How would I make the most of a gap year? by Catherine

How would I make the most of a gap year? by Catherine - August 2019 Scholarship Essay

To make the most of a gap year, I would find work experience that is relevant to my career ambitions. Whether I am seeking work experience at home or abroad, the more relevant it is to my career ambitions or field of study, the more beneficial it will be when submitting an application or resume. That strongly indicates that that is my area of interest; that I have worked in that area and I am more confident that is the area they want to pursue. For instance, my goal is to pursue a career in the math or business area, therefore I should look for internships that are related to that. In addition, there is a practical reason why admissions staff prefer seeing relevant work experience: they are statistically more likely to continue in the program once they get in. The dropout rate will not be as high. Furthermore, students are typically able to find more prestigious placements in co-op programs if they’ve already completed an entry-level position in that field. However, any work experience is better than no work experience, even if it is not directly relevant. This is highly beneficial to get experience in the real world and outside of the traditional learning classroom environment.

If I do find work experience during my gap year, I should also make sure to get a positive reference, regardless of how relevant the position is to my future career or educational ambitions because it is vitally important to leave on good terms. After all, applicants who have taken a year off are commonly asked to prove they were productive during that time, and a negative review could suggest they just aren’t ready to return to school or work just yet.

Let’s say I feel as though having a job during the gap year is not as fulfilling as I thought it would be. As a result, I would find a cause to support. I can usually find awesome programs that focus on any cause that I can think of. For instance, I care about the environment and I think that the whole world wastes a lot of different resources, so I might get involved with Air Emissions. This program includes performance standards for boilers, emergency generators and incinerators located on the National Institute of Environmental Health Science Campus. This program also encourages and supports alternative transportation including bus, carpool, and telework options.

While volunteer and work experiences will help me get a job, I expect myself to demonstrate superior self-awareness and adaptability when I sit down for an interview. I want to develop the skill of allowing myself to be able to fully articulate what I seek out of my university experience regarding what I want to get out of it and what kind of person I want to become.If I can do that, hopefully that separates me from 99% of the people applying to university. Each individual activity I undertake during a gap year ultimately helps build this intangible quality.