Most of us experience real uncertainty for the first time in our lives when we leave school. What's next? Usually this rhetorical question is addressed in the direction of choosing a university or specialty. But few people think at that moment, receiving the coveted certificate from the hands of the school principal, that they can wait to enter the university for now and do not have to go to a place where you simply automatically pass based on points.

There are indeed a lot of students among us now who believe that they chose the wrong direction or the wrong university at one time. They reluctantly take classes, listen to lectures on the philosophy of Descartes, or solve differential equations, which does not bring them any pleasure, and therefore no benefit. However, you can try to avoid such a situation.

About the gap year practice

In the West, especially in English-speaking countries, the practice of gap year has become quite common. The concept of gap year can be translated into Russian as “one-year break.” Often this very break is taken immediately after finishing school before entering college or university. However, it would be a mistake to say that gap year is a widespread shirking of recent schoolchildren from upcoming entrance exams, sessions and regular homework. Not at all. Many graduates attach great importance to this concept, and fill the year itself with something truly important and interesting for themselves.

Speaking of gap year, it does not always mean specifically 12 months of “vacation” and the period of time between school and university. This period can last a couple of months, six months, sometimes more than two years, and you can also take it after completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Everything here is individual and depends on personal ambitions and goals.

After a “year break”, graduates return to school rested and full of energy. According to College Confidential, very few gappers refuse to pursue further education after their “vacation.” Moreover, many studies show that the so-called “gap year” has a positive effect on the academic performance of young people who enter college or university after a year.

What can you do?

According to statistics, the majority of gappers spend their breaks traveling and volunteering. Agree, ordinary schoolchildren simply do not have time to plunge into all this headlong. By taking a gap year, you start doing what you want at the moment. And at 17-18 years old you want to explore the world, engage in self-discovery and make new friends. A break from studying helps to breathe life into life, face the first serious difficulties, responsibility, grow up, gain motivation and inspiration.

It often happens that a school graduate already knows what he wants, what his soul is, but he still lacks certain skills, experience and funds. A gap year helps fill these gaps. For example, there is a chance to learn languages, take preparatory courses for admission to a top university, or work for the required experience or money to pay for studies.

Many graduates try to do several things at once during a break between studies. For example, as Casey Santee from Illinois did. During her gap year she studied French and was involved in community service in Europe and Africa. “The last year of school had left me pretty exhausted, and I just needed a break before going to college. And my passion for art has only intensified this year,” the girl tells The Wall Street magazine.

Agnes Cho spent his gap year in Peru, where he lived with a host family and volunteered. “I learned the culture of this country from the inside, improved my Spanish, worked in many volunteer projects. I’m currently studying Latin America at Princeton University, which I’m very happy about,” Agnes tells gapyear.princeton.edu.

Is it possible in Russia?

Probably, every first-time parent in Russia will react negatively if one day his child comes up to him and says that he is not going to go to university immediately after graduating from school, but wants to do something else for now. In our country, entering a university or vocational college is a compulsory program, on a par with primary and secondary school, which means there should be no breaks between completing all educational levels. This is a certain tradition that has developed in our society and from which it is still extremely difficult to move away. Military service among young people also plays an important role.

The gap year must be approached consciously. Moreover, it is also necessary to prepare for it psychologically and financially in advance. You must understand why you are taking this “vacation”, you must have certain funds if you want to travel, and also enlist the support of family and friends who will be sympathetic to your “search for yourself”. Also remember that in Russia there are no special programs for gappers, as well as student loans for such purposes.

Gap year practically does not give any advantages when applying to Russia, unless you spend it on retaking the Unified State Exam and do not score the coveted 300 points. Unfortunately, most Russian universities do not take into account the individual achievements and practical experience of applicants applying for undergraduate programs. This is not always taken into account even when entering a master’s program, alas and ah. The admissions committee, as a rule, dryly counts points for the Unified State Exam or grades in the diploma and does not look at the motivation and interest in a particular program among future students. A completely different situation arose when entering American universities, for example. Your portfolio, experience and motivation are highly valued there. Universities are indeed more willing to accept applicants who have an internship or volunteer practice behind them. American students are more conscious when choosing a program and university, because... The cost of training plays an important role here. Higher education in the USA is not cheap, and no one wants to give money for something that is simply not interesting.

However, the situation with Russian higher education may work in your favor. In many universities you can combine study with work, volunteering, hobbies, and attending additional courses. Some universities have a military department. Thus, you will approach the end of your bachelor's degree with a certain amount of experience, amount of money, knowledge, goals and a “war spirit.” In Russia, the most realistic way to complete a gap year is after receiving a bachelor's degree before getting a master's degree or getting a job, of course, if you still need it.

Today, for recent school graduates, a “gap year” is extremely difficult, but possible. Consider all the “buts”, plan your “vacation” in advance so as not to waste time, and go for it!

After graduating from school, young people are faced with a choice: continue their education or look for work. One way or another, there is a third, most difficult way - a year of academic leave or “gap year”. When thinking about your future, you need to thoroughly consider all aspects of this phenomenon, and we will help with this.

Pros:

1. Gap year is a chance to rediscover the world. After eleven years of school and final exams, you may feel empty, burnt out - not the best state of mind will lead to poor results at university. Use the time for a well-deserved rest: spend time with family and friends, think about your goals, aspirations, plans for the future.

2. Many students devote their free year to travel. Admiring the mountain landscapes of Northern Europe or meditating in an Indian temple, you involuntarily become imbued with respect for foreign cultures, traditions, beliefs and languages. Such an experience will leave vivid memories and unforgettable impressions.

3. Some people use the time as an opportunity to try themselves in some field or earn extra money - the money accumulated during this period can later be invested in housing, transport or education. By immersing yourself in a field of interest, you can gain experience, make connections, and as a result have more weight in a crowded job market.

4. Hobby! You'll finally have time to write an Oscar-worthy screenplay or develop a startup project with a bunch of buddies in your garage.

5. A chance to get involved in something you really believe in and make the world a little better: find out about volunteering opportunities - first in your region, and then on a global scale.

Minuses:

1. You may well lose the moment and miss the opportunity: the skills you have - for example, writing an essay - will disappear without proper practice, and the knowledge acquired in the process of mastering the school course will be forgotten. This will make it difficult to return to school later.

2. When choosing to travel, be prepared for significant material losses. If you're not sure whether to take a risk, ask yourself: is this a wise investment in your personal development or just an expensive vacation?

3. Once you decide on your plans, another obstacle may appear on your way - your parents. By explaining your position to them, you will either find loyal allies, or... start an independent life.

4. Your career may require an early start. If you choose a field in which it is impossible to achieve success without many years of experience, every year will be worth its weight in gold.

5. Wrong reasons. The desire to endlessly attend parties is not the most serious reason; the inability to enroll in the university of your dreams is not either. In fact, a year of rest in this case is likely to worsen your well-being. Consider the schools that might accept you. Who knows, maybe you'll like it? Otherwise, no one canceled the transfer.

6. If you want to have a truly rewarding adventure, you will have to do a lot of planning: planning routes, looking for accommodation, keeping an eye on career/volunteer opportunities. You should adequately assess your capabilities.

What to do if you have not yet decided on a profession? Should I enroll in the faculty that my parents recommend? Or choose the closest university to your home? View by points? You can do this, or you can take a gap year.

Gap year is a practice popular in English-speaking countries in which a student takes a gap year after leaving school before entering university. This does not mean at all that graduates who took the gap year are lazy and did not pass the exams well. They invest great importance in this year, consider it really important and interesting. After such a break, graduates return to school, rested and full of energy. Gap year has a positive effect on the academic performance of young people who later enter colleges or universities. During a gap year, you can do anything, but usually it is volunteering, traveling, working, or improving the skills necessary for the profession.

Today we will talk about who takes a gap year, what advantages and disadvantages a gap year has, and whether it is possible in Russia. This article will be of interest to schoolchildren who are moving to high school and have not decided on their future profession.

Who takes the gap year?

A year's break is taken by those graduates who have not yet decided on a profession or those who do not have enough points for admission. For the latter, the gap year is usually forced, while the former take it voluntarily.

Advantages of a gap year:

1. You will have the opportunity to travel and take part in volunteer programs. This will help you expand your horizons, establish business contacts and gain experience.
2. You can earn money and spend it on self-education: courses, books, tutors. In addition, the amount earned can be spent on higher education if you did not enroll in a budget department.
3. Taking a gap year will allow you to become responsible. You will face your first real difficulties and learn to solve them, become more mature and understand how important time is.
4. You will have time to relax after a long preparation and passing the Unified State Exam. During the Gap year, you have time to calmly think not only about your profession, but also to do what you want, to try different activities.
5. If you have already decided on a profession, but you do not have enough points or sufficient skills, then during this year you will be able to study and improve them: enroll in preparatory courses at a university, hire a tutor, buy manuals and textbooks.
6. You will learn to plan your time independently and become disciplined.

Disadvantages of Gap year:

1. You may encounter misunderstandings from your parents, former teachers and classmates, friends, because in Russia it is considered logical to go to university after school. This has become a kind of tradition that cannot be broken. You will need a lot of mental strength to cope with this phenomenon.
2. Courses, tutors, textbooks and manuals, travel... All this requires money! Therefore, you must take care of the financial side of the issue in advance. You need to make some savings for this period. It might be worth saving up during the holidays.
3. Many graduates are afraid to take a gap year because of military obligations for young men, because of the possibility of not going to university next year and staying at home.
4. If you are too lazy, then you have a chance to stay at home for a long time and lose the opportunity to go to university. And when you need it in the future, you will need more strength, both physical and emotional.
5. You face the same race with entering a university in a year or passing the Unified State Exam if you realized that you need completely different subjects.

Is a one-year break possible in Russia?

In our country, there is a certain tradition of entering a university after school, so in this case they will look at you as if you were crazy. Almost every parent will react negatively if their child approaches them with a gap year request. It is now very difficult to move away from this tradition, and a one-year break is possible only after receiving a bachelor's degree before getting a master's degree or working, if, of course, you then need it.

Gap year is not useful when applying to Russian universities only if you have not prepared all year for the Unified State Exam. Of course, universities give points for individual achievements (this system works differently for each university, so I recommend familiarizing yourself with it), including for participation in volunteer events. While studying at the university, you will be able to pursue your favorite hobby and combine it with attending courses and tutoring.

Taking a year off requires awareness and willpower. It is necessary to start preparing in advance: saving money, preparing mentally. You must clearly understand and understand why you are taking a gap year. Do not forget that in Russia there are no special programs for gappies, or student loans for such tasks.

It is possible to implement a gap year, but it is very difficult. If this is what you really want, then you will succeed. Have you ever thought about taking a year off? Did you take a gap year? Be sure to share your experience in the comments!

From early childhood, many children know how they will live until they are twenty-five to thirty years old. Because this is how it is accepted, because this is how parents, grandparents lived, and in general it is normal. At three years old you go to kindergarten, at seven years old you go to school, at eighteen you go to university, then work and family. The slightest deviation from the routine is equivalent to a blasphemous waste of time. This is probably why there are so many students who get up every morning to study with the thought: “Why did I come here?”

Teenagers who are confident in their calling from a young age are lucky, and not everyone has such happiness. Many begin to think about their future specialty almost in the last school year - during pre-exam stress, when the attitude of “passing the Unified State Exam well” literally hangs over the head of the unfortunate eleventh grader like a sword of Damocles. How can you listen to yourself and make the right choice in the whirlwind of tutors, manuals, tests and additional lessons?

The gap year comes to the aid of European and American applicants in this situation - a “break for a year”, which school graduates take for self-determination and preparation for admission. For Western schoolchildren and their parents, this break is a common practice; it allows the graduate to take a break from exams and immerse himself in preparation for the upcoming university studies. Let’s figure out what gap year is and why it still hasn’t taken root in Russia.

What is this?

Gap year is a kind of vacation that a school graduate takes before entering a university. It is not at all necessary that the break last exactly twelve months - it can be any period necessary for the gapper to self-determinate or thoroughly prepare for the chosen specialty. Traditionally, a “gap year” refers to the period of time between school and university, but a break can be taken before entering a master’s program, and even during undergraduate studies - the so-called “academic leave.”

It is important to understand what a gap year is NOT. For example, gap year is not a shirk from studying or a manifestation of laziness. Gap year does not mean that a graduate gives up the opportunity to obtain a higher education. And one more thing: gap year is not a waste of time.

Most likely, if you approach your parents and express your desire not to go to university straight after school, the following misconceptions about gap years will be used as counter-arguments. However, it is still worth trying to enlist the support of your loved ones - first of all, by telling them what you plan to do during the gap year.

Things to do?

The website americangap.org provides interesting statistics that can answer almost all questions about the gap year.

According to these statistics, 90% of American students who took a break returned to study within a year. These data refute common arguments like “if you like a free life, you won’t study further.” This is not true - interest in learning after the gap year only grows.

In addition, on the site you can find visual infographics showing the most common plans for the gap year. According to the results of the 2015 National Graduate Survey, the most significant reason to take a break is the need to gain life experience and personal growth - 92% of gappers planned to spend their gap year on this. Slightly less (85%) would like to devote this time to traveling and studying other cultures. There are also a large number of graduates who would like to volunteer, explore future study/career opportunities or learn a new language.

The following chart lists the most important events that happened to gappers during their "vacation". The authors of statistics note in parentheses that “parties” occupy one of the last lines.

Gap year is a chance to do something that you are truly interested in, but that you never had enough time for while you were busy with your studies. Traveling, volunteering, courses, self-education, career – the list of possible activities is inexhaustible. A logical question arises: why is gap year considered a failure in Russia? This question can be easily answered by young men who are drafted into the army.

What do we have?

Yes, the first reason for the unpopularity of the gap year in Russia is a five-letter word that, when heard, the heart of any young man aged 18 to 27 begins to flutter - army. Today, young men strive to get into university not only because of pressure from society or family, but also in search of a saving reprieve. If a graduate can afford such a luxury as a break before admission, then most likely he will spend this break in honest and selfless service to the Fatherland.

The second reason is financial opportunities. While a schoolchild abroad can save up money for travel by working part-time as a waiter, in Russia this is practically impossible. Even hitchhiking and staying in a hostel require certain expenses, often quite large ones.

And the lack of support from the state does not add to the attractiveness of a year-long break. In Europe and the USA, government programs and student loans are provided for gappers, but in Russia such a step is associated with a certain risk. However, the practical benefits of the gap year for applicants and students are undeniable. Psychological stress on applicants during admission, stress during final exams and - almost immediately! - entrance exams, lack of time to choose a profession - all this makes young people make mistakes and causes depression. In addition, higher education is a big investment - monetary, energy, time, and it is important that this investment is spent on the education that suits you.

And in the end?

Let's summarize: gap year is a phenomenon that is more positive than negative, but in our country it most often takes on a negative connotation. How do you know if you need a break, and how do you decide to take this step? For convenience, we will try to list all the pros and cons of such a decision.

Pros:

The opportunity to decide on your future specialty (if you have not done so yet) or thoroughly prepare for the one you have already chosen

A chance to devote yourself to those activities that have always interested you, but did not have enough time for them

Opportunity to gain experience and work skills

Time to travel and get to know different cultures and people

Reduced psychological stress - a significant period of time passes between final and entrance exams

Minuses:

Conscription for compulsory military service

The need for financial support

Lack of government support

Misunderstanding on the part of the family

We have collected stories of people who, despite everything, still took a year off. They talked about how it went and what it taught them.

Valeria Shirlina, student

I entered university, studied for a month, after which I began to have health problems and was predicted to have a severe depressive episode. The doctor asked me to go on academic leave so that I could recover. I went to the academy and was treated for two months, I felt much better. After that, I decided to go on a trip, completely traveled around Scandinavia, traveled from December to June, during all this time I was in Russia for about a week. This year was necessary to put my thoughts in order, to breathe out, because all these school exams and preparation for them had exhausted me so much.

For two years we were intimidated at school that we would not pass the Unified State Exam. At that time, I was sure that the Unified State Exam was the most important thing in life. I knew where I needed to go, so I didn’t take the documents, but purposefully continued my studies there, but I just needed to get to know myself, the world, and people more deeply. I didn’t regret my decision for a second and didn’t even wonder if I did the right thing. I was once again convinced that everything that is done is for the better. I didn’t spend this year, but lived it. It was the brightest year of my life, thanks to which I gained a lot during my studies, because I knew why I was doing it.

Maria Zueva, applicant

After graduating from school, I was going to go to another city. Any decisions were not easy for me, because literally six months before the Unified State Exam, I realized that I wanted to take completely different subjects, go to another university, choose a completely different profession. The plans were truly “Napoleonic”, but there was no confidence that this was exactly what I needed.

Due to family circumstances, I was unable to move, so I had a so-called gap year. During this year, I managed to study at another university, work, retake the Unified State Exam and finally decide on a specialty. The lesson I learned: if you have one year, you will no longer want to waste time, you will want to do everything - work, study, quickly get on your feet as an independent and self-sufficient person.

Olga Khudnitskaya, applicant

I passed the Unified State Exam, not to say very poorly, but I was dissatisfied with the results. This, of course, was not enough for the budget, and I did not agree to go commercial. As a result, I decided to get a job and retake the exams. Over the course of a year, I was able to prepare well for the Unified State Exam, help my parents financially (through work) and noticeably grow creatively. This year was difficult for me, but extremely productive, so I don’t regret at all that I didn’t go to university immediately after school.

By the way, if you don’t manage to get into your chosen university this year, you don’t have to sprinkle ashes on your head. Think of this break as your own gap year and spend it doing something you truly enjoy.

The text was prepared by Maria Sarycheva, Ulyana Markitantova

What is a year of rest and why is it needed?

For many of us, life is a series of successive periods. After graduating from school, we make every effort to enter a university. Having passed the painful state tests and received the long-awaited diploma, we are diligently looking for work in our specialty. Constantly in tension, because you have to do everything, you have to follow your life plan. Well, how else could it be? infoids will tell you.

Year of break

There is such a thing as a “gap year”. If you literally translate it into Russian, you get something like “a gap of a year.” From here it is not entirely clear what the period is and why exactly a year. It would be more correct to translate it as “a year of separation” or “a year of rest”, “a year of deferment”. The point is to give up on everything and spend time the way you want, for the benefit of yourself and your future career.

The first gappers

Initially, this phenomenon was common among English youth. Some teenagers took time off after finishing school before going to college, or some young people decided to take time off after finishing school before starting work. At the moment, gap year is widespread in many countries - Australia, Germany, India, Israel, especially in the USA.

Everyone has their own gap year

Gap year doesn't have to last a year. This can be more than a year, or six months, or three months, or a month - it all depends on the desire of the person and his need for this or that activity. The main thing is how to spend this time.

The most popular option is travel. People, alone or in groups, travel by hitchhiking, by bus, in, say, Europe. Or they choose exotic countries. Many travel agencies organize entire youth tours with visits to interesting places, teaching foreign languages, etc.

Volunteering is no less common. Gappers go to third world countries and provide all kinds of assistance to the residents of Africa and Peru: they teach children English, help with housework, and work in hospitals. Volunteering is a great way to combine business with pleasure: you can not only help those in need, but also see the world. In addition, this is one of the most budget travel options.

Often gap year means earnings abroad. Although another city in your country is also suitable. The main thing is a change of scenery. Work is chosen according to taste: the service sector, trade, education, and some even go to the farm to grow potatoes and carrots and milk cows

There are also plenty of opportunities for lazy gappers. You can organize a trip to the sea, soak up the hot sun and not deny yourself anything.

In general, there are more than enough options. And everyone has one thing in common - getting to know a new culture, traditions, and people. Gap year is always a certain experience that will not only enrich your inner world, but also help in solving many life problems.

Gap Year in Russia

In Russia, few people risk taking such a vacation. Imagine: after successfully passing the Unified State Exam, you decide not to go to university, but to travel for a year. What reaction will this cause from parents, the administration of the university to which you will submit documents after such a break? As for the guys, they can simply be drafted into the army. And they will spend their gap year there.

Well, if you simply did not manage to enter a university, or you are temporarily unable to find a job in your specialty, then why not change the situation and try something new?

Rita Stepanidenko