The Student Room Group

Is gap year so popular in the Uk?

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Original post by WiSi
Which exams ?


A levels/final year.
Original post by WiSi
In italy is not seen as a good thing, most of people can think you are lazy, or immature.
Otherwise UK have more people with a degree then Italy.


Most English students more away from home to go to university. It can be useful to be a year older to make better use of the challenges and opportunities without having parents on hand for support.
Reply 22
Original post by MKaur18
A levels/final year.


They can do it twice?
So at the end of Y13 you take your ALevel exams: I’m taking Government and Politics, Economics and Religious Studies.
The volunteering programmes you have to arrange on your own usually, but lots of organisations run them and sometimes if you are religious your church will support you financially
Reply 24
Original post by Scarlettcake
So at the end of Y13 you take your ALevel exams: I’m taking Government and Politics, Economics and Religious Studies.
The volunteering programmes you have to arrange on your own usually, but lots of organisations run them and sometimes if you are religious your church will support you financially


Yes but, those organization are at least in contact with the high school?
Original post by WiSi
Yes but, those organization are at least in contact with the high school?


Generally year out/ volunteering (referred to as voluntourism) organisations are not connected to schools - some do work together of course. They are pretty expensive on the whole - popular among wealthier students.
Reply 26
Original post by ajj2000
Generally year out/ volunteering (referred to as voluntourism) organisations are not connected to schools - some do work together of course. They are pretty expensive on the whole - popular among wealthier students.

You are expected to pay to work as a volunteer ?
Original post by WiSi
You are expected to pay to work as a volunteer ?


For the foreign/ exotic schemes yes - actually they are very expensive as wealthy parents worry about their children going to Africa/ South America. Plus - although they are described as volunteering 18 year olds are rarely any good at building things or improving the agriculture of countries which have farmed for 1000's of years. It would be far cheaper to go backpacking to the same location.

Volunteering in the UK is, of course, free - but not as exciting.
Original post by WiSi
They can do it twice?


Yeah, but they have to pay resit.. but, people don't really resit exams in their gap year. But, they are able to.. but they have to wait a whole year in order to resit.
Original post by WiSi
As in the title, is gap year quite common in the UK?

Thanks
WiSi


Pretty much
I hate this perception that volunteering on a gap year is only for rich students! It’s not! Do your research and you will see you can do it very affordably... Camp America and Camp Canada pay you! Lots of Christian organisations posted overseas will welcome you! You have to pay for flights but often everything else is included. I have lots of friends who have worked throughout their ALevels and saved up so they can have a good gap year experience.... And if you choose your volunteering carefully you genuinely can make a difference....
Original post by Scarlettcake
I hate this perception that volunteering on a gap year is only for rich students! It’s not! Do your research and you will see you can do it very affordably... Camp America and Camp Canada pay you! Lots of Christian organisations posted overseas will welcome you! You have to pay for flights but often everything else is included. I have lots of friends who have worked throughout their ALevels and saved up so they can have a good gap year experience.... And if you choose your volunteering carefully you genuinely can make a difference....


Camp America and Camp Canada offer real jobs - not volunteering. If you work as a chalet maid on a ski slope you get paid too.

Do you have any links for affordable gap years volunteering overseas where you only pay for flights (for 18 year olds) ? I'm pretty suspicious - the church ones seem to rely on collections among the congregation so not really free.
I think it's way more common than in Italy. Here we finish high school one year older, and also we don't need any volunteering/work experience or similar requirements for any of our degrees, so if anyone takes a gap year is more for the experience, or if not sure about what to study at uni. Also uni application process it's easier and way later in the year, giving you more time to think.
Lastly, at least in Italy, you can't retake your final exam, so you just have to keep the grade you got.
These are some of the reasons I can think about!
Reply 33
Original post by atarassia
I think it's way more common than in Italy. Here we finish high school one year older, and also we don't need any volunteering/work experience or similar requirements for any of our degrees, so if anyone takes a gap year is more for the experience, or if not sure about what to study at uni. Also uni application process it's easier and way later in the year, giving you more time to think.
Lastly, at least in Italy, you can't retake your final exam, so you just have to keep the grade you got.
These are some of the reasons I can think about!


Why do you think that student in the UK finish High School when they are one year older?
Also in Italy High School last 5 years.

Who need work experience before apply for university ?
Original post by MKaur18
It lasts 5 years.
Then college is 2 years. - optional


Gap year if u wanna, and uni is optional.


College(Btech, Alevels)/sixth form(staying at high school) isn’t really optional anymore. You’re legally required to stay in education until you’re 18 now.
Reply 35
I want to experience travel. However feel I am more inclined to do it in the break between alevels and uni
Original post by WiSi
Why do you think that student in the UK finish High School when they are one year older?
Also in Italy High School last 5 years.

Who need work experience before apply for university ?


I'm italian and I have friends from the UK: we finish high school one year older.
And to my understanding you need some kind of experience for some degrees (medicine for example)
Reply 37
Original post by atarassia
I'm italian and I have friends from the UK: we finish high school one year older.
And to my understanding you need some kind of experience for some degrees (medicine for example)


It is not true, no experience is needed, and here students study from 6-7 years old to 19-20.
Original post by WiSi
It is not true, no experience is needed, and here students study from 6-7 years old to 19-20.


Wait so 19/20 is your last year in high school? Definitely older than the UK, our last year is 17/18. (Starting 4-5 years old)

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