Is 2-3 gap years too much?

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I had two gap years. For me, It was definitely a benefit having them.

Allowed me to enter university with a more mature state of mind with a clearer view of why I am here.

Reply 2

Akkuz

Take as long as you need. Once your happy, and know what you wanna do, apply for uni. :smile:

Reply 3

Lampshade

16 Bananas

I've heard that unis don't mind people taking a gap year. But is 3 too much? Would they not want to accept me?& they wouldn't make me take a foundation course would they? What about my social life there too?! lol

Unless you're looking at the top 8 then you should be fine.

They won't make you take a foundation course.

Reply 4

713

why don't you shorten it down to working for half a year, travelling for half a year and then studying in a foreign country for a year (integrated into your course at an Uk university)?

Reply 5

adilmorrison

713

why don't you shorten it down to working for half a year, travelling for half a year and then studying in a foreign country for a year (integrated into your course at an Uk university)?

I agree with this post. That's what I'm planning on doing. I'm leaving on Tuesday...

Reply 6

713

16 Bananas

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, only thing is, then I would be choosing a uni based on whether they offer the chance to study abroad and where it is....

Don't all universities, except maybe oxbridge offer the chance to study abroad?

Reply 7

Bateman

lol why travel for 18 months that is a bit random.

Why not work for 6 months travel for the rest of the gap year ( by the way if you want to go to uni you have like 18 months off nott 12 months)

Reply 8

*pitseleh*

Lampshade

Unless you're looking at the top 8 then you should be fine.

I took four gap years and got into Oxford...

They really won't care, as long as (a) you do something worthwhile at some point during your time off and (b) you're not going for Maths - gap years aren't encouraged for that subject.

Reply 9

Tinny

I want to spend longer than a year or half a year travelling. I want to take my time and not rush the experience. This may only be my only chance so I guess I want to make the most of it and spend more time in certain places.

Have you been travelling before without family etc? Because 1 year is a long time, I have been twice, for a month at a time and had the most amazing time - but can't imagine doing it for longer than 6 months at a time.

Also it should be fine with the unis, because you will be doing constructive things and gaining life experience, making you into a more well rounded person when you start your degree.

And with the unis offering years abroad; well I know that my uni does offer it for most subjects (obv not medicine - but thats what the elective is for). They can do this because they have links with international unis - and so the students just swap places for 3months/a year. So I would imagine that other unis would do similar things and you can always research into it - don't write the idea off yet!

Reply 10

Angelil

You don't have to work for a year in order to get a decent amount of travelling in. My sister's friend worked as a bookseller for Blackwells for 6 months and then took off round East Asia for 6 months' travelling. She packed loads of stuff into one year.
Plus, to me it seems dumb to struggle to pay for travelling when you're this young. Why not wait until you're older and more affluent, and then do it? You'll also have higher qualifications and so be able to get a better job (=more monies :biggrin:

) in order to fund it too.

Reply 11

Denny Crane

What are you guys talking about 2, 3, and 4 years gap years. Is there any such thing? A gap year is supposed to be one year. Why cant you just say that you taking time off before you start you so that you can do some of the things that interest you, which you may not be able to do whilst at uni, i.e. travel, taking new A-levels, working etc. Imagine a Uni admmision officer reading: I decided to take a 3 year gap year so that i can travel and work...blah blah blah.... Instead you can just write about what you've been doing since you finished college. Afterall you might be going as a mature student (depending on how old you are) so why not take the chance to make your application stand out more by saying what great things you've been up to.

Reply 12

ben_lines

16 Bananas

TBH, I planned to go travelling for 6months, came back after 5! 1 year is a hell of a long time to travel. Maybe think about that?

Reply 13

ben_lines

franpgb

See I'd rather travel/volunteer, rather than have to work in a country - even if it's only for a bit. Each to their own then.

So work in Australia/New Zealand for some time, and do Camp America?

Volunteering in an African orphange would also be a good idea :yep:

Reply 14

Katara

I took two gap years, travelled and worked and now am applyin to unis. I was accepted for this tear but not to my chosen program coz i stupidily applied too late!!! But am reapplyin for next year ;-)
You will be judge as a mature student and ur experience and maturity will count more than ur grades. Which can be a good thing, they will look at different things.
Simply...

Reply 15

AWSLC

Lampshade

I had two gap years. For me, It was definitely a benefit having them.

Allowed me to enter university with a more mature state of mind with a clearer view of why I am here.

Same with me :yep:

very good choice for me :smile:

Reply 16

Angelil

Hawaii's not that different to the rest of America - it's just America but with leis. People aren't attending luaus all the time or anything out there :p:

*and yes, I have been there, before someone makes that sort of smart-arse remark :p:

Reply 17

oxymoronic

With regards to years abroad, once you've got the travel bug- which you probably will have done after a gap year of travelling- you really won't care about the destinations offered, as you'll pick one of them as a chance to see/do that part of the world. I was really concerned about year abroad options when I applied, then by the time I got to 2nd year and looking into it, Edinburgh had changed their options and I was left with Finland, and Finland only if I wanted to do Erasmus (can't afford to go outside Europe due to too much travelling in my uni summers thus far) and here I am. I never in a million years envisaged myself living in Finland at all in my life, but I'm loving it. The university exchange expereince would be similar anywhere, and I'm getting to travel in places where I've not been before. If you're that into travelling and that up for doing a year abroad, you honestly won't mind where you end up!

Reply 18

Ewan

Why the rush? You have the rest of your life ahead of you.

My advice is to do the following: take a gap year, and plan to apply to uni during that year. If you find yourself wanting to spend another year out from school, cancel your application (or defer it). 1 year is a long time to travel, and you won't know if its for you until you try it for a while.

Remember most universities have 3 month holidays in the summer, & 1 month holidays at Easter and Christmas. You could easilly travel during the summer months... and perhaps do Europe during Christmas (this is what I plan to do: Italy or Austria this Christmas, then the middle east for 6 weeks next summer).

Reply 19

Angelil

You might be more financially stable after uni for a start...

Why do you want to go to uni if you don't even know what you want to study?! :confused: