About one-third of all high school students wait one year or more after graduating before enrolling in college. Students who delay post-secondary education have numerous reasons for making this decision. For some students, a combination of reasons holds them back from starting college for a period of time after high school graduation. Could this solution work for your specific needs the way that it helps so many other high schoolers and their families? It is worth consideration.
Known as a gap year, the trend originated in Europe many years ago and quickly caught on in the United States. Students enjoy a resting period and often find it beneficial in their future college education. Why are a growing number of students delaying their college days? Wyoming based, Melvin Brewing takes a look at the most common reasons high school graduates delay their college education.
Adjustment Period
Teens so often head off to college unsure of what the real world is really like. It leaves them in shock and often reaching out to mom and dad for advice, help, or when they are in fear of the unknown. In turn, parents roam college campuses eagerly ready to solve all of their child’s problems. This leaves the student without the life skills they need to make it on their own and may cause conflict as well. An adjustment period after high school provides time for the student to learn more about themselves and life so the challenges that may come along with college are not such a burden.
Finances
College costs an average of $9,970 per semester for in-state tuition fees, although some colleges charge twice this amount. This cost is often offset by scholarships and financial aid that the student repays after graduation. This often leaves students in debt before they have a chance to get started. The solution is a gap year, a time when the student and his or her parents can earn additional money to put toward the costs of college to reduce the burden of debt the student is left with after graduation. Students may also use this time to apply for or earn more scholarships/alternative funds for college tuition costs.
Time to De-Stress
Stress is a normal part of life for everyone. However, for younger adults, learning how to cope with the stress poses a challenge they are not skilled enough to overcome in many cases. High school has changed drastically over the years and now students face so many issues and obstacles we never imagined. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that around 9.3%of all high school seniors suffer from a diagnosed anxiety disorder. When stress affects a person in such drastic ways, it is time for a break. Sometimes nothing more than living without the pressure is all that is needed to destress and unwind from an especially difficult high school experience.
Time to Learn
By the time high school graduation rolls around, many high school seniors are fully aware of their future plans and endeavors. They know exactly what they want in life and the job most suitable to their interests. However, some students enjoy far too many things in life, and picking between them isn’t so simple. Some students simply have not yet found their passions. Students who are still undecided may find benefit from taking off from school for a year or longer. This break provides an opportunity to experience life and learn what most interests you.
Join the Military
Students sometimes wish to join the military and serve their country after high school. It is oftentimes students who come from military families who choose to join the military, but not always. Joining the military is extremely rewarding for those with the desire to serve their country. There are ample perks of joining the military after high school before college, including possible scholarships and tuition-paid college education. After serving in the military, college seems easier for many students who’ve since gained real-life experiences.
Melvin Brewing College Delay Information
Enrolling in college immediately after high school is ideal for many students, but an increasing number of people find benefits from delaying their postsecondary education. Although the reasons students choose to delay college enrollment vary, the causes on the above list are most common. Evaluate your situation to better decide if a gap year or longer break after high school is beneficial to your needs. Do not be afraid to break free from what society deems the norm if it positively benefits your specific situation. It could be a break immediately after high school that gives you the motivation and encouragement to be your absolute best when you finally do take the plunge and enroll in college.
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