You’re a senior in high school and it’s college application time. All your friends are caught up in the hustle and bustle of writing college essays, talking about first decisions, early decisions, etc. and you’re just insecure. School has been a long road for you and you are exhausted. Not sure if college is for you as you have no career goals at the moment. You feel implicit pressure from your parents to continue school. How are you?
You have a number of options:
Live at home and work for a while while saving money and maturing at the same time. I know your parents say, “If you don’t go to college now, you never will.” Not necessarily true. The median age at community colleges is twenty-seven. Working has the advantage that you get a feeling for what’s out there even with your Abitur. After doing this for several years and experiencing the “ceiling,” you may suddenly see a reason to go to college. Whatever you do, don’t let parental pressure force you into your decision. From what I’ve seen as a college teacher, parents can pressure you to sign up, but they can’t force you to get involved. In the end, forced students fail and parents’ tuition goes down the drain. Sit down with your parents and calmly discuss the advantages of working and postponing your studies. (In the meantime, you may consider applying now and deferring admission if you’re accepted. Sometimes it’s easier to “get in” on the application process while everyone else is doing it. In fact, it may be your parents’ fear of your intake dispel time-out.)
do internships. Contact employers whose fields interest you and ask if they take high school interns. Sometimes employers only want college interns, so you’ll need to use your powers of persuasion and offer your services for free to get your foot in the door. While this is an expensive option in terms of lost income, it very often is a very valuable investment in one’s future. Various internships will give you an insight into what interests you, but just as importantly, what doesn’t interest you. Internships allow you to learn “hands on” which is particularly useful for those who learn better by “doing” than by sitting in a classroom. Alternatively, if your search for an internship fails, you can ask to “shadow” someone in an area that interests you. For example, if you see what a day in the life of a public relations director is like, you can assess whether you would find this a fulfilling job. Eventually, if you find a good match and impress an employer, the relationship may lead to a job offer later. After all, when an employer is looking for new employees, isn’t a reliable “known” quantity better than a stranger? In a competitive market, internships are one of the best ways to secure future employment.
you can travel. Even cheap, this is a luxury option. However, if you have money saved (or parents are willing to fund it) and are independent enough to mind your own needs, this is an incredible opportunity to meet new people, places and cultures that will broaden your horizons your own world. Traveling requires taking responsibility for all one’s needs and can lead to increased maturity.
Take the time to strengthen your academic skills. If you didn’t do as well as you might have liked in high school, your academic and study skills are likely below average. If so, enroll in either a part-time continuing education program (without credit) or development courses at your local community college. Work to bring your reading, writing, math, and study skills up to par so you can enter college with confidence and potentially avoid developmental courses.
You can Connect to a gap year program, either through an educational institution or a private agency. Gap year programs may include an assisted living program as well as useful work experience. A well-run program offers guidance, counseling, and maybe even college credit; It’s a good stepping stone before you venture out on your own for the first time. This is an excellent choice for students who want to attend boarding school but lack confidence in their ability to live independently. This type of program is reassuring for parents who want their teen’s first experiences away from home to include some level of mentoring.
A gap year has several advantages:
You are allowed to grow up. Taking time off to work or travel gives you real-world experiences that can translate to increased maturity. This will stand you in good stead when faced with the social and academic pressures of college. A gap year can also narrow your focus on what you ultimately want to do. Students who go to college with a purpose in mind find it easier to endure courses they have little or no interest in, seeing them as a means to an end.
You will have time to find yourself. Students who take time off and explore different career fields often discover what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Equally important, they often recognize what they don’t want to do; The benefit of this is that they haven’t wasted college tuition on a major only to find out in the end that they don’t really care.
You have the opportunity to prepare yourself mentally and academically for college. If you weren’t a “student” in high school, time off gives you an opportunity to “reprogram” yourself. Think about why you lacked motivation and what will change when you go back to school. If you sign up for a college readiness course and take it seriously, you’ll know how to prepare for exams. Students who are taking time off and are a little older may be more “financially” thoughtful. They may realize that minimal effort will result in them failing and retaking courses and having mediocre grades at best. Will their degree get them a job that pays well enough to offset the tuition they’ve spent while they graduate? Will they have amassed an academic record that will provide them with enough income to live independently and pay off any student loans they may have acquired? If a sabbatical leads to better retirement planning and greater tax responsibility, it’s worth it.
You will appreciate the college. Once you enroll in college because it is your wish, not your parents’, you will be more motivated. Add a few years of maturity and you have an equation for success.
Google “gap year opportunities” for an extensive list of opportunities.
All students thrive on their own schedule. If, for whatever reason, you’re not ready to go to college immediately after high school, that doesn’t mean college isn’t for you. It may very well mean you need a quality break for some introspective thinking, something a gap year can provide.
Thanks to Joan Azarva | #Learning #Disabilities #Benefits #Gap #Year #Students #Learning #Disabilities
