A year off

ChiOCat · Post by **ChiOCat** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:11 pm

Do you feel like you were prepared to go to college straight from high school? I know many cultures take a year off between, and I think I like that idea. I would like for my boys to try it. I would like to see a national organization that would take high school grads and have some program for them to do for that year, broaden their horizons, help them find who they are and what they want to be. Not what their parents want to be, or what their teachers think they should be.

I don't think I was quite ready to make the choice, and am now thinking about a second career. I don't know that a year off would have changed my degree the first time, but I think it would have helped.

Post by **rtb** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:20 pm

I think that would be a very positive thing for a lot of people. I changed majors 3 times in college and luckily still made it out in 4 years. I think that a year off maybe would have helped in me determining what I wanted to do before I started school. However a year off may have not been beneficial in terms of keeping up with math, english, etc. and could have made college classes more of a challenge.

Maybe it is just hindsight and we think it would be more beneficial than it actually is.

ChiOCat · Post by **ChiOCat** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:26 pm

The biggest drawback I can see is that more kids might not make that jump back to school.

Then again, my dad always tells me about the quarter he took off and logged, and it gave him a steely resolve to go back to college and get a degree so he didn't have to work that hard every day. (BTW, he got his teaching degree, taught for 7 years, decided he didn't like it and went back to logging!)

WYCAT · Post by **WYCAT** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:28 pm

I took a year off and worked before starting college and it worked great for me. I could see someone having a hard time getting back into the school life but other than that, there are more positives than negatives.

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:34 pm

ah how about well 8

don't know if a year after HS would have helped but now out of MSU 8 I finally know what I want to be when I grow up, and it has nothing to do with what I spent 4 years learning at MSU

paid for a degree I don't ever use nor will I go back to. Don't want my kids to experience that. would like them to be happy and content with their choices right out of the gate. I think that year off working would work better to focus them on the responsiblities in life as an adult.

I also like the idea at least for my daughter, not to get "serious" with any young man until late 20's if possible. would love to see her achieve not only her academic goals first but have a few years at a successful career before getting that marrying bug. would like to see her financially independant with her own home under her belt, and not have to worry about a man paying her bills . so much more for young women now from even 10 years ago. I know in Japan women are choosing not to marry at all because they can succeed and be completely happy without a man at all. I want her to marry and have kids eventually, may be in her early 30's. I think that year inbetween HS and College would help increase independance and I like the idea.

ChiOCat · Post by **ChiOCat** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:39 pm

briannell wrote: I also like the idea at least for my daughter, not to get "serious" with any young man until late 20's if possible. would love to see her achieve not only her academic goals first but have a few years at a successful career before getting that marrying bug. would like to see her financially independant with her own home under her belt, and not have to worry about a man paying her bills . so much more for young women now from even 10 years ago. I know in Japan women are choosing not to marry at all because they can succeed and be completely happy without a man at all. I want her to marry and have kids eventually, may be in her early 30's. I think that year inbetween HS and College would help increase independance and I like the idea.

That was my plan until the ripe old age of 23. Not marry till after 25 and not have kids till after 30. But there's something to be said for the old biological clock.

Hello Kitty · Post by **Hello Kitty** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:56 pm

I can see the positives for waiting to go to college but I feel in the long run going right after high school is the best way to go. If you are concerned about your kids picking the right major get them involved in high school with what they are interested in through clubs and internships so they can experience it before they choose a major. I feel that right after high school, all the college freshman are bonding and that can really only be done as a traditional student. The homesickness, the parties, the breaking of old relationships and the formation of new dorm friends. It is all really a great learning experience. Once a student has been in the real world and goes back to school it is as if they have missed that time of immaturity / responsibility. I feel that after your freshman year of college, even without knowing it you have learned some great life skills and matured. By getting your kids involved in their interests from the beginning of high school they may have more success choosing the right career path. As for me I wish I would have chose another undergrad degree of study, now I am getting my master s in another area of little interest. I should have taken my own advice.

Sometimes I think maybe I will never decide upon a career. Oh well!

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:49 pm

That was my plan until the ripe old age of 23. Not marry till after 25 and not have kids till after 30. But there's something to be said for the old biological clock.

that was me, engaged 21, married 23, first baby 25. now 32 going what am i going to be when i grow up. found through volunteer work i will always want to work with child advocacy and plan to start pursuing a master's in social work so i can do that. heck of a switch from exercise wellness w/minor in athletic training

don't miss taping ankles $\:D/$ although I do miss my student athletes.

my girl is such a fighter and very driven I think she'll go far without having to settle down so early. not suggesting young women jump from man to man, committed companionship is good I just want her to pursue her aspirations first and worry about family later. it's good to chase rainbows for awhile. i want the same for my son, but I know he's already a rainbow chaser, don't worry about him much in that area.

BWahlberg · Post by **BWahlberg** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:10 pm

My wife ran out of scholorship money and couldn't afford to complete her education degree in 1999. She went back last year, after getting back in touch with her passion to teach. Its funny to compare her work ethic and grades to when we were dating and she was in college in 1998/1999. Back then she didn't work incredibly hard at school, and had a 2.75 GPA. Since going back last year her drive and focus is better (the "little kids" in some of her classes bug her) and her GPA over the last two years is close to a 4.0 - her total GPA is somewhere in the 3.4 range right now.

Its an amazing difference. I think once my kids graduate college, I will not pressure them to immediatly go to college, possibly just wait one year, if they can.

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:51 pm

like re/max's wife after MSU I went back to school when I renewed my passion for learning. I did get funny looks from students, but it was more like "what the heck are YOU doing back in school". Everyone knew I worked for the college, so it was odd to have me taking ethics and political sci classes with some of my own students. Benefit of my job was i could take all the classes I wanted for free and Harford would supply me all of the course required materials. I knew after MSU I didn't want a lifetime in a training room, because i wanted to be a mom, and it didn't fit the lifestyle I wanted. So now I'm very close to being finished with a BA in both Soc/Psy with an emphasis in family Science. I can jump into a Master's program and do what I want once my daughter starts school full time.

I know I would have benefited from a year in between HS and College. would have given me more time to analyze my life goals rather than short term goals. Would have realized that although i fully enjoy working with my student athletes, the requirements of that job do not afford me the lifestyle I wish to live. Had I spent a year volunteering in different career fields I think I would have gone directly into the Soc.

I also like the idea of a year off to do some traveling. i'd love to see my kids explore Europe and enjoy some travels before entering college. I think they'd benefit from experiencing the other cultures and that would ad to their academic success.

bozbobcat · Post by **bozbobcat** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:07 pm

A year off doesn't sound like a bad idea for some people. I jumped straight from high school to college and I don't regret that decision at all. I also went in to MSU with an idea of what I wanted to do with my education. And I also enjoy school. It's weird, I know, but I am pursuing a degree in history teaching, so in a way, I should like school. A lot of people need some time to find that idea of what they want to do. And some kids aren't serious enough to do the work at a college level just out of high school. In that case, a year off would do good. I have to agree with rtb when he said that some skills aren't good to skip for a length of time, like English, math, and even foreign languages, and having a rhythm of good study habits. When I do have kids someday in the future, I won't pressure them to go to college right away after high school. If they want to go immediately, good for them. I will recommend a good education and going to college. Always. I'm happy with my decision, but it's not the right one for everybody.