-year arranged (working in New Zealand). He claims he will be taking at least one maths book with him, but we'll see.

Great news, @PhotoDad! Congratulations to DS.

And it is good to know that Cambridge Nat Sci is happy with this