With the school year coming to a close, many seniors are burdened with a difficult decision: whether to take a gap year prior to college or to proceed directly to the next level of education. While many seniors may feel the urge to embark on the path that includes a gap year, it is favorable to not take a gap year in between high school and college. The choice to take a gap year is more harmful than beneficial, as gap years can lead to a delay in progress, hinder a student’s future career and cause a student to be unproductive.

While taking a year off may seem ideal after four strenuous years of high school, students will regret their decision upon realizing that they are academically behind all of their peers. Students are putting their careers and their lives on hold by taking a year off. Following the gap year, students will forever be behind their peers in receiving a college degree, a job and a future. However, after taking a gap year, many students find it hard to get back in the routine of an academically oriented lifestyle, consequently leading to another year off from school. According to www.collegeconfidential.com, many students have trouble adjusting to college lifestyle after a gap year. The more time spent out of school, the more dreadful school becomes, making enrolling in college harder to do. In this case, students are wasting valuable time and putting their futures on the line. It is better to get the four years of college underway.

“There are gap year programs that can sometimes offer college credit for students, but if students do not take the initiative to plan an organized year, it can turn into a free year off,” said College and Career Coordinator Robin Lutsky.

Gap years can also deter students’ careers. Since students have a harder time adjusting to an academic lifestyle with a year off, many students do not start their careers at the optimal time. Because of this, many students who partake in gap years have a harder time finding a stable job. If a student has his or her future career in mind, a gap year is not advantageous.

A gap year can also be a wasted opportunity if not properly managed. Though most students plan to take a year off to travel or commit their time to something productive, not all students follow through with their intentions. Instead, many students find themselves using their time ineffectively. With the newfound freedom of being away from school, many students become lazy or unproductive. Students with gap year plans are notorious for participating in insignificant activities that do not enhance their future careers. Taking a gap year can leave students feeling in a rut, idle and unwilling to return back to school.

When deciding what path on which to embark, seniors should weigh their options before they emerge on the seemingly convenient one. Although a gap year seems irresistible in June, it can be encumbering when the time to enroll for college comes around. However, other options such as community college are available and beneficial. If students are looking to put their futures as a priority, they should not engage in a gap year.