What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking a year off after high school before entering college?

I don't understand this mentality. I started college a semester early - Spring of what would have been my senior year of HS. Sure, I missed out on being valedictorian (wouldn't let me b/c said I had already graduated), but never regretted it.

Gap Year wrote:

adsfsdf wrote:

Don't do it unless you are going to do something really awesome (travel through Europe, etc.). Pushing paper or working at a burger joint for a year to earn a few bucks is a pointless waste of time. Think of it this way: what do you think pays more, one year of work at a job requiring a high school diploma, or one year of work at a job that requires a college degree? You'll just feel more distant from your fellow college freshmen once enrolling. If you must take a year off, at least apply and get in NOW, then ask to defer.

But isn't it very common for European kids to take a year off before college?

travel is also much cheaper in Europe than the US. To go from Berlin to Zurich via train costs probably less than $50. To go from say DC to Chicago via train costs upwards of $300. Wages are better in Europe. In the US, minimum wage isn't enough to live on, you'll be living with your parents. In Europe the lowest wages in many countries will support a single man to live on his own and have some entertainment.

You know, if I could do it over again, I would have taken a gap year. I wouldn't have used it to just work one job, rather try a few different ones and travel, so I could have figured out what to major in. I ended up not pursuing a career in my degree, and only chose my major because I really didn't know what I wanted to do.

Hammer through college in 3 years, with some 20 credit semesters, then you can take that 4th year off, and it will be like you never lost any time. People say college is the best time of your life. If college is the best time of your life, the rest of your life must suck. The reality is that you are paying money to go to an institution; so get in, work you arse off, then graduate.

Gap Year wrote:

I'm really thinking about doing this, but my parents are worried I'll then never go to college. They want me to go to a prep school instead of just taking a year off to work.

I think you answered it in your first post.

If you successfully take the gap and then start and complete college it can be worthwhile.

The problem is the gap can turn into a gape and you never really start or commit to college.

Not that everyone needs to go to college, but it seems better to do it than not to do it.

It expands your choices in life.

The only, but big, advantage I see to working for 1-2 years before starting college is that you see what life with little education is like for most. If you work in a retail, food service, or factory job for a year or more you will be quite a bit more motivated than your peers were when you start college.

Hdh374 wrote:

You lost out on 23 years of attending income and tuition outpaced inflation by 300%. Other than that, no change.

They're accepting students into med school strait outta high school these days?

Do 2 yrs in the military. You'll only be a couple of years older than your classmates, but they'll look like school children to you.