Gap years 'are ideal university preparation'

Students who head to university following a gap year tend to derive more from their experience in higher education, it has been claimed.

Robert Clagett, former senior admissions officer at Harvard College, said there is plenty of evidence to suggest that 'gappers' arrive with a better idea of their true interests and talents than those who come straight from education.

"What often happens is that students end up 'reinventing' themselves during their gap year," he stated.

They tend to apply this through a more mature outlook to their education in the future, Mr Clagett told the New York Times.

"There is even good news on the academic performance front, with several studies showing that students who take a gap year end up doing better than their non-gap year classmates."

He suggested that this positive impact on grades can last over the duration of a university degree, meaning gap years are a good idea for anyone aiming for higher education.

Phil Murray, director of Gapadvice.org, recently claimed that going away on a gap year can be a great experience for young people aged between 16 and 19.

He said the advantages of taking time off studying before university are increasingly well-known.

Mr Murray claimed that 18 is "a very special age" - the time to have a break and experience something new in another part of the world.

"Now is the chance to push the boundaries a bit and experience a whole new way of life, different challenges, different cultures and perhaps hone up or gain new skills that they haven't yet got," he added.

"At university you can almost spot the ex 'gappers' because they are greatly more confident."

Find out about gap year benefits.