You've returned from a well-deserved break from school and are feeling refreshed and ready to get started. The first few weeks are the hardest to adapt because your brain hasn't been used during the entire break. The dilemma with breaks, such as summer vacation, is that one loses valuable information about previous academic coursework that is essential for progression to higher education. Imagine going an entire year without learning, then returning to intense, rigorous classes at a university. High school students nationwide have the option of taking a gap year before committing to college. This is called a gap year; Instead of enrolling directly into a university, many students feel the need to take a break before beginning their studies for their future careers. Yes, a gap year sounds nice and beneficial, but in the long run it can be detrimental in the future. Students should be aware of the ramifications that a gap year brings, for example, the possibility of enrolling in graduate school is lower, academic growth is reduced, and social barriers become present. Before understanding the consequences of taking a gap year, it is important to understand why people take a gap year. Senior year can be tense and come with many unanswered questions. Seniors have four options coming out of high school. These choices are to either join the military, go straight to work, apply to college, or take a gap year. In a journal by Sunny Niu and Marta Tienda, “Delay in registration and university plans: is there a deferral penalty? ” explains some of the reasons why high school graduates tend not to go straight to a four-year university. One of the main reasons why high school graduates are hesitant to attend co...... middle of article...... index.php/considering-a-gap-year/why-take-a -gap-year> . Holmes, Bradford. “Decide if a gap year makes sense for you.” American News: n. pag.Print.Horn, Laura, Emily Forrest Cataldi and Anna Sikora. “Waiting to attend college.” National Center for Education Statistics. Np, and Web. December 8, 2013. .Niu, Sunny and Marta Tienda. “Delayed Registration and University Plans: Is There a Deferral Penalty?” » Journal of Higher Education (2013): 1-28. Print.O'Shea, Joseph. “Delaying the Academy: A Gap Year.” Teaching in Higher Education (2011): 1-14. Print. Wells, Ryan S. and Cassie M. Lynch. “Delayed college entry and the socioeconomic gap: examining the roles of study patterns, family income, parental education, and parental occupation.” Journal of Higher Education