Re: “Don’t Send Your Kids to College. At Least Not Yet.” (The New York Times, Opinion, April 5, 2016)

To the Editor:

In a recent piece, Abigail Falik argues that one way to improve the American university system is to encourage students to take a gap year after high school. She cites issues like high stress levels among college students and increasing freshman dropout rates. Although gap years can be very beneficial for some students, they are not the solution to these specific problems. Students who are unprepared to succeed in college are likely to be just as unprepared to benefit from real-world experience during a gap year.

During my gap year I struggled with time management, budgeting, and self-care while trying to hold down a job, and I wish I had had the opportunity to learn these lessons in an environment populated with my peers and with resources at hand to assist me. Falik mentions some universities that have developed ‘bridge year’ programs that provide guidance for students (as well as financial assistance) during gap years. However, in addition to needing more support during my gap year, I felt that the time off caused some of the skills I perfected in high school, such as exam taking, to evaporate entirely. This negatively impacted my grades during my freshman year and has already limited my employment opportunities. Until labor market outcomes post-graduation are less dependent on grades, gap years may come back to haunt students later in life.

College should be a safe space where students can develop from teenagers into working adults. Growing up is stressful wherever you are and whatever you happen to be doing. Let’s let kids finish the process in each other’s company, while getting the education they need to succeed in the real world.