By Katherine Stievater
I love finding hidden little gems about Gap Years in the media. This short video from Channel 7 in Austin, TX summarizes the benefits of a Gap Year in a little over three minutes. Finance Professor Dan Roccato of the University of San Diego does an excellent job talking about the benefits of Gap time. Watch the video, but the top line bullets are:
- Make a plan
- Set savings goal
- Add skills
- Test possible careers
Prof. Roccato emphasizes the importance of having a plan. He also insists that students make some money. His own daughter took a Gap Year (we know all about that, having three sons who took Gap time!). According to Prof. Roccato: “The key thing is you need a paycheck. Our daughter worked the whole time. She put some money in the bank – she had to. She had no choice.”
He also says that if your student has a plan, and a paycheck, it is okay to maybe put off college – “not every 18 year old is ready for college”. We could not agree more! While many graduating high school seniors are mature and will thrive immediately on a college campus, many others need more time to gain an independent mindset and ability to problem solve and make decisions on their own.
Watch the full video here. And reach out to us today here if you would like to start a conversation for yourself or your student about the many benefits of taking Gap time!
