Malia Obama takes a gap year, should all students consider time off?
America’s first daughter Malia Obama is doing it. Should your high school senior join in?
Gap years seem to be growing in popularity, but circumstances matter when deciding whether or not it’s the right thing for your student to do.
One study on gap years from Middlebury College in Vermont found that students who take time off before starting college have a higher GPA over the course of their college experience. Many take the time to travel or participate in resume boosters.
Very few students seem to be a part of the trend at Coachella Valley High School according to school counselor, Larry Salas. He says he isn’t a fan of the idea either.
“I would never encourage a student to take what you’re calling a gap year or a leave of absence from the continuation of the high school and transitioning on to a UC or a Cal State. Especially if you’ve been accepted,” said Salas.
Salas says taking time off may be something students who are private school bound could consider, but few who apply to UC or Cal State schools are accepted.
“You’ll have to go to a community college and then transfer, so you lost out on the opportunity for a seat that was available.”
He says Malia Obama is likely the exception, not the rule.
“For a lot of students who do not come from an affluent family or have influential people in their lives, it is a challenge in that if they don’t take advantage of the opportunity, it may not be there the next time around,” Salas also says the gap year can leave open too much of an opportunity for distractions that may leave students financially incapable of moving forward to a secondary education.
He says private schools like Harvard do offer flexibility to students since their numbers are less competitive than public schools and they are not dependent on tax payer dollars.
