Do I Apply This Year?

Some students take a year out between finishing at school or college and starting university, often known as a gap year. About 8 per cent of the applicants are accepted for deferred entry to the following year. In general, gap years are a good thing. It is possible to go trekking in Thailand, sailing in the Seychelles, teaching in Tanzania, on an adventure up the Amazon or even do drama in Stratford-upon-Avon. You can go for a few weeks or a full year and some opportunities will enable you to earn money to finance your degree course. If you choose your opportunity carefully, you will develop the kind of maturity and enterprise that will help with your studying and your future career. In particular, being able to demonstrate sustained commitment can be attractive to employers.

There are a number of reputable organisations that can help you organise your gap year. They have ready-made activities, take care of some of the practicalities, and have a proper concern for safety and security.

On the other hand, a gap year means it will be one year later before you are in the job market and earning a salary. If your chosen course is a long one, this could be a consideration. In a few subjects it may take you a little while to get back into serious study - mathematics is notorious for being a bit harder to take up again after a year away from study - but most students soon catch up again.

If you are thinking about taking a gap year it is still best to apply during your final year at school or college as a "deferred applicant". When you are filling in the on-line application, indicate that you wish to defer for one year when you complete the Choices section. This should mean that you get your university place sorted out before starting your job or travels and so don't have to worry about it during your gap year. Indeed, for the more adventurous travellers, trying to fill in a UCAS form on the back of a Mongolian yak or half way across the Australian desert is not recommended. Also, if things go badly wrong in your examinations and you don't get a place, you do get an opportunity to rethink your career options or resit your exams and still start at university when you planned to.

As a general rule, universities are happy to consider deferred applicants but, if the prospectus does not make a clear statement about the university's policy, it would be sensible to check.

Sourced From: http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/universities/applying-to-university/do-i-apply-this-year/

Posted in: Application Process,Gap Year,Should I Apply Early,UCAS,University