Did you take a year off before going to college? If you did, do you regret it?

Question

I can either go to college now in my home town or take a year off and move to a much bigger city. I'm very tempted to take the year off, but I'm afraid that if I do I'll end up not going period. So, any experiences you would like to share are appreciated....thanks!

Answer 1

It depends on your personality. If you enjoy studying, you're likely to get back into it. But if you never really liked it, you might not want to study afterwards. I suggest registering at a college before your gap year, so that not going back is not an option.

It also depends on what you do with the year off. I had a friend who took the year off to watch tv, and it didn't help her at all. But there are lots of good things you can do, like voluntary work, getting a job in the field you're interested in, or travelling.

I took a year off, and spent six months travelling around Europe. I loved it, and I definitely did some growing up, but if I did it again I think I'd rather have done voluntary work: I think it's important, specially while you have no other commitments, and I think I would've grown more that way. I wasn't sure what I wanted to study, so before I left I applied for all the subjects I was interested in. By the time I came back I'd learned enough about myself to rule out some of those subjects, so it did help me decide. And because I'd had some time to rest, I couldn't wait to start thinking again, and enjoyed my studies from the beginning (whereas some of my friends resented it). It also made me work harder, and I was top of the class in one of my subjects.

If the point of your gap year is to earn money to study somewhere else, I would only recommend it if you have a chance at an interesting job. A year of waitressing can be soul-destroying. You finish the year feeling tired out, and you don't really learn anything. Remember it's easier to get scholarships for postgraduate study, so you still have a chance to study elsewhere when you graduate.

Answer 2

I didn't. I guess in some ways I wish I had - I honestly feel like I would have been better prepared for the college experience, and would be graduating with a higher GPA than I am. On the other hand, I don't know that I would have gone back, after what happened my freshman year (lost my mother), if I hadn't had a strong support system in school.

So my advice to you would be to follow your heart. You know yourself best.... will taking a semester or two off make you want to go back and really do what you need too, or will it create a permanent need for freedom.

I don't regret my choice, because I can't say the other way would have been better. It was what I decided, and there is no way to change that after the fact. No matter which way you go, if you are happy in your life, the what ifs wont play so much of a role.

Good luck either way.

Answer 3

I did and yes I regret it because during that year I met someone, spent way too much time with him, got pregnant, married, and never thought about school again. I'm not saying you would do that but the point is that alot can happen in a year. You could try maybe a semester off? Of course you want a break, but also if you don't take the time off, you'll remember more of the subjects for the college classes.

I'm going back to school now after almost 20 years and going to school full time while being a mother to four kids isn't easy. Get it over with now while you have your whole life ahead of you. Besides, then you will have the ability to have an income large enough to raise the family you've always wanted.

Answer 4

Don't take the year off! your worries about college are completely normal, most freshmen in college don't have a very good idea of what major is right for them. Almost all of college students end up switching majors, so it's no big deal that you don't know what to do.College is the place where you're supposed to find what's right for you anyways. Besides, my friend didn't even get a 1.0 his first semester of college. You could say it's "not for him" but he's still trying and retaking the classes he failed. Many freshmen do horrible their first year but it doesn't stop them. Taking a year off would be a big set back. I'm sure being in Belgium would be a great experience but don't let your fears/uncertainties hold you back from going to college at the ideal time. I know many people who have delayed going to college and most of them ended up not going at all.

Answer 5

It all depends- taking a year off will make it harder to go than to just suck it up and go but on the other hand it may make it a better education if you wait and go when you are ready. I was in college at 17 and it was OK- I made good grades and i lived at home with everything paid for- then I fell in love and left home for "bigger and better" things. I quit school and went to work to support myself- then I realized that I did not want a lousy low paying job the rest of my life- I was better than what I was doing because I knew I was smarter than that. So that gave me the initiative to go back to school without my parents or anyone helping me and do my best. I was motivated because I didn't want to be supervised by idiots any more. So I did well in school and now I am 7 classes short of my Master's Degree. Whichever way it is you have to go to school sooner or later because without education there are such limited opportunities in today's economy. I hope you choose correctly.

Answer 6

Please take you a** straight to school. You can see that when most people get out of high school and decide to take a year off, that year turns into 10 years or not going at all. I know I'm going to sound old, but here's my story.
I graduated high school in 1994, yes I said 1994, joined the Navy for college money. I got out of the Navy in 1997, moved to a different state and decided I need to be in that state for 1 year to become a legal resident and then after that year I was going to school.
Guess what I started school, got married, had a child and school has now become a distant memory with me dealing with mortgage, insurance, wife, child, life in general.
Please go straight to college it will make it so much easier for you. This is just my advice, take if you want.

Answer 7

Call your high school counselor and talk it over with her.

It's very likely that you could get financial aid if you go now but that the funding would dry up if you wait a year.

Maybe you could go to the college now in your hometown, but don't take a full load. Just take two classes instead of three or four. Ease in slowly at first.

College doesn't feel like high school. It's not usually every day-- but every other day for most classes-- as in a MWF schedule or a Tu/Thur schedule.

Every person needs to know that they can support themselves or their children in a legal way.

If you don't go to college, you won't have much you could offer a prospective employer.

Love yourself enough to get trained for a profession so that you can provide for yourself and your loved ones some day.

Answer 8

I took a year off. No I don't regret it. I think after 12 years of school a year off is a much needed break. Statistics though, show those who take a year off before going more than half of those don't go. i don't understand that either. That year can be spent working and saving and relaxing and spending time being just you instead of over worked student.

Answer 9

I took 7 years off. Sometimes I regret it but only becuase of the social aspect I missed. I also know that if I went right away I would not have made it through I was too immature. After I started back I really loved it and finished my BSBA and MBA both in 5 years. Do what you think is the best for you. Only you know what you are capable of and what you want out of life.

Answer 10

I took over 6 years off to go to Navy then got a job and did not go to college until much later in life doing it through night school and all that ... if you have opportunity to go now I would offer you consider going and not missing that part of your life