GAP YEAR So What is this Gap Year

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GAP YEAR

GAP YEAR

So What is this Gap Year thing all about?

So What is this Gap Year thing all about?

The basics • A gap year is……. • Time taken out of formal education

The basics • A gap year is……. • Time taken out of formal education or employment by choice in order to travel, gain new experiences or prepare for future commitments. • Gap years are most commonly taken between College and University, but can also be taken between college and employment or after university.

Why would you want to take a Gap Year? Earn/ save money Gain Life

Why would you want to take a Gap Year? Earn/ save money Gain Life Experience/skills Why Have time to decide Time to mature

But won’t it make it more difficult for me to apply for university? You

But won’t it make it more difficult for me to apply for university? You can apply at the same time as everyone else, but choose the deferred entry option, which tells the universities you are applying to, that you want to take a year out first. OR You can apply from the September of your gap year.

Won’t universities mind? NO Most universities approve of gap years – here’s what some

Won’t universities mind? NO Most universities approve of gap years – here’s what some of them say

What Universities say: • Queens College, Cambridge University “We think that time away from

What Universities say: • Queens College, Cambridge University “We think that time away from study between school and university offers students the chance to develop, mature and see something of the world”

What Universities say: • University of Leeds “We find that most students who come

What Universities say: • University of Leeds “We find that most students who come to university after a Gap Year are much better prepared to concentrate on their studies and also have useful life experiences to bring to bear on the subject they are taking”

What Universities say: University of London: Queen Mary college “Research shows that students who

What Universities say: University of London: Queen Mary college “Research shows that students who take a well-planned, structured year out are more likely to be satisfied with their choice of course and, even better, more likely to complete it”

What can you do on a gap year? Volunteering Work Travel Many students do

What can you do on a gap year? Volunteering Work Travel Many students do a combination of these activities

So what could you do in terms of work? ‘ What's in for me:

So what could you do in terms of work? ‘ What's in for me: Ø Part-time work some or all of the year Ø Add experiences to your C. V Ø Short term Temping through an agency Ø Earn/save money Ø Long term Temping through an agency Ø Full time some or all of the year Ø Learn new skills Ø A chance to try different work environments

So what could you do in terms of volunteering? What’s in for me: v

So what could you do in terms of volunteering? What’s in for me: v Can be in or outside UK v You get so do something completely different v Teaching English Abroad v Develop new skills v Aid Projects v Organisation and management v Conservation projects v See somewhere new v Good for your CV

So what could you do on a Gap Year Scheme? These are organised by

So what could you do on a Gap Year Scheme? These are organised by a company/charity • Expeditions – world wide • Expands your horizons • Placements- Year in Industry, IBM preuniversity experience, Price. Waterhouse. Cooper Gap year programme, BBC pre-university Experience scheme, Deloitte Scholarship scheme • Meet new people • • Projects e. g. Radio Journalism project in Ghana, Healthcare project in Mexico, Work placements: Chalet Hosts, Dinghy Instructor with Mark Warner, au pair, to name but a few • Understand different cultures • Learn new skills • Independence • Adds an ‘interesting story’ to your C. V

Sounds Good? But don’t know where to start? • THINK OF YOUR OBJECTIVES •

Sounds Good? But don’t know where to start? • THINK OF YOUR OBJECTIVES • RESEARCH • PLAN • Your Gap Year should be a productive year, you should get something out of it, but what that something is, is up to you. Deciding on your objectives can help you to plan what you want to do! • Finding out what’s out there, what you could do that appeals to you and how realistic it is. • At the end of the day, if you don’t plan it, you won’t do it!!

Step 1 • THINK OF YOUR OBJECTIVES This is really down to you, but

Step 1 • THINK OF YOUR OBJECTIVES This is really down to you, but some things to think about might be: ü Do I want to earn/save any money – and if so how much? ü Is there a skill or ability I want to gain or get better at? – How can I do that? ü Is there a place I want to see? – where, and why do I want to see it ü What do I want, to be different about me, by the end of my gap year? ü Is there something that would be useful to me in the future, at university or in my career, that I should do – What would that be?

Step 2 • RESEARCH • Internet • Books/Library • Word of mouth

Step 2 • RESEARCH • Internet • Books/Library • Word of mouth

Step 3 • PLAN o Finances o Application deadlines o Logistics o Talking it

Step 3 • PLAN o Finances o Application deadlines o Logistics o Talking it through with the responsible adults in your life

Finally • Only YOU can know if you want to take a Gap Year,

Finally • Only YOU can know if you want to take a Gap Year, and what you want to achieve in it! • Decide on your objectives- what you want to do and DO the RESEARCH • Not thinking, researching or planning, is likely to lead to an unremarkable year that you don’t feel proud of. • But if your objective is to earn money to make university easier and give yourself some breathing space, then it is perfectly acceptable to work for the year and get involved in stuff you love!