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Malia Obama Is Taking A Gap Year--And So Should All Students

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POST WRITTEN BY
Rainesford Stauffer
This article is more than 7 years old.

When I learned that Harvard-bound Malia Obama was taking a gap year prior to starting college, I had one thought: Finally.

The gap year hasn’t received its just due as a part of education. Contrary to persisting belief, the gap year is not a “gap” in education, nor a break from learning—it is an extension of it. Why should creative and critical thinking skills and real-world experience be reserved for post-graduation or, at best, start in college? With the academic, career and personal benefits involved in taking a gap year, they should undoubtedly be part of our higher education system.

A study conducted by the University of Sydney found that gap years “helped students gain skills, better grades and did not slow down their academic momentum.” This is echoed by a recent Middlebury study that showed students who take a gap year not only outperform peers in academics, but are 75% more likely to be happy with their careers following graduation. As the gap year gains a major boost in visibility, we have to realize it can change higher education for the better.

Gain a realistic understanding of your field

Beyond statistics, gap years go a long way in personal development, which extends to both academics and future career choice. Gap year students are “perceived to be 'more mature, more self-reliant and independent,” and the gap year itself offers substantial opportunities to gain realistic understanding of a field prior to taking on thousands in debt to study it. Internships, apprenticeships and pursuing individual projects teach self-discipline and various life skills, in addition to giving students a jump start on securing an ideal job after they’ve walked the graduation line.

The stereotype of gap years as a “year off” is blatantly incorrect: 88% of gap year students who went on to graduate said their gap year “significantly added to their employability.” Gap years encourage students to become active participants in their own learning, rather than passive recipients, and force them to pay attention to what they’re learning, how they’re learning it and how it relates to the rest of their lives.

Real-world learning does not stand in opposition to academia

With an education crisis brewing in America, student debt topping $1 trillion, and 60% of students graduating within six years (rather than the traditional four), why don’t we consider the gap year as a necessary component of higher education? If universities such as Harvard and Princeton are encouraging the gap year experience, we can no longer ignore its valuable—if not crucial—role in higher education.

Real-world learning does not stand in opposition to academia. If anything, it makes for students who are more creative, committed and aware of what life and learning entail, thereby making them more prepared to tackle the rigors of college work and the life that follows. If the goal of going to college is to obtain a higher level of thinking, then we should be encouraging students to seize the opportunity to learn in a variety of ways, not just through one singular lens.

Rebrand the gap year

As a student, there are certainly skills I have gained via classrooms and lecture halls. However, during my gap year, the stakes were higher: You are responsible for crafting meaningful learning experiences for yourself, which involves seeking out great mentors and the right opportunities, being able to take calculated risks and think outside the box, and often, fail. When I decided to reapply to college following my experiences outside school, I wondered whether these things had a place on my applications. What I know now is that these lessons, among many others, are part of what creates a worthwhile education. In spite of its name, the gap year is one of the most authentic outlets we have to creating a well-rounded, prepared student, a substantial education and closing the gap that is currently threatening to swallow our collegiate system.

Our learning and lives should not be separate. They're equally valuable and should come together to make a whole person, student and member of society. Knowing what we do about the professional and personal enrichment brought on by the gap year experience, and how positively it impacts academics and employability, it is time to rebrand gap years as one of the most significant educational opportunities we have.