IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantage/Disadvantage Essay Topic: Young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school

In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decided to do this.

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Sample Essay 1

There is a growing trend towards taking a gap year before entering tertiary education among school leavers in certain parts of the world. While it is true that such practice is not without its disadvantages, I would argue that the benefits of going to work or travelling before one embarks on college far outweighs these disadvantages.

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On the one hand, people’s concerns about delaying university are largely justifiable. To begin with, if a person opts to travel, there is the question of finance. Most high school graduates are unlikely to be able to fund their travels, and as a result, must ask their parents to pay for all the expenses of the trip. This is obviously undesirable, especially for families in developing nations, who have more urgent needs to address rather than travelling. Should they decide to go to work, there is a high chance that they would just end up doing part-time work with meagre pay. In addition, these jobs often provide employees with little exposure to professional working styles and skills, so most fail to gain any substantive benefits from them. For instance, my friend spent a summer working at a fast-food establishment in Hanoi, which he said was a complete waste of time because he could not acquire any new skills, nor could he procure any significant savings from the salary.

On the other hand, notwithstanding the described issues, I believe abundant advantages accrue to taking a year off before college. By going to work, youngsters can obtain valuable working experiences. The merit of this is they can put their study into perspective when they take university courses later. For example, an accounting major can better imagine how accounting theories and standards are applied in a corporate context if he has previous experiences reading financial statements and handling transactions as a cashier. By travelling, one has the chance to acquire useful life skills by living independently, especially if he journeys to a foreign country. I can personally vouch for this, as during my 3-year stay in America, not only did I materially improve my English, I was also able to learn how to live on a tight budget and manage personal finance.

In conclusion, it is my genuine belief that taking a gap year before enrolling in a university is a rewarding experience and definitely an option worth contemplating for those who are about to graduate from high school.

Sample Essay 2

Sample Essay 3

People have been experimenting with all of the probable methods to lead a better life. Likewise, teenagers have found out varied ways to explore the world before they can begin tertiary education. In this essay, I will be discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of encouraging youngsters to work or travel before beginning the next step of their education.

Taking a brief break after secondary school has turned advantageous for youngsters. By visiting varying places, they will get the much-needed exposure to diverse traditions, cultures and an extensive range of people. This way, it will be easier for young people to attain social knowledge. It will also help in higher studies. And then, prior working experience is always a good point as it helps them prepare for the work life. On top of that, a lot of companies also prefer hiring experienced people.

However, there are also a few disadvantages to sending them on tour or for work. This way, there are higher chances of the education process getting disrupted. This could result in students not showing enough interest in higher studies. They will start enjoying working and earning well. Also, since youngsters may begin earning enough money, they might get inclined toward unwanted habits, including drugs, alcohol, smoking and more. And then, going on trips could impact their financial health and status as well.

At a glance, it is quite apparent that though there are only a few advantages, the disadvantages are clearly taking the bigger share here. Thus, I opine that young people should continue their studies.

Band 9 Sample Essay

It is quite evident that the norms of education have evolved over time. The practices followed by our previous generations are considered outdated and thereby have become unpopular. One such convention, that is slowly going out of fashion, is the tendency of high school graduates to begin their college admission formalities, promptly after completing secondary education. Presently, students tend to take a break for a year or so from academics to explore the world and gain life experience. In the forthcoming paragraphs, I will elaborate on the topic and discuss the merits and demerits of this trend.

The notion of taking a recess from school life before beginning the journey of university education can be a positive change from the monotony of a rigorous daily routine. The degree of stress that comes along with the preparation of higher secondary examinations combined with the pressure of performing decently, can drain the energy out of any student and strain their mental capacity. In situations like these, a respite is essential to rejuvenate the mind and the body. Moreover, the experience gained from either taking a trip or engaging in a job can greatly improve future prospects for a young individual.

Nevertheless, there are a few constraints that need to be considered by students before making such a choice. First and foremost, the financial expenditure of travelling for nearly a year has to be taken into account since such an endeavour is inherently expensive. That being said, individuals who are fresh out of high school do not have a stable income source and naturally depend on their parents for financial support, thus, a year-long vacation might be unfeasible for many households. Furthermore, due to the absence of substantial qualifications and work experience, high school graduates are only eligible for low paying or unpaid employment.

Finally, I would like to add that there are benefits and drawbacks to enjoying a prolonged sabbatical from education and it is upon the individual concerned to focus on either one. However, one must be cautious and sensible before taking such a consequential step.

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