SECTION 3 Questions 21-30 Questions 21-23 Choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D.

Mary: So, do you think taking a gap year between leaving school and beginning uni is worth it? I was just reading that it is estimated that at least 50000 young people here in Britain take one each year.
David: I think it’s a good idea for some, but not for most.
Kelly: Oh, David, I disagree.
David: Well, Kelly, in the clamour to arrange a volunteer scheme placement or to book round-the-world plane tickets, how many school leavers-or their parents for that matter--stop to think about the true worth of taking a year out? Are gap years the life-changing, character-forming experience their proponents claim them to be, or are they merely an excuse to waste time, burn money and delay the inevitable? How did the idea ever start anyway?
Mary: It says here that originally they were common mainly among Oxford and Cambridge applicants, who were required to apply for a university place after already taking their A-levels. Once accepted, this gave them a further nine months to travel or to do with as they wished.
Kelly: They are mostly a UK and Australian phenomenon In the US, the tendency is still to go to college straight after leaving school. In most other European countries, gap years are rare, partly because students will often take longer to complete their university courses and have more time during the academic year to take time off.
Mary: Well, David says they might not be worth it, so is there any way we can measure the cost?
Kelly: Well, the first thing to do is to assume that you will use the time available to travel abroad for a length of time, working for a period beforehand to save up the money necessary. Let’s see. Roughly speaking, you will probably need about ￡500 for the plane ticket, depending on where you go. Then you’ll need up to ￡200 for the specialist travel insurance, and anything up to~5000 to pay for the cost of internal travel in the countries you visit, plus food, accommodation and other sundries. Many gap-year travellers can make do with about ￡3000 in total, although this means living on a fairly tight budget.
David: But then you need to add the above cost the foregone benefit of one year’s salary after graduation. For example, say your first job after leaving university were to pay ￡15000 to ￡20000 a year, that’s what you lose by taking a gap year.
Kelly: Well, that’s not entirely fair. You can measure value through personal development as well as financially. A gap year tends to broaden young people’s horizons, helps them to mature and see things from a much wider perspective. It can motivate them to focus on their studies. Research shows that students are more likely to be satisfied with and complete their chosen course after taking a gap year. Many universities also say that they can tell the difference between those students who have taken gap years and those who have not, in terms of attitude, commitment and general insights that are less evident in those who come straight from school. These are all benefits that a person will carry with him or her well past university. Many employers are on record as saying that they welcome job applications from students whose CVs say they took a year off, either before going to university or, in some cases, after graduating. They too are aware of the greater maturity and broader potential vision of those who have used their time constructively and learned something about the world.
David: That’s true. Employers want graduates who can work well in teams, think independently, communicate effectively and make informed decisions, all of which can be learned by taking a gap year. This potential to differentiate yourself from other applicants becomes all the more important at a time when up to 40% of young people are taking degrees, often graduating with good results. The key here is ensuring two things: that the time you have taken off is used constructively and that you make it clear in any job application what you have learned from your gap year and how it applies to the post you are applying for. Swarming on a beach in Australia is hardly likely to impress the average employer.
Kelly: There is no doubt that if you can show a practical approach, for example by volunteering with a charity, you will gain brownie points from many employers. But equally, any situation in which a young person has been required to learn new things, to act independently, to work for someone, to be able to mix with fellow travellers and people in the countries they are visiting, will be seen as a positive experience.
Mary: It says here that academic research carried out for the Department for Education suggests that employers recognise they stand to benefit from new recruits who, to quote one HR director, have "been out of their comfort zones" and are thus more likely to have the flexibility and improvisation skills to deal with the demands of the graduate workplace.
David: Again, I think that the key thing is to make sure that your employer is steered into appreciating whatever experiences you have gained during that gap year. Clearly, telling a prospective boss that your six months on a beach in Oz was "awesome" will put you at a disadvantage compared with another applicant who goes into great details about the business skills learned by working in a caf6 in the same location.