British Gap Year in Decline

Travel Blog  •  Eva Holland  •  11.11.08 | 7:55 AM ET

It’s been tough enough selling American parents and school administrators on the benefits of a gap year for students. Now, the Guardian reports that the phenomenon is on the decline in the U.K., where it’s been an accepted rite of passage for years. The story blames financial concerns, the economic downturn, and—most ominously—a growing “conservatism” among college admissions officers for the change.

Tags: Gap Year, Global Village, Europe, England, Shrinking Planet

Eva Holland is the senior editor of World Hum. Her writing has also appeared in the National Post, the Montreal Gazette, the Ottawa Citizen and WestJet's Up! Magazine, among other publications. She's based in Ottawa, Canada.


1 Comment for British Gap Year in Decline

Mark Schoneveld 11.11.08 | 11:47 AM ET

That’s a bummer.  I’m an American that took a Gap Year and I think it was one of the best years of my life so far.  I learned more in that year than I could have possibly imagined and it certainly prepared me for the rigors of college.

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