Gap year pro/con?

[Flux2]

I noticed handful of people were taking a gap year before applying to graduate school.

I was wondering what the pros/cons for this is.

Thanks!

[thegirldetective]

Pros:

- Get a research job (additional research LOR + some additional skills, potential for additional publications and presentations)

- Take a break from classes

- Additional time to explore graduate programs, figure out exactly what you want

 

Cons:

- Very likely means having to move an additional time

- You have to start paying back your student loans after 6 months

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

Just an aside... I don't really agree with people (not saying anyone here) who live their life for a CV. If you want to take a year off and do nothing related to academia or your field, I see nothing wrong with that. It's your life. And I don't think a program should have a problem with that either. If you want to live on a mountain for 6 months, that's your prerogative. I don't think you should think "How can I fit this on my CV?" for every single thing you ever do. 

[Usmivka]

I'd say that by and large, the most successful grad students I know (with the best work/life balance as well) came back to school after a 2-5 year gap. The ones that come straight in from undergrad seem the least grounded, and a year seems to be just long enough to forget how to operate in academia but not enough time to really develop an identity independent of being a student. So I'd argue for more than a year if you have been a full time student without significant work (and life) experience independent of classes. But obviously do what makes sense for you, in your current situation.

Edited January 28, 2014 by Usmivka

[microarray]

I'd say that by and large, the most successful grad students I know (with the best work/life balance as well) came back to school after a 2-5 year gap. The ones that come straight in from undergrad seem the least grounded, and a year seems to be just long enough to forget how to operate in academia but not enough time to really develop an identity independent of being a student. So I'd argue for more than a year if you have been a full time student without significant work (and life) experience independent of classes. But obviously do what makes sense for you, in your current situation.

 

I think this is only true for those who went straight from (or 1-2 years later) high school to undergrad. But I agree, time is needed to find your identity whether before you start undergrad or after.

 

I started my Bachelors at 25, and I would say that I had plenty of time to figure out who I was and what I wanted out of life. I also knew within a year of starting undergrad that I wanted to get my PhD, so it's all i've thought about for the past several years. I'm excited that grad school is finally here (hopefully). And if for some strange reason I don't get in, I'll take a year off, work in a lab and gain more experience to beef up my CV to have a better shot at getting in.

[ERR_Alpha]

I'm one of those straight from high school to undergrad then straight from undergrad to grad school. I think it's really all about your level of maturity and knowing what you want out of life. My boyfriend took a year off because he was in England when applications were due and he wanted a year to figure out exactly what he wanted. For me, I know graduate school is what I want and that I would be bored and miserable on a gap year. It's really up to you.

[glow_gene]

I'm all in favor of gap years. They are not required, but I think they absolutely help prepare you for a better grad school experience. I knew I wanted a PhD at the end of my freshman year, but I still took a year off. 

so..in pro/con format and adding to thegirldetective's list

 

 

Pros:

- Get a research job (additional research LOR + some additional skills, potential for additional publications and presentations)

 

- Take a break from classes <--I so needed a break

 

- Additional time to explore graduate programs, figure out exactly what you want

 

- Finish your last year of undergrad strong -- not stressing about applications/interviews. I took a lot of seminar-style, upper level journal club courses and research my senior year and I was really able to focus and get a lot out of those courses. 

 

- Gain some perspective. There are some differences between part time and full-time research. If you use your year off to do a lab tech or research assistant position, you get a feel for what it means to spend all your time on research. This is what most of the people who came straight from undergrad struggled with most. They also had fewer techniques under their belt than most of those who had taken time off. 

**For those who are going straight from undergrad, I'm not saying it's a bad decision and everyone will struggle. Those undergrads in my program who initially had trouble have all gotten their feet under them now and are doing just fine. They just had a more difficult transition.**

 

- Figure out bills, apartment living etc. Some undergrads have already had this experience while living off campus. I didn't and I'm glad my year off gave me the chance to really start budgeting a consistent paycheck for apartment living. That was one less stress off my plate when I started my program.

 

 

Cons:

- Very likely means having to move an additional time

- You have to start paying back your student loans after 6 months

- Depending on how many years you take off, you may be older than your classmates and it may be more difficult to socialize. 

- Getting back into classes may be difficult...but consider that most programs hold classes in low regard. You just need to pass. These grades may have some impact on grants in the future but you aren't required to be a straight-A student.

[spaceimmunology]

I'm applying now after taking two years break. Given the stress of traveling for interviews, it was definitely nice to not have to also be worrying about classes and tests. I found that working full-time in a lab for two years has helped me develop a solid understanding of the field that I'm in, the projects that I'm working on, and what I want to study in grad school. This has been a huge help for me during interviews and I don't think I would be nearly as confident and intelligent at interviews if I hadn't taken some time off. Probably the only downside is the additional time it takes, but it seems like roughly half of applicants have taken time off anyway.

[Etern]

I took a gap year after my master. I was 22 at the time I finished my master. I only got into some pretty unknown PhD programs that did not fit my research, and was rejected everywhere else. I therefore decided to take a gap year in which I worked as a teacher (still doing this now). I applied to a lot of PhD programs because I had a lot of time, and I spent a lot of time upgrading my CV. This year I got into Cambridge, Oxford, and a variety of other very good schools. I will therefore start my PhD this October at my dream program in Cambridge. I am sure that I would have been rejected by all these programs last year, but my gap year made it possible. So, I will be 23 instead of 22 when I start my PhD, big deal! I am going to Cambridge!

My opinion is therefore that a gap year is useful if you think it will help your career ambitions in the long run. Especially if you are still young.

[bsharpe269]

I took a year and half off before starting my masters and it has made a HUGE difference in my maturity and work ethic. Workign a 40 hour week completely changed my perspective and my dedication to school. I am applying to phd programs and think that the break really benefitted me.

[Nautiloid]

I took a gap year and I'm quite happy with that decision. 

 

I got a job as a research specialist in my field, so I was able to continue building myself up for applications. 

I allowed myself to explore and relax a bit before starting Grad school, and the application process was much more manageable out of school. 

I'm already a bit younger than most of my classmates (Summer Birthday), so the gap year has let me catch up age-wise. 

 

There are downsides, however: 

I'm a bit bored with the work I'm doing in industry. You might see this as a pro though, as it has certainly motivated me to actually seek out PhD programs with a bit more urgency. 

I think I've grown a bit lazy. I'm no longer used to working 10 hours a day, and that might come back to bite me later. 

 

All in all though, it's been good for me. If I had to choose whether or not to repeat my decision, I would still choose the same.