How many gap years is too many gap years?

Don't volunteer through a company...They earn money off you and I doubt they pay you? Go through "workaway.com" and find someone that will house and feed you and then money wises should be fine.
If you want to go for 3 months I would try to get around 3 grand (Excessive) by working for a month or two, I also had the plan to study but it didn't work out... Normally once you abroad your perspective on exams may change a little

The number of gap years is actually too many gap years, when this question crosses your mind ~

Considering you're not going to uni to study Maths, is it bad to have 2 or 3 gap years between sixth form and uni? If you're going to utilise them well?

Yes - especially for Maths.

You may be worth considering a WHV for Aus and staying there working for a year or two if that appeals. I can highly recommend it!

And for a non-Maths degree?
Still a bad thing?

Ok, this is gonna be a long read. Massive apologies in advance . You can see just how many thoughts are swirling round my head on a daily basis...
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Well, this summer I finished my A-levels - but I completed them a year late (personal issues rather than academic) so that has already set me back by a year in relation to the traditional trajectory of going to uni aged 18.

Now, it's the start of my first gap year (but it feels like I'm on gap year number 2, because most people my age have already done their gap year if that makes sense). I'm going to do 3 months of volunteering with ICS (fingers crossed I get accepted at the Selection Day) in Nepal or Tanzania.

I'm also considering Camp Canada, au pairing, a month-long voluntary programme in Fiji in the communities and a 3-week voluntary programme in Costa Rica for conservation. But first off, I'm getting a job in retail until December to earn some money and get some experience of work. That means I'm probably not going to be able to do all the travelling I'm wanting to do, but I guess the two shorter voluntary programmes are things I could do in a uni summer holiday if I had to, so I won't be devastated to miss out on them for the time being.

Thing is, I want to do at least one more a-level because I only left sixth form with 2 a-levels. And with me being away for a whole three months with ICS - and probably other travel too - I don't really want to pile on the pressure with having to study in between or alongside travelling. I thought about it, but then I realised that ICS really is my priority now and it's not like I'll be able to pack a couple of psychology textbooks..
Part of me wishes I could travel, work and study in one gap year and then get off to uni in Sep 2020, but .

So that's why I'm considering another gap year in 2020-2021. Then I'd be able to just enjoy my travelling and volunteering this year without stress, and then the next year do 1 or 2 a-levels (whereas if I did it this year I'd definitely only do 1) as well as RAF reserves (you only have to do a couple of days a month so not a big time commitment but definitely something I want to do) and more part-time work.

If I were definite on the double gap year idea, I'd also jump at the chance to work abroad in Canada for a 4 to 5-month ski season because it's something I'm desperate to do but it's such a huge time commitment that it seems implausible at the moment. Plus, I'd be able to keep studying for that a-level while I was over there in Canada - not something I'd be doing on an evening in rural Nepal with ICS... Also thought about Australia. Either way, I'd need a double gap year to even consider working in Canada or Australia because you can only ever get one working holiday visa in your life for each of those countries (and that lasts up to a year I think) so it'd be a bad use of a once-in-a-lifetime visa if I were to only go for a few weeks! I'd want to make sure I had a decent amount of time out there to make the most of having that visa.

Having two gap years (three if you consider my extra year at sixth form) would mean I'd be entering uni as a mature student, which tickles me for some reason . Hopefully the process is no different to apply as a mature student??

I mean, I think the only reason why the question's crossing my mind is purely because of societal expectations

Wow, Chill out for a second there! There is no shame in going to university a few years after everyone else. In fact, I personally think it is an optimum thing to do, as you can be completely sure of what you want to do. We have this "trajectory" ingrained into us by society, but maybe we should check out from it? It's not healthy! Sure it works for some (myself included, I'm glad I went straight to uni) but for others it leads to rushed decisions and bad choices.

Mature students are also really interesting people. Far more interesting than standard undergrads anyway. They've just DONE more stuff.

You're right I seriously need to chill out haha. I take life pretty seriously. And I get worried about making the best decisions.
I totally agree with you though about this trajectory! It's completely society-fuelled and just based on what "most people" do.
But financial stability is a big thing to me, and the further I stray from the trajectory, the less there's a guarantee of financial stability. I hate risks

I do tend to think maybe I should compromise on all those 'gap year'-type things I've been wanting to do, in favour of taking a more traditional and predictable route which has a lot more certainty. It's that thing about 'You can do anything, but you can't do everything'. I feel like I'm trying to fit everything in, and maybe that's not the best thing to do.
Existential crises aged 19?

The smart thing to do is to get the third A level first and concentrate on that. You often need three A levels for course admissions, jobs, etc. It also gives you the option to go to university when it suits you.

That's not necessarily true. Most universities that rely on UCAS points (a lot of them) only stipulate the points come from 2 A levels. I've got a friend studying maths at university, and she only did Maths and Further Maths.

But yes. I do think OP should get around to another A level or 2. It can only help them.

The smart thing to do is to get the third A level first and concentrate on that. You often need three A levels for course admissions, jobs, etc. It also gives you the option to go to university when it suits you.

My ideal job is going into the RAF and for some roles you only need GCSEs, and even for officer roles you only need 2 A-levels and I have the required UCAS points as it is So I could apply to that and potentially get in and have a job for life without doing another A-level or a degree.

The only thing that's stopping me is 1) I might not get in and I need a backup plan and 2) I'd quite like the university experience.

But once I'm in a job or uni, it's possible that I won't ever have the chance again to be away for 3 months with ICS or to have half a year in Canada on a working holiday visa. That's what worries me. I know I have the opportunity this year to dedicate several months to some of these things - and I don't know when I'll get the same opportunity again (because yes you have uni holidays, but not months in a row, and yes you have holiday leave from work but again, not long-term). So it makes me want to prioritise travel during my gap year.

But then I think of what you said - it might be 'sensible' to get the A-level(s) first and at least I know I have them, and instantly more options are opened up to me. But then I wonder what if I do the A-levels this year and then next year I go off to uni and I've missed my chance for some of these travel things..

It's the fact that I can technically get my dream job without doing more studying if need be, but that I can't get a gap year back if I miss out on the travel.

ICS don't earn money off me as it's government-funded, but if you're talking about the Costa Rica / Fiji programmes, then true, I'd be paying into the companies, but I'm not going with the extortionate ones. I see where you're coming from though. And I'm hoping to do a couple of WorkAways too - sounds great - maybe working in a hostel or teaching English but WorkAway doesn't offer the same sorts of placements as some of these awesome volunteer companies that take you to the Amazon for example. I see them as two pretty distinct sorts of voluntary work.
Nope you're right, the volunteer companies don't pay you. I wish But temporary travel jobs like being a camp counsellor at CampCanada / CampAmerica does pay you a little - usually between £1000 and £2000 for the 2 months at camp - and so does au pairing.
We'll see how I go. I have a job interview on Monday so hopefully it goes well.. Then I can get saving up!

And for a non-Maths degree?
Still a bad thing?