What you need to know before taking a gap year

If you're reading this, chances are you are considering taking a gap year and are familiar with the many cool things that can happen as a result:

you will learn different skills to what you would learn at uni
you will have the time to reflect on what you want to do next
you will have some time to rest after the hectic final year of high school or a previous degree
you will be able to work and save up for your degree or travel
you will have time to prepare for entry exams and create great applications.

But there are also valid counterarguments to consider when deciding whether a gap year is right for you, which we will cover in this article.

Side note: here, we're exploring the idea of taking a voluntary gap year—a break you choose to take, not one you're pushed into due to health issues, caring for someone, or needing to make ends meet.

Four counterarguments to taking a gap year

1) It's a waste of time

One you are likely to hear from your parents or concerned teachers.

But this, of course, depends on how you spend it.

If you plan to party, play video games and do essentially nothing, then yes, maybe a gap year is not the best choice. But, if this is you, this attitude will also likely seep into your university life since it stems from a deeper issue that needs addressing.

In this case, not taking a break may have a less harmful effect because it would force you to maintain some structure when pursuing a degree, but nonetheless, it would be important to reflect on why you're wasting time in the first place.

But contrary to the above description, most people who take a gap year generally have some plan. A longitudinal study of 16K young people found that over half of gap year takers plan to work, 35% intend to travel, and just under 10% plan to train or study (1) — activities that don't seem to be a waste of time and can help you gain a bit of perspective on what life is like outside of school.

Also, a significant amount of gap-year takers found that the experience helped them decide which degree to choose (60%), made them take their studies more seriously (66%) and led to personal growth (97%) (2).

Based on my experience, I can confirm these statements. During my two gap years, I started a small cake-baking business in Amsterdam, worked at a few places, did an internship and reflected on what I wanted to do with my life, which enriched me, made me more mature and translated into my academic choices.

2) It costs a lot

The average cost of a travel gap year is around £2,681 per month, or £32,175 for an entire year (2).

That's a lot of money, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

I think there are 3 elements to consider when talking about the cost of a gap year:

firstly, what you plan to do will obviously dictate how much your gap year costs
secondly, how do you plan to fund it
and finally, what is your reference point when evaluating if a gap year is expensive or not.

So, let's consider five different scenarios to help us break this down.

Scenario 1: You travel for the entire year, spending the average amount reported by the study, which equates to €3.1K per month or €37K for the year. In my opinion, this amount would fund not just a gap year but a super luxurious one, travelling to far-away locations and allowing you not to work at all. To pull this off, you would likely need the support of your (well-off) parents unless you're Grace Beverly or someone of this sort. This isn't a realistic option for most of us, so let's move to scenario 2.
Scenario 2: You choose to travel for six months and work for the remaining six in a local store while living with your parents. Your travel expenses are lower at €2.2K per month, and your income in the past months balances out the cost. Assuming you travel in Asia, you could get by on €25 per day for accommodation and €30 per day for food and other expenses, equating to roughly €13.2K for the entire trip.
Scenario 3: You work four days a week and take on an unpaid internship for the remaining two days. This scenario could net you €4800 by the end of the year, assuming you earn €1600 per month, spend €600 on rent, €600 on living expenses and put away the remaining €400. In the meantime, you also take some time to reflect on what you'd like to do next and gain clarity on your next steps.
Scenario 4: You enrol in a university, which incurs a tuition fee of €4K per year. Your living expenses remain the same as in scenario 3, but your income is reduced to €800 per month because your study workload doesn't allow you to work more. You were lucky enough to select a degree you enjoy and are working towards obtaining your credentials in 2 years. This scenario would result in a net yearly loss of €8800, which isn't really a loss but an investment in your education and should be offset once you start working.
Scenario 5: You enrol in university but drop out after a year. The math is the same as in the example above, which is a pricey lesson on what you don't want to do with the added cost of a wasted year. You're unclear on what you want to do next and take up another degree in hopes of finding what you want to do.

The point is that a gap year can cost a lot, depending on how you spend it, whether you plan to work during your gap year and what you compare it to. Deciding to go to university just because of external pressure, without clear direction, can result in a higher overall financial and time investment compared to taking a break, reflecting on what you want and starting a new degree with as much confidence as you can.

3) It will affect your long-term earnings

Let's continue on the financial side of things.

Based on another longitudinal study, which follows all UK citizens born in a particular week of 1970, taking a gap year is associated with lower long-term earnings compared to people who did not take a gap year. The differences are highest for people aged 30-35 and decrease with age (1).

Interestingly, though, this effect doesn't hold true only for averages, where outliers can skew the data, but it is true across the entire wage spectrum: there is a consistent shift towards higher earnings for those who did not take a gap year.

The authors explain that this is probably because those who don't take a gap year have more years of market experience and because the jobs typically taken pre-graduation, like waitressing or bartending, don't hold the same value as jobs taken after graduation, which are generally more aligned with long-term plans.

So, if you're thinking about taking a gap year and decreasing the likelihood that your earnings would be penalised, one strategy could be to get work experience that will boost your skill set in a meaningful way rather than simply working to earn money. This way, you're shifting the timing of gaining experience without compromising its quality.

4) You will never come back to university

Studies show that people who defer university are less likely to graduate (as cited in this article).

But does that really matter?

Yes and no.

For some, not returning to university after a gap year isn't necessarily a wrong choice. If, during the gap year, you start a profitable business or discover a job you want to do and one that doesn't require a degree, then how is not coming back a bad thing?

You could argue that a degree gives you more options and on average, people with higher education earn more than those without. But it's also worth keeping in mind that this is a general trend and doesn't account for individual variance. For example, the top quartile of individuals with a Bachelor's degree earn more than the bottom half of those with a Master's degree (3). So, while continuing education can help you earn more, it doesn't guarantee this will be the case.

Personally, I would still choose to go back to university because it helps you learn how to think critically, formulate arguments and follow a certain structure. But is a university a must? No, definitely not.

Wrapping things up

I hope this article has given you a clearer picture of what taking a gap year might entail, not only from the perspective of the positives but also by looking at the main counterarguments. Ultimately, the decision is yours and no right or wrong answer applies to everyone, but I hope this can help you make an informed decision.

References:

Crawford, C., & Cribb, J. (2012). Gap year takers: uptake, trends and long-term outcomes. Institute for Fiscal Studies through the Centre for Analysis of Youth Transitions (CAYT). London: Department for Education.
Gap Year Statistics UK 2023
Cheah, B., Carnevale, A. P., & Wenzinger, E. (2021). The College Payoff More Education Doesn't Always Mean More Earnings.