Taking an extra year before going to college has gained popularity because of Covid-19.  More and more students are not feeling ready to go straight to college. Due to Covid-19,  many things have been affected in a negative way such as sports, school and other normal activities. Tons of activities have been canceled to keep people safe and prevent the spread of the virus.  

Despite this, there are many things that students can do with their time before going to college. The two options that have gained popularity due to Covid is taking a gap year or a post graduate year before going to college. A gap year could mean many different things, but a post graduate year is more strict. Whether you choose to go to college right after high school or take a gap year or a post graduate year, the decision can be difficult to make.   It is completely different for everyone, because everyone is different.

A gap year seems to be not as strict. It can provide many opportunities for students. It’s really just a gap in your education between high school and college.  There are many options students have when taking a gap year. A gap year for one student may be just taking a year off from school and working. For another student a gap year could have him or her travel around the world. Everyone is different; it really depends on their situation and what they want to do. A gap year can really help a student who isn’t sure about college. Traveling during a gap year can change the way you see things. It can also help you find what you want to do in life. According to Gooverseas.com, there are countless gap year programs that will even offer scholarships, so money won’t necessarily be a limitation for students.

A post-graduate year is more strict as it’s really just an extra year of high school before college. A post- grad year has many benefits and are really popular with athletes, especially ones that went to smaller schools, and are really high level athletes and might just need more exposure.  Post-graduate schools even offer some courses that can be transferable when students enter college. This can ultimately help students in the long run. A  post graduate year could provide a lot  more opportunities, especially for athletes. An extra year could lead to more scholarships which saves families money for the long run.

Miss May, an IHS student counselor,  stated: “Back when I went to college, students just went to college ready or not, because that is what students did at the time. I think that now high school students have more opportunities and they should take advantage of it, unlike the past.”

In my opinion I think it’s better to take a gap year or a postgraduate year than just going to college when you don’t feel ready. There’s no universal choice for every student, and students shouldn’t feel bad about taking an extra year before attending college.