Tradition has become an enormous part of society today, particularly in the United States. We feel fear to change, like the saying; “How many Americans does it take to change a lightbulb? Change, who said anything about change?” We have become so accustomed to our social norms that we don’t know if we could be doing something more efficiently. For instance, ever since attending a higher educational institution after secondary school became an accustomed action, that has been the expectation for most high school students in the US. Certainly, people took breaks from or dropped out of school to work before gap years became more widely popular, but unfortunately, they still held negative implications. Still to this day, many people dislike the idea of taking time off after high school. What we didn’t know then, and what is still ambiguous today, is that we can generate a new social norm that would be advantageous towards our society. If gap years were to become a well-funded, more accepted program in the eyes of the general public, we would be able to experience the beneficial aspects that have the capability of improving humanity. Although it can be seen as a non-traditional custom and socially costly in terms of reducing the number of years an individual works, gap years have the capability of benefitting our society because it gives the participants increased employability options, time to mature and develop life skills, and an increased cultural understanding, developing perspectives for effective citizenship. 

The history of the evolution of the modern-day gap year has predominantly came from Great Britain. Back in 18th century Britain, young, aristocratic men would go on a Grand Tour to travel Europe and learn about its art, culture, and history (O’Shea). They referred to the Grand Tour as “the travel [practice] of a young man of rank often in his teen, undertaken as the ‘crown’ of his liberal education” and it was considered an essential part of a gentleman’s education (O’Shea; Morley). It served as an extension of the typical educational experience of that time, which is why many scholars argue that this was a heavy influence on the modern-day gap year (O’Shea). We can also see an influence from post-WWII Britain, where “all young men were conscripted at age 18 for two years of National Service in a branch of the armed forces, unless they were granted a deferment to continue their education and enlisted after graduation” (Morley). Those two years were essentially an enforced gap, between furthering your study or going to join the workforce. This gap accelerated the maturing process of all those young men, whose professors favored the higher level of maturity in contrast with students coming straight from secondary school (Morley). Scholars have also argued that gap years have been partially shaped from the hippie movement of countercultural youths from Britain who traveled the world during the 60s and 70s (O’Shea). Throughout British history, the structure of the modern-day gap year was being formed from different practices, ultimately leading to a very appealing movement. 

Although it seems like a historically British practice, it has begun to develop in other countries. Before it began getting popular in the US more recently, it was much more prevalent in the UK and Australia during the turn of the century. According to the Higher Education Research Institute, just 1.2% of US college freshmen deferred their admissions to their respective institution to take a gap year in 2011 (Baker). On the other hand, in the UK, the percentage of college applicants who took a year off before higher education went from 5.5% in 1986 to 13% in 2006 (O’Shea). As for Australia, the percentage went from about 4% in 1974 to 11% in 2004. Gap years have even been reported to be on the rise in Japan, as well, where institutions are beginning to encourage students to defer admissions to take time off from school. 

There is no clear dictionary definition of what a gap year is, but it is most commonly referred to as the “period of time which an individual takes out of formal education, training, or the workforce where that time sits in the context of a longer-term career trajectory” (Martin). The time spent off is usually 12 months, hence the name gap ‘year’. However, it can be as short as a couple of months or as long as two years, depending on how the participants choose to spend their time (Jones). It can also be mentioned as a break between secondary school and higher education (high school and college). Gap years offer many opportunities that are best seized outside of the stress of higher education. Not that some of the opportunities can’t be pursued while attending a university; it is just much easier to do without the added stress. 

Young adults who choose to take a gap in their education can truly improve their potential career in a variety of ways. It is a gateway to numerous internship possibilities. If the participant chooses to do an internship, they can experience the aspects of that type of career to see if it suits them or not. Gaining such great experience and meeting employers is a huge networking bonus, creating references for future employment options. It also gives that individual an advantage over their fellow young adults. Traveling to different parts of the world and adapting to those cultures displays a great means of courage, commitment, and determination, which sticks out in the minds of employers. In the UK economy, many “blue chip” firms have begun encouraging applications for employment from individuals who have gap year experience (Jones). Therefore, it is crucial to use your time wisely because “a well-spent gap year makes an application stand out”, especially today where universities and employers are hard to impress (Claeys). 

Gap years appear to generate a unique offering in providing field experience and an increase in the participant’s cultural understanding. This offering is most commonly attained by travelling abroad, whether the gap year activity they choose is volunteer work, paid work, or independent travel. Any way you choose to spend your time, it is a great way to gain knowledge about cultures you are not accustomed to. Being engulfed in the culture from all directions, it would be easy to learn a language (Claeys). Employers value the ability to speak foreign languages incredibly. It would also allow the participant to work more effectively if they were to get a job that requires travelling abroad, as they would be familiar to a foreign land. Stepping outside your comfort zone and experiencing different lifestyles increases one’s global awareness, which they can teach to others to spread that awareness. 

The beauty behind a gap year is that you have the chance to mature and develop important life skills through whichever activity you choose. However, there is not enough evidence to suggest one is necessarily more beneficial than the others (Jones). Today, any skill can potentially land you a job. You can use your time off to experiment different skills or use a skill you have already developed, ultimately finding your unique skill that could give you an edge on other job-seekers. Using your time to experiment different skills is a great way to discover new talents you never thought you would have, which could lead you to a completely different career path that you end up enjoying (Claeys). Unique skills are very attractive in the minds of employers and could be the reason one person gets a job over you, which is why you should take time to consider your different options. Seeing things from a different light and giving yourself the time to think and reflect will yield a great deal of confidence.

Gap year participants can spend their time doing something they have always wanted to do but never had the time to; for instance, volunteer abroad. Volunteering abroad is a great experience to see different parts of the world and providing aid towards the people there (Claeys). An example of what someone can volunteer abroad for is shown in a Deseret News article that features a girl named Samantha Krieg from New Jersey (Baker). Her experience greatly demonstrates the benefits a gap year can offer. Samantha deferred her admission to Georgetown University and first, travelled to Florence, Italy where she learned the Italian language and about Italian art/culture (Baker). She also went to the Bahamas and trained in yoga, ultimately becoming a certified instructor. Her last visit was to Ireland where she did a business internship for a company in the publishing industry. During the experience, Samantha also had time for a self-reflection and gain the confidence to chase her dream of becoming a neuroscientist, which she had always been pessimistic about (Baker). One quote that Samantha said after her year off was over and she started school at Georgetown is the epitome of the claim that gap years allow the participant to mature very well; “‘When I first got to college, everyone was talking about how nervous and uncomfortable they felt,’ she said. ‘I never felt that way’” (Baker). She also stated that she now had a sense of financial responsibility, which is a problem for many young adults. Samantha’s story is just one of the countless gap year experiences that have produced such positive outcomes. 

There have also been perspicuous academic benefits shown in studies of gap year participants. Economic researchers from Australia and the UK have found that high school students who deferred their admission to college to take a gap year ended up going to college at the same rate as those who accepted an offer and went straight there (Birch and Miller). Clearly, any statement about how gap years discourage students to return to college after their time off is statistically shown to not be true. Additionally, they found that taking a gap year had a significant positive impact on students’ academic performance in college, not just their chances of getting into college, with the strongest impact for students who had applied to college with grades on the lower end of the spectrum. Individuals who choose to take a gap year are now roughly 5 percentage points more likely to achieve a first or second class degree compared to otherwise observationally identical individuals who go straight into college (Crawford and Cribb). The students from these studies are reflecting higher performance outcomes, ultimately increasing their employability, both of which heavily contribute to an individual’s development (Martin; Jones). 

With rising popularity of gap years in the US, there has also been an increase in the criticism of the practice. There is still some ways to go before it becomes a more socially accepted norm. Although a large population of the country could care less about how the young adults of our society spend their education time, some heavily oppose the idea of taking time off. One of the more prevalent reasons suggests that gap years distract young people from the typical transition between school and further education or work (Martin). Taking a gap year is very abnormal in our society because people get caught up in the traditional sense of education: “excel in high school, graduate from a prestigious university, and get a good job” (Fan). Robert Clagett, a former dean of admissions at Middlebury College and former senior admissions officer at Harvard, states that “more and more students are stepping off the educational treadmill, pursuing interests and reminding themselves in the process of what their education is really all about” (O’Shea). Clagett does not agree with the traditional American education system, where many parents would rather their child not take a gap year due to the doubt that their student won’t return after taking time off (Lieber). 

Other criticisms include claims that gap years should be a matter of concern. People have wondered why we should promote a practice that carries no positive productivity. According to the journal article “Mind the gap? Estimating the effects of postponing higher education”, it is stated that “some have argued that gap years are socially costly as they presumably reduce the number of years of work after university graduation” (Holmlund, Liu, and Skans, 684). However, this argument has very little evidence about how the typical time taken for a gap year could affect the labor market. In fact, there was a study done where students who have taken a gap year reported that they were extremely satisfied with their careers in the workforce (Haigler, Nelson). It appears as though there isn’t a legitimate reason in opposition of the prevalence of gap year programs in the US.

For many individuals, these criticisms act as a powerful motivator that influence their decision to take a gap year. Whatever a gap year participant wants to do during their time off is completely up to them, however it is crucial to use the time wisely because “a well-spent gap year makes an application stand out”, especially today where universities and employers are very hard to impress (Claeys). 

Participants tend to report that one of the major reasons for taking a year off is because they need a break from their formal education or employment (Martin; Jones). Many humans, specifically most Americans, are in school from age five until twenty-one, on average. For some, even more. Once we graduate high school or college, we proceed to the workforce. Some people will never have an opportunity to experience what the average gap year participant experiences because of the speed at which our society moves. The inevitable hustle of the working world is a powerful motivator for many young people to broaden their horizons through new experiences before settling into a career (Jones). It is possible that the increase of popularity of gap years within the past year is because of Malia Obama, who is taking time off before she attends Harvard University (Lieber). One of the reasons why Ms Obama decided to take time off is because of the appeal for high school graduates who don’t know what they want out of college or seek to work, travel or volunteer on the sort of schedule than an academic calendar does not allow. 

An organization called UnCollege is one of the major programs that has successfully helped gap year participants learn how to build lives they want to lead. In a Ted Talk, Jean Fan gives a pitch for her organization, where she is the director of community. The purpose of this organization is to help people take control of their education through its gap year program. Fan deferred her admissions to Stanford University to work, learn, and travel. She states that “for those who want to excel in college, to those who are questioning the current system, to those who just want time to pursue personal projects”, take a year off from school (Fan). Many times, students rush themselves into college, unprepared, thinking it’s the quickest way to success. UnCollege encourages young adults to explore their options and build a life they will want to lead. What Fan explains about the American education system is that it has created a population of young people who are good at following directions, but who are really bad at thinking for themselves. This system is taking away the individualism of many students who haven’t had the opportunity to better explore their options, which is contradicting its main purpose; to prepare students to be responsible, self-aware citizens. Better individuals together make a better society because of how their experiences aid them in their specific careers or in a global matter. Ultimately, Fan clarifies an excellent idea that in a gap year, you are taking a year on, not off.

Following a gap year, young adults are better prepared for the self-directedness and maturity needed for the rest of their lives. Those who oppose gap years argue that gap years distract young adults from the typical linear transition between school and further education or work and that the year off negatively affects academic and workforce outcomes in the future (Martin, 2010). Once again, tradition is in the way of a definite societal benefit because Americans don’t know how to accept change. There are far more benefits to the prevalence of gap years than not, as seen from the Samantha Krieg’s experience, which is why they should be destigmatized. These benefits tend to build from or revert to another. An employer will value an individual with a certain skill higher than the average applicant, especially a skill like communication or leadership. Many researchers and academics acknowledge that if you use your time off wisely, gap years are a tremendously positive educational experience for the participant and potentially the global well-being, as it leads to more maturity, increased employability, and greater cultural knowledge. 
