More gap year students staying at home

Concerns have been raised that fewer UK students are heading abroad during their gap year before university.

According to the BBC, financial pressures mean that more people taking a year out are choosing to volunteer or undertake work experience closer to home.

Students heading to university in London are particularly conscious of the need to earn money in the year before starting their degree, the news provider stated.

"Young people are getting jobs in the capital or volunteering for social projects and charities before heading off to higher education," the BBC claimed.

But young people should consider the wider benefits of going overseas on a gap year adventure.

Robert Clagett, former senior admissions officer at Harvard College, claimed recently that students who head to university following a gap year tend to derive more from their experience in higher education.

Writing for the New York Times, he said there is evidence to suggest that 'gappers' arrive with a better idea of their true interests and talents.

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

Click here for gap year advice.