Gap year abroad can help students in university

Prospective gap year students will be told how taking time out to undertake voluntary work can be beneficial for their university careers.

Graduating secondary school students in Shelton, Connecticut, will be invited to a discussion which will put forward the benefits of taking a gap year abroad.

Colleen Joyce, the event organiser, said that students who take a year off to work or carry out voluntary work often go on to be very successful in their university and college careers.

She added that some establishments, such as Harvard and Princeton, require that some of their accepted applicants pursue a gap year abroad before starting college.

David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the National Association for College Admission Counselling, said: "Counsellors are recognising that there are many pathways to college. They see that, if properly vetted, these opportunities could actually help students succeed in college."

Richard Oliver, chief executive of Year Out Group, added that taking a gap year abroad between school and higher education can give young people a valuable and challenging learning experience.

Find out about gap year benefits.

( Last Updated: 2010-01-06 15:22:18)