Argument and Counterargument

 Thesis Statement:

Although the benefits of a gap year experience are often restricted by class due to their prohibitive cost, students from less affluent families should still consider taking a gap year as a means to obtain the necessary cultural capital to succeed in an academic environment

Counter Argument:

 The most contrary source I found during my research was one titled "I Wish I Had (Not) Taken a Gap-Year? The Psychological and Attainment Outcomes of Different Post-School Pathways." This paper outright denies any meaningful benefit to the college gap year, and even suggests that under certain circumstances it may lead to a higher rate of students dropping out. This does coincide with other evidence that links delaying the transition from high school to college with a decreased chance of finishing a bachelor's degree within eight years. This study, found that students who took a gap year reported little increase in university attendance, degree completion, or continuation to post-graduate study. Additionally, individuals who then moved into their professional careers showed little difference in their professional or general life satisfaction.

In general, it is difficult to quantify how useful the college gap year is in terms of the opportunities it opens up for you. One of the primary uses for the gap year is to accrue cultural capital, but this paper makes the argument that recently employers have placed less emphasis on traditional gap year experiences. In the future, for building the case for my paper, it would help to include more testimonials from individuals who have taken a gap year, to see how they describe the tangible benefits they received from their experiences.

 Citation:

Parker, Philip D., et al. “I Wish I Had (Not) Taken a Gap-Year? The Psychological and Attainment Outcomes of Different Post-School Pathways.” Developmental Psychology, vol. 51, no. 3, American Psychological Association, 2015, pp. 323–33, doi:10.1037/a0038667.

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