REALESTATEPLANNINGLAW.COM 718-698-2200 September 2021
WE KEEP YOU ON THE RIGHT PATH
IN A MANOR OF SPEAKING
5 Tips for Leveraging a Gap Year YOUR TEEN’S TIME AWAY FROM SCHOOL DOESN’T HAVE TO BE WASTED
In mid-March, just before the COVID-19 pandemic walloped the U.S., Statista released its estimates for college attendance in 2020 and beyond. It predicted 19.75 million students would show up for college in 2020, but it could be wildly wrong. Since that report came out, the pandemic has shuttered schools and disrupted the college application process. Online learning isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but in 2020, it will be the new norm for many colleges. That challenge, combined with the overall mood of uncertainty in the U.S., just might lead to a record high number of kids choosing to take a gap year. According to Forbes magazine, gap years were already trending by April, even though “traditional” gap year activities like travel are off the table. The concept of a gap year thrills some parents and terrifies others. On the one hand, a year away from school can be a good opportunity for teens to gain independence, learn new skills, and figure out the future. On the other hand, there’s always the chance that a break from school could cause teens to waste their time or decide to defer college forever. If you’re a parent who’s worried about the latter, share these five tips with your child. If they play it right, their “year off” might turn out to be their most productive year yet. Tip No. 1: Go to work. Work experience is always a good thing, especially if it’s in your child’s eventual field of study. Encourage your teen to take this opportunity to give their “dream job” a test run. They may find it isn’t for them and save them thousands in tuition. Internships are also a good option. If online learning wasn’t the motivating factor behind your child choosing to take a gap year, you can suggest that they explore remote options through platforms like AngelList.com and WeWorkRemotely.com.
Tip No. 2: Learn something new. Usually, travel and cultural immersion are go-to gap year strategies for learning new things. However, your kid doesn’t actually need to head to Spain to learn Spanish — their fluency will be just as valid to a future employer if they pick it up from Duolingo. Additionally, YouTube video tutorials and online certification programs can lay the groundwork for any number of valuable skills, including coding, furniture building, and medical work. Tip No. 3: Start an online business. If your teen has an entrepreneurial spirit, encourage them to use their year off to start a business. Etsy is a great online platform to sell handmade items, and if they’re passionate about a craft, like writing or website development, they can conduct their business entirely online. Who knows! With a year of effort, they might make some money, and even if they don’t, they’ll learn something and add a line item to their resume.
Continued on Page 3 ...
1
718-698-2200
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software