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Gap Year / Deferred Entry after Oxford rejection ???

After being rejected from my dream university the idea of deferred entry to take a big break from school stress seems really appealing but I'm not 100% sure. I know it would be really beneficial because I'd love to spend time building new skills/hobbies, travelling, and learning new things because I LOVE learning. I also have a weekend job so I won't have to waste time applying for jobs, and I'll have money throughout the year from working. But at the same time I'm worried about missing out and being behind other people in my age group because of majorrr fomo.
I'm also not sure if I should reapply to Oxford because I think that means I'd have to reject my other offers and just apply without the support of my school? And honestly after the entire process only to be rejected after interviews I don't think I could do it again, especially if I received the same outcome.
Really stuck on what to do so any advice would be welcome, especially if you've taken a gap year or know someone who has!

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

xyz1234567

I would think carefully about reapplying. It can really build up the pressure around Oxford, and if you got rejected a second time make it even harder, especially as your school friends will have moved on with whatever their next steps are and you could easily feel left out. Also whatever gap
year plans you had would be dominated for the first part by the Oxford application.

If you genuinely want a gap year for its own sake, go for it, but that doesn’t need to be connected with the idea of reapplying to Oxford. Many unis will let you defer your place.

Or you can always have a gap year after the end of studying.

Reply 2

daisiology

Hey. Speaking from experience, a gap year can be really worth it. You’re so young, delaying school by a year is often not as big a deal as people make it out to be. I’m at my dream uni now and living my best life. I don’t feel like I’ve been left behind at all. No FOMO. In fact, I’m happy that I have more experience outside of school because I took a gap. I feel like it gives me perspective. It sounds like you have a solid idea of what you want to do with your gap year. That’s a good sign. There’s so much life to experience out there apart from just following what people say you should do at the time they say you should do it.

With that being said, I think that if you feel you’d have regrets if you took the gap year and didn’t get into Oxford, maybe you should think twice about taking it. There’s no guarantee you’ll get in the second time you apply. Don’t do your gap year if you won’t be able to make peace with having done it regardless of the outcome of your second application.

Reply 3

Stiffy Byng

I tend to the view that the only direction of travel is forwards, and that it's better to move on that to go around again. Having said that, I am a fan of gap years in general. My daughter decided not to apply to universities until after she finished the IB. She obtained her university offer and then travelled, worked, and had fun. It was a successful year, and arriving at university a year older has not disadvantaged her in any way (if anything, it's been a help).