Everyone follows a different path in their life. Some may choose to move from one level of education to the next, while others may decide to take a gap year before starting university. Taking a gap year is a “growing trend” and it is important that young people understand the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. Lynch (2020) estimates that, in the UK, an average of 200,000-250,000 young people take a gap year each year: there was a 9.4% increase from 2019 to 2020. This could be due to various reasons. to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay It is a common choice among young people to take a gap year to find a job. They can work as many hours as they want, without the stress of studying, to earn money. It also gives them the chance to add value to their resume with skills that can only be learned from the world of work. Research by McWhirter (2016) shows that 80% of young people work in the UK at some point during their gap year. He also states that "this allows young people to raise money and also gives them the opportunity to learn how to manage the budget." Additionally, they will gain experience in a work environment and learn practical skills that university may not teach. They will also practice and improve existing skills such as time management and teamwork. Additionally, they will feel more comfortable with greater independence and “enter college with more responsibility and maturity,” as identified in an article from Fresh Student Living (ND). All these skills can be used to help them when they decide to continue with their academic studies. However, a downside to taking a gap year is that it can be very expensive and without proper planning, the costs can add up quickly. As noted by The Leap (2018), this means that only 10% of young people are able to fully fund their gap year and research by Lynch (2020) found that "1 in 5 young people rely on mum's bank and Dad' to be able to finance their gap year." For those who finance their own gap year, Knoll (2012) states that this can leave them with even more student debt and this could increase the stress of paying for college. Furthermore, for the 20% of young people who receive annual funding from their parents, it means they are likely to lack responsibility, independence and maturity. Relying on parents in this way can impact their ability to achieve results through their own hard work. If this were the case, once the gap year is over, young people would lack motivation. On the other hand, if parents help fund their child's gap year, this prevents them from wasting the year and, instead, allows them to take part in valuable experiences. Alternatively, another benefit of taking a gap year is that it gives young people the chance to travel and, as stated by Direct Travel Insurance (2016), discover new cultures and expand their cultural vision by living life like a local in a different country. Lynch (2020) finds that 140,000 young people spend the year travelling. It gives them the opportunity to learn, explore the world and meet new people. These experiences play an important role in helping young people grow and find themselves and is a key time to discover their individuality. It also teaches valuable life lessons that cannot be taught in a classroom setting. Plus, having this time away from the “real world” means they can take a break from academics and.