The Student Room Group

taking a gap year or going straight to uni?

i’m a student going into year 13. my ucas application grades are bcd. i still don’t know my subject of interest. i lack enrichment / experience. would a gap year be better for me? here are some other questions i have.

1. will a gap year help me discover what i want to do or do i have to decide on what i have to do now?
2. if i decide to do a gap year, what would you recommend that i do during the gap year?
3. is taking a gap year more regrettable than going into university straight after year 13? (i know this is a subjective question, but i want to hear opinions on this anyway)
My daughter is currently taking a gap year. It has done her a lot of good. She worked hard on her university applications, and obtained an unconditional offer of a place at her first choice university. She has travelled, read, partied, visited school friends already at university, cast her first votes, and obtained her first job, which she is enjoying (she's working in an upmarket wine shop and learning about wine). She might still get her driving test done before university. She has grown as a person. If you are not yet sure what you would like to do in the future, a gap year may help you to figure things out, and you will be able to select target universities based on your achieved grades. Good luck!
Original post by Stiffy Byng
My daughter is currently taking a gap year. It has done her a lot of good. She worked hard on her university applications, and obtained an unconditional offer of a place at her first choice university. She has travelled, read, partied, visited school friends already at university, cast her first votes, and obtained her first job, which she is enjoying (she's working in an upmarket wine shop and learning about wine). She might still get her driving test done before university. She has grown as a person. If you are not yet sure what you would like to do in the future, a gap year may help you to figure things out, and you will be able to select target universities based on your achieved grades. Good luck!


this is extremely helpful! much congratulations to your daughter :smile: thank you so much!
Reply 3
Original post by studentborn2006
i’m a student going into year 13. my ucas application grades are bcd. i still don’t know my subject of interest. i lack enrichment / experience. would a gap year be better for me? here are some other questions i have.
1. will a gap year help me discover what i want to do or do i have to decide on what i have to do now?
2. if i decide to do a gap year, what would you recommend that i do during the gap year?
3. is taking a gap year more regrettable than going into university straight after year 13? (i know this is a subjective question, but i want to hear opinions on this anyway)

if you are unsure of what you want to do, definitley take a gap year. my youngest took a gap year and she worked. She starts uni in september. Its only shop work but shes glad shes got some money behind her now. Shes joined the uni group chat and already made friends who are also starting the course. only downside is shes having to recap alevel biology (for her zoo biology course). Shes glad shes done it though. No point going to uni if you dont know what you want to do. You will be wasting time, money if you are already getting finance payments throughout and then having to dip out, and stress having to go through the procedure of leaving uni.
Original post by studentborn2006
this is extremely helpful! much congratulations to your daughter :smile: thank you so much!

You're welcome, and thanks.
Original post by Ghostlady
if you are unsure of what you want to do, definitley take a gap year. my youngest took a gap year and she worked. She starts uni in september. Its only shop work but shes glad shes got some money behind her now. Shes joined the uni group chat and already made friends who are also starting the course. only downside is shes having to recap alevel biology (for her zoo biology course). Shes glad shes done it though. No point going to uni if you dont know what you want to do. You will be wasting time, money if you are already getting finance payments throughout and then having to dip out, and stress having to go through the procedure of leaving uni.


yes that is very true! i shouldn’t rush too much into uni. also, congratulations to your daughter! thank you for this!!
Reply 6
Original post by studentborn2006
yes that is very true! i shouldn’t rush too much into uni. also, congratulations to your daughter! thank you for this!!

Your welcome 🙂 once you got your results, you will be more informed as to what you can and cant do. You can also have a think about in the meantime what type of uni course you want to do. Do you want a sandwich course where you can take a year out to work in the field? Do you not get the grades needed, but the uni offers a foundation course for a year before starting onto the degree? Do you want an integrated masters, where its a 4 year course, and you do the 3 years bachelors, but if you get your 2:1 your instantly accepted onto the final year? Or do a 3 year bachelors, take a gap year and do a masters after that? Or just do the 3 years bachelors if you dont want any more education after that.
Eldest did integrated 4 years masters, and now is on a phd. Youngest is 4 years bsc, but in year three its a sandwich year where she works(she says hopefully abroad).
(edited 4 months ago)

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