The Gap Year Project

Maximising the benefits of a pre-course Gap Year

Project Team

Dr Alan Blackburn

Dr Gordon Clark

David Pilgrim

Funded by: Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund

Project Aims

Explore the relative merits of a Gap Year

Develop recommendations for students and University departments

Explore some links between taking a gap year and student learning

How many people take a gap year?

Varying estimates, 50,000 – 100,000 p/year

20,000 defer

Growing market – estimated to treble in next 3-5 years

What to do?

Stay in the UK

Travel Abroad

Work for money

Work for experience

Travel

Volunteer

Increase qualifications

Research Areas

Literature Review

Student Focus Groups

Admissions Tutors’ thoughts

Phone interviews with gap year organisations

Findings from Literature Review

Take time away from study

Earn money

Work experience

See new cultures

Learn new skills

To do something exciting

Time out to ensure best decision is made

Gain independence

Findings from focus groups

Mature during the year

Earn money

Life experience

Come back to University more motivated

Work Experience

Have an adventure

Develop C.V building skills

Benefits of taking a gap year

Lose rhythm of study

Forget previous knowledge

Money

Feel left behind friends

Worried parents

Girl/Boyfriend

Safety/illness worries

Potential barriers to taking a gap year

Findings from focus groups

Does a gap year help you get to University?

“ we look for real-life experience outside of the classroom, evidence of a well rounded personality, able to accept responsibility for their own learning – so we look at gap years in a positive way”

Admissions Tutor – De Montford University

Results from admissions tutors

Hard Sciences less positive

Arts very much in favour

All mentioned maturity, ability to settle and likelihood to succeed.

Personal development

Gap Year Providers

Big business – upwards of 300 providersProviders are at the costly end of marketMany cheaper opportunities though, in volunteering sector and domestically.Increasing government involvementNew ‘gap year standards’ – market starting to regulate itself. (Year-Out-Group and gapyear.com)

Key points from research

Structured year is very importantPotential gappers need to:

clarify aims and costsWhat will you get from a year out?record experiences / skills acquired

Very little research done into gap yearsBrings different kinds of students into university

Final Quotes

“ A gap year is proven to put young people ahead in life”

“Two out of three sixth formers want to take a year out or are thinking of doing so”

Gapyear.com - annual report, 2001