Fall into the gap

University isn’t the automatic option for secondary-school graduates in England. Even those students enrolled in the uber-elite Oxbridge frequently take a “gap-year” to explore the world, do community service or earn a bit of money before they commit the next three or four years of their lives to earning specific degrees. More American universities and students should strongly consider the benefits of taking a gap-year before entering college or the workplace as informed and mature adults.\nMore than 30,000 English students accepted to English universities – 7.7 percent of the total – decided to defer matriculation in 2005. The number of American students who take a gap-year before matriculating is also growing, according to a New York Times article last September. A year off exploring and traveling can give incoming students focus, drive and confidence. American students, with less of a gap-year tradition to support their desire to take time off, are more likely to take a year off after college or to fill the need for exploration through a junior year abroad. \nThe high-pressure environment of high-school activities and college admissions in the U.S. often kills the possibility of taking time off before matriculating. High-performing American students who don’t take gap-years can feel the pressure to ride the momentum of their high-flying secondary-school performances, without taking time out to evaluate their goals. \nStudents who take the advice of Harvard’s admissions office and take a year off are more likely to succeed in college and graduate on time, its Web site states.\nWithin England, there is a growing gap in the experience between wealthy and less well-off students. The more expensive gap-year experiences, such as teaching outdoor pursuits in Tasmania, can cost as much as $20,000. A productive gap-year experience does not need to break the bank, however. Some students work hard to raise money for their travels, while others find opportunities closer to home. In January, academics at the first conference on the gap-year experience admitted that it is still predominantly an experience limited to the white middle class.\nThere are now 15 academic positions in England dedicated to studying the gap-year experience as a way to analyze a young person’s transition into adulthood. A gap-year industry has sprung up in the last decade comprised of companies that charge huge amounts to send large groups of young people far away.\nGap-year students in England, and increasingly in the U.S., may receive preference in college admissions as well, since having traveled during university years shows an awareness of the international community and puts academic privilege in perspective. Similar to the junior year abroad experience in university, a gap-year continues to become an academic asset for those who can afford the expense and make the most of their experiences. \nThe gap-year experience seems to meet with approval from universities, professors and students. English students, riding on a strong “gap” tradition, arrive at universities more focused and mature. Why aren’t American students doing the same?