Brought to national attention in recent days by President Obama’s daughter's decision to delay Harvard admission by one year, arguments for high school graduates pursuing a Gap Year before college are quite compelling including developing greater understanding of career interests before settling on a college major. Having passed from the inherent pressure of compulsory education, exploring new or long stifled interests through travel, volunteer experience or generally non-academic pursuits seems like a logical step toward clarifying career goals, and generally healing oneself before embarking toward the college and career pursuit climb into adulthood. While all of this may be true, there are some definite potential hazards to consider before pursuing such a period of hopeful enlightenment.
1. Gap Programs Costs
If your going to do it, do it right - sign up for a Gap Year program. Often spanning a typical academic year and including international travel, these programs offer a wide array of opportunities for personal enrichment, new skill development and volunteering experience. While this arguably seems idyllic, be aware that although many offer possible financial assistance, these programs are typically quite expensive - some in the 10K - 20K range.
2. Missing a Year
While a Gap Year may be invigorating, you could earn a year of college credits while at the same time potentially discovering the same or more about yourself through the college experience. You could have even prepared yourself for a far less expensive upcoming study-abroad experience from which you could further earn college credit.
3. A Simpler Alternative
Perhaps not seemingly as exciting, a simple career assessment and a few hours of consultation would likely offer you as much or more self insight to help you shape your career interests into confidently-made decisions. Fulfilling as world travel may be, career assessment and consultation can help you simply see how everything you enjoy relates to the career world so that you can begin constructing a unique strategy for your long- term career success.
Don't get me wrong, everything about a Gap Year sounds wonderful. How could anyone argue with the advantages of exploring the world, helping others, and developing diverse friendships from such an experience. My argument is simply that for those for whom such an experience is financially impractical, great benefit can be gained from a far less costly and timely career assessment and consultation experience. If you are ready to extinguish the anxiety of your career indecision and begin creating a plan with the highest likelihood of long-term career success, EPIC Career is here to help.
1. Gap Programs Costs
If your going to do it, do it right - sign up for a Gap Year program. Often spanning a typical academic year and including international travel, these programs offer a wide array of opportunities for personal enrichment, new skill development and volunteering experience. While this arguably seems idyllic, be aware that although many offer possible financial assistance, these programs are typically quite expensive - some in the 10K - 20K range.
2. Missing a Year
While a Gap Year may be invigorating, you could earn a year of college credits while at the same time potentially discovering the same or more about yourself through the college experience. You could have even prepared yourself for a far less expensive upcoming study-abroad experience from which you could further earn college credit.
3. A Simpler Alternative
Perhaps not seemingly as exciting, a simple career assessment and a few hours of consultation would likely offer you as much or more self insight to help you shape your career interests into confidently-made decisions. Fulfilling as world travel may be, career assessment and consultation can help you simply see how everything you enjoy relates to the career world so that you can begin constructing a unique strategy for your long- term career success.
Don't get me wrong, everything about a Gap Year sounds wonderful. How could anyone argue with the advantages of exploring the world, helping others, and developing diverse friendships from such an experience. My argument is simply that for those for whom such an experience is financially impractical, great benefit can be gained from a far less costly and timely career assessment and consultation experience. If you are ready to extinguish the anxiety of your career indecision and begin creating a plan with the highest likelihood of long-term career success, EPIC Career is here to help.
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