Gap year or not?

Hi,

I am really unsure of whether I should apply for uni this year or take a gap year then apply.

My brother who is in uni now suggested I take a gap year to get a job and know the real world, as well as this try new things and enjoy being 18 because your never going to be that age again. And I do agree with what he says but some of my friends said I shouldn't because I might become lazy and forget the things I learnt in a level and my essay writing skills may reduce.

My worry is I'm not ready for university yet because I sill feel like I'm 14 and I feel sort of rushed by my school to make a choice on the university and the course and I feel like I'm not making a well thought out and wise decision because at the end of the day it me who is going to do the course for 4 years and me who is going to pay the huge amounts of debt back.

My teacher suggested I should apply for 2016 and if I still want to have a gap year I can apply again in 2017. I could do a deferred year for course in 2017 but what if in that one year my choices for university change ?! plus I thought I could make a much better choice after I know what my overall A2 grades will be.

Overall my teachers want to apply this year with my predicted grades which is a BBC, is it because of my predicted grades that they want me to apply this year? I'm so confused at why my teachers are suggesting this. Could someone please explain this or just give me your opinion because I'm so torn as to what to do and my application has to be in by early October and my personal statement next week >.< !

oh forgot to mention I am applying for a business and marketing course.

I think you know yourself that you want to take a gap year - and you have given some very good reasons why. A gap year can be a very useful experience and you certainly won't be unable to 'catch up' when you do start uni, whenever you do it!

There is no need to get your application in by early October - this is just the school wanting to make sure everyone is getting on with it rather than procrastinating. I would suggest a conversation with the UCAS co-ordinator. They can't make you apply if you don't want to- but you do need to establish that if you apply after A levels they will provide a reference for you (they should not refuse this, by the way). It's also worth asking them why they are so sure you should apply this year regardless.

Hi Minerva, Thank you for your reply. It's been really helpful Most people around me have been saying don't take a gap year, some of the reasons were it's too expensive, waste of time etc. and my parents are quite free with my choice of gap year, sometimes i wish they made the decisions. It would be so much help in this situation xD..

Oh and I went to see the UCAS co-ordinator and she suggested i apply this year and come results day she said i can always defer the uni or reject the unis and apply next year. But the only thing I am worried about this if i drop the universities and if i were to apply next year for the same course, will they still accept me?

and my guidance counsellor wasn't much help, she just heard my reasons for and against and in the end sent me off saying do more research.

If you were to withdraw your application and reapply, there's no reasons why they would reject you on principle - but of course you haven't achieved the grades required they may.

At the moment the plan is, if I get good grades come results day, i will decide to do a gap year and apply to better unis next year but if i don't i will proceed without taking a gap year, as I am fairly sure I will be able to achieve my predicted grades for this year and hopefully get most of my offers, well at least the top on my list atm.