Opportunity for growth or waste of time?

Alicia Sianes-Bautista, Malaga University

Taking a year off or gap year between secondary and higher education It is a common practice among young people from northern European and American countries. This phenomenon is increasingly widespread in Spain, although sometimes it is still seen as a lost year. We have analyzed the benefits and risks of this parenthesis period from an international perspective; based on this analysis, taking into account the idiosyncrasy of the Spanish context, its problems and current needswe offer some recommendations for young people who consider this option and their families.

What the data says

Below, without intending to carry out a comparative study per seshows in broad strokes how the sabbatical year is conceived in some countries of the world. In addition, scientifically proven advantages and disadvantages are presented.. In it United Kingdomhe gap year (sabbatical year, in English) is understood as an educational effort and a pedagogical experience in which civic engagement meets personal, moral, civic and intellectual development. In South Africa It is considered that the gap year has benefits for students, such as:

1. It brings clarity in career choice, increased motivation and a more focused approach to your studies.
2. It allows you to recover from exhaustion or wear and tear after secondary education.
3. It facilitates the adaptation to the university.
4. Improve your intercultural and interpersonal social skills.
5. It contributes to their personal development, independence and self-awareness.

However, falling behind with respect to the peer group or the difficulty of resuming academic studies are also considered disadvantages. In Asian countries like China, taking a gap year it is a behavior more accepted by the peer group, but still disapproved of by many families. However, a study of researchers from Chinese and Australian universities shows thatthat this experience contributes to the development of maturity and independence of those who live it.

The results for China contrast with those for other investigations developed in Finland and Australia.

In the case of Finland, no differences were found between the students who was on a gap year before going to university and the one who directly accessed it in relation to:

1. The growth of the commitment with the goals.
2. The effort.
3. The expectations of success.
4. University enrollment fees.

In Australia, the differences between students who take a gap year and those who go directly to university in relation to future prospects, career prospects and life satisfaction were not significant.

In Norway a more complex vision arises. The gap year is considered to be a beneficial experience for future university students, while for vocational training students it is perceived as irrelevant and even counterproductive. This is due to the possible risks of definitive abandonment of the studies after the pause that the sabbatical year implies. The United States is one of the countries that most defends the practice of the sabbatical year. One of the research most recent considers that it provides the student body with benefits such as:

1. Adaptability to change and failure.
2. Formation of professional identity and understanding of the role of the team.
3. Understanding of the “real world”.
4. Refocusing of objectives.
5. Resilience and stress management.
6. Motivation reinforcement.

Doubts, wishes and prospects for the future

In Spain, according to a report published by the Ministry of Universities33% of new university students drop out of these studies, of which 13% change degrees and 20% directly leave the Spanish University System. This means that a third of new university students are not clear about their preferences. This circumstance occurs in a context where competitiveness, excellence, perfectionism and being part of “the generation of uncertainty” It does not exactly generate peace of mind.

Therefore, if it is so complex in the current circumstances to find out what you want, it is still convenient to start by trying to outline what you do not want. In this sense, one of the options that can contribute to this decision-making is to take a gap year at the end of secondary education. In addition, in Spain there are studies that show that the academic performance of university students who took a gap year is higher than that of students who did not.

Analyze personal circumstances

It is always convenient to analyze the social and cultural circumstances of the place where you live, as well as personal ones. The three fundamental questions we must answer are:

1. What do you want to achieve or what are your expectations from the gap year: why am I taking a gap year?
2. What possible benefits can there be from taking a gap year: how do I think it will help me?
3. What challenges or difficulties may appear along the way: what will learning mean for me?

an open discussion

Multiple factors influence the suitability of taking this year of rest: inequality of opportunities, needs and demands of the capitalist system, etc.. In fact, some studies point out that the proportion of students who postpone access to university varies depending on their background, gender, race or ethnicity, among others. Lisa Wade, a professor at Tulane University, prefers to use the memes to denounce the differences regarding to the conception of the sabbatical year in families based on their economic resources.

This issue, linked to the sabbatical year in the US. It is a practice supported by prestigious universities such as Harvard and Princetondenotes that students from families with greater financial resources is the one who has more chances and probabilities of doing it.

self-funded options

However, the gap year is not limited exclusively to traveling with expenses paid, but there are also other programs that facilitate and even finance this experience, such as language immersion courses, work experiences abroad such as aupair, and even companies that organize this type of specific trips, such as Workaway.

The effects, possible benefits and risks continue to be studied from theory and practice, although there is an international consensus that taking a gap year as a transition between educational stages can bring personal, professional and academic benefits. At the same time, the other side of the coin must not be forgotten: it is essential to be aware of the challenges, risks and difficulties which implies abandoning formal education for a while, living in a foreign country or traveling in search of experiences.

Alicia Sianes-BautistaProfessor of History of Education and Comparative Education, Malaga University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. read the original.