To Go or Not To Go by Kiara

To Go or Not To Go by Kiara - August 2019 Scholarship Essay

The term gap year is defined as a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between secondary school and higher education. A gap year may or may not be intentional, but making the most of that year is what will really matter in one's life. If I had to take a gap year before going off to college I would've used it to earn money, learn more about myself and find my true passion. To begin with, using my gap year to earn money would've been ideal for me because the institution I attend now is extremely expensive and I would've put the money towards my cost of attendance. Earning money during the year would've also helped my parents with the financial burden that comes with attending a private university or college if you're not there on a full-ride scholarship because it would've given them one more year to not worry about paying for my education and allowing me to support myself for some time. Money played a big part in enjoying and cherishing my senior year of high school so taking that gap year could've allowed my parents to recover from expenses from that year alone. In addition, learning more about myself would've been perfect to do during my gap year because I would have time to just slow down and focus on Kiara. I wouldn't be worried about my new college friends, classes, being away from home or finances. I would finally be able to think about what I want from life and what I need to do the get it without too many distractions such as trying to fit in or earning a 4.0 gpa. College can assist in a student losing themselves so taking a gap year to make sure I knew who I was would've helped my confidence and motivation. Lastly, in high school I knew I wanted to do something related to social sciences or the criminal justice field, but I didn't have a true passion for anything quite yet. Taking a gap year would've allowed me to research and think about fields and disciplines I was interested in. During high school I wasn't too worried about my career because I wasn't pushed as much as I could've been so a gap year could've influenced me to find what I truly loved to do so I wouldn't waste any years once I did get to college. A gap year can be seen as a great thing if it is used wisely and in a way that will help further the student because there are many things one can do to get ready for college instead of just rushing into it since not everyone can handle the pressure that does come with higher education right after high school. However, many take a gap year which leads them to getting comfortable in their environment and they never end up furthering their education.