In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
After nine to twelve years of intense studying, it is reasonable for high school graduate students to take a break before stepping into university. Some people go travelling while some choose working. Taking a gap year has become a popular option among teenagers. However, if not considered thoroughly, the choice can be both positive and negative.
In my country, most students are pressured by their parents to excel in school. They further their education because it is what everyone does. As a result, most of them skip classes and go partying throughout the four years of college without having a purpose of life. It is no doubt a waste of money and resource. Taking a gap year offers an opportunity to figure out their future plans. Furthermore, students can develop a sense of responsibility through working. Travel widens horizon and youngsters can learn to be independent.
However, there are downsides that must be considered. At the delicate age of eighteen, young adults can easily go off track, perhaps by a job of decent salary, and never returning to their studies. Students might not be mature enough to decide what is best for them, and satisfied with the financial fulfillment they already have. Moreover, a year off could lead to the lost of interest in studying, which might lead to increased drop outs.
There is no perfect answer to the question of whether taking a break between one educational phase and another is beneficial or detrimental. The important thing is to realize what the goals are and do anything necessary to achieve them.
I think my conclusion is weak, but I don't know what else to say about this issue...
Please give me some feedbacks, thanks!
Hi,
I am also an IELTS student (sometime my opinion may not be 100% correct :-) ).
As I believe it is not a good idea to use phrases like " I mean " in the essay writing for the exam like IELTS. Please try to avoid using them.
Please highlight some points for negative effects of the traveling as well. You can highlights points like Bad influences, make incorrect judgments because of the lack of experience.
Thanks Vaishali for correcting my grammar!
Hi Nishantha,
I appreciate your opinion and thank you for pointing out what I can improve on.
Now that I look at it closely, I noticed the points you mentioned.
I guess I focused mainly on the advantages, so too little disadvantages were covered.
In some cultures, they are encouraged to do so while in other cultures, like mine, they are not.
In my country, most parents believe that higher education means better quality of life, which is why they force their children to spend as much time as they can studying. Their intentions are benevolent; I mean, every parent wishes their offspring a successful life .
There is no right or wrong answer to the question about t aking a break between one educational phase and another.
:-)
Thanks Kevin!
I realize that I was off topic... So I made a (huge) revision.
I don't know if I should start a new thread or just reply...
Anyway, I paste it here. Tell me if I cannot do that.
The revisions are highlighted in bold. Thanks.
When you revise, it is god to post the new draft in the same thread. If you write a new essay, start a new thread.
Taking a gap year has become a popular option among teenagers. However, if not considered thoroughly, the choice can be both positive and negative.--- this is correct. So, is it the main theme of the essay? Both positive and negative? Maybe it should be like this:
Taking a gap year has become a popular option among teenagers. However, if not considered thoroughly, the choice can have negative consequences in addition to the positive ones.
At the delicate age of eighteen, young adults can easily go off track, perhaps because of enjoying a job with a decent salary, and never returning to their studies.--- this is a well-written sentence.
:-)
Yes, I worry because my little sister is taking a year off and working at a company that will pay for some of her education ... 20% this year, 30% after 2 years, 40% after 3 years, and so forth, so it makes her want to wait years before attending college!
I guess the task only require the analysis on advantages and disadvantages...
(Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.)
Taking a gap year has become a popular option among teenagers. However, if not considered thoroughly, the choice can have negative consequences in addition to the positive ones.
I see. So the topic suggests that taking a gap year is encouraged. Therefore I have to "add" some negative consequences... This sentence is A LOT clearer than mine! Thank you!
I heard that the college tuition in the states is really high, isn't it? (like, insanely high!)
Isn't there a student loan or something?
So that people can go to college first and pay after graduation?
Yep, many factors are involved. If I grow up in one state and want to go to school in another state I have to become a resident, etc.
To tell you the truth, if you can get citizenship within a year or something, you will already be working by then, and you will soon be a working American citizen eligible to enroll and take a student loan, maybe even grants that will par for some of the tuition for free.
So... just get citizenship for now if you can, and get started! Or if you can't get citizenship... well.. I don't know how it is for people to study abroad in the U.S.
Post a thread about this in the "student talk" section. They will know all about it!!!!
