SpringIssue2018 JIBSUnitedMagazine

For many students at JIBS, graduation
is just a minute away. The
opportunities are endless, but the
incertitude may be draining. Will there
be available jobs? If not, will there be
any internships? Any exciting trainee-programs
that may land you your
dream job? For the rest of us, graduation
may be perceived so far away that
it is impossible to even imagine it will
eventually be our turn to be dressed in a
cap and gown. No matter where you are
in your studies, you might have noticed
that you are dreaming of some time
away from school – to take a gap year.
This is a “period of time during which
a student takes a break from studying”,
often thought of as a happening
between high school and university.
However, it can also work as a motivator
during university studies.
Figures and Facts
Taking a gap year is common among
students in various countries. It is difficult
to give an exact number of how
many people make this decision, but
the American Gap Year Association have
experienced a 294 per cent increase in
attendance at their gap year fair since
2010. In addition, a study made by SCB*
claim that six out of ten students at high
school in Sweden say that they want
to continue their studies at university
within three years, but only a total of
four out of ten manages to succeed with
this ambition. One thing is clear: the demand
for gap years is increasing rapidly.
For some, gap years means working
long hours to earn just enough money
to make reality of a dream vacation with
friends. For others, it is time well needed
to figure out what to do in life. Nonetheless
the reason, it is debatable if gap
years are generally beneficial or if they
can have a negative impact on future
opportunities career-wise.
Benefits of the Gap Year
The benefits of taking a gap year are to
be found in articles and blogs all over
the internet. The majority of those who
take one or more gap years are longing
to travel the world, experience other
cultures and learn new languages. These
experiences are likely to have an impact
on future academic- and career choices.
A study with more than 900 participants
conducted in Sydney, Australia, proves
that taking a year away from studies
functions as a motivating factor, as well
as boosts the performance during the
first semester at university. As a matter
of fact, economic researchers found that
students in the United Kingdom and
United States who had taken a gap year
were more likely to graduate from the
university with a higher average grade
than those who had not.
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