Gap year

I am taking 2 to 3 years gap after a levels. Will it affect my a levels or will my a levels expire ? Can someone give me information about this? Thanks

Reply 1

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

A levels don't "expire" but universities might want to know that you've kept yourself busy during your gap years and haven't just been sitting on a beach drinking Mai Tais. There's a quote from University of Bristol on TheUniGuide where they say, "If you are gaining vocational experience during your year away, highlight it during your personal statement as it is a really positive attribute to have during the application process."

Note that thousands of "mature" students (aged 21 at the beginning of their undergraduate studies) gain entry to university each year. Depending on how many gaps years you opt to take, you may enter their ranks.

There are a few courses (e.g. Maths at Cambridge) where they make a particular point about keeping mentally active. They make this point here. "Only a small minority of our mathematics students take a gap year. Although in many subjects the extra maturity gained from a gap year is a great asset, in mathematics this has to be balanced against the danger of going ‘off the boil’. If you do take a gap year, then you should plan to keep up your mathematics in some way if possible, and you should certainly get back into good practice (for example, by working through past STEP papers) before you start the course."

Reply 2

McGinger

Its not a problem - three year or under out of eductoin is not an issue.
Some Unis will want 'evidence of recent study' after this, or after 5 years.

For your Personal Statment you need to explain briefly what you did on this time and how you have matured / re-focussed etc - keep it positive, not ;'I still havn't got a clue what to do' etc.

Lots of good general advice about applying for Uni here - How to Avoid 5 Rejections - https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/apply/how-to-avoid-getting-five-university-rejections