Gap Year vs College – How a TEFL Changes Things

TEFL certified gappers are able to offer colleges concrete examples of the soft skills that they have developed and practiced throughout their gap year. By productively using time toward practical skill development, TEFL certified gap year students become more appealing to college admissions.

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For those leaving high school or college this year, the decisions of what to do next are fresh in your mind. Choosing between a gap year vs college or further study is a tough choice, so here are some things to consider. 

While taking a gap year seems inviting, many students worry that they may lose their college place or that college admissions will frown upon a year out. 

In the midst of CoVID19, it’s questionable as to whether college campuses will be up and running at all. Travel bans may possibly thwart dreams of gap year travels.

So, with everything upside down, how do you choose between college vs a gap year? 

Whatever you choose, productivity is key. College admissions want to see that gap year students are enhancing themselves rather than wasting time. A TEFL is your gateway to a fruitful gap year.

Not only does TEFLPros accredited TEFL certification demonstrate your penchant for self-learning, it also holds open the door to volunteer gigs, work experience, and job placements all over the world. What better way to impress college admissions in the future? 

And even if you are going to college, a TEFL certificate shows colleges that you vibe on self-learning, while also giving you a chance to earn money teaching online to support your college tuition!

If you’re choosing between a gap year vs college, here’s why a TEFL changes everything.

Gap Year Vs College: How Does a Gap Year Affect College Admission?

Let’s not kid ourselves. College admission teams are looking for candidates who will thrive within their establishment. This means they’re gunning for self-starters who have a thirst for learning, an eye for research, and a get-up-and-go attitude.

If you take a year off and squander your time, you’re not likely to impress anyone, let alone a decent college.

However, for those considering a gap year, colleges are taken by candidates that show productivity, initiative, creativity, and drive.

Gap year students that take a TEFL show colleges that they enjoy self-directed learning. By using that TEFL to travel worldwide as an English teacher, candidates demonstrate creativity, drive, passion, initiative, a global perspective, and much more.

Gap Year Vs College: What is a TEFL Program?

A TEFL program is a curriculum of study where you learn to teach English as a foreign language. This qualification enables you to teach in schools all over the world or online. 

The TEFLPros 120-hour online TEFL program is a globally-recognized course that offers hours of multimedia resources delivered by top EFL teachers from around the world. Course participants enjoy a library of EFL teaching resources and a solid support network they can turn to when they need advice.

Our 2-Day TEFL is a great introduction into what you can expect from our full course.

Gap Year Vs College: A Gap Year TEFL Demonstrates Self-Learning and Initiative

For staff in college admissions, they’ll probably cry if they see another college essay headed with a cheap quote and no originality.

For college candidates today, standing out is incredibly hard. There are more college applications than ever and people are fighting tooth and nail to shine above the rest.

By taking a TEFL program, you immediately propel yourself head and shoulders above the crowd. Through self-directed independent learning, you demonstrate initiative and forward-thinking. Rather than simply educating yourself within the school domain, you demonstrate yourself as a candidate that can reliably work without prompting.

Not only this, but gap year students with a TEFL certificate are able to work all over the world delivering English lessons. For college admissions, worldwide teaching experience shows the application of these self-taught skills in an enterprising manner.

Gap Year Vs College: An EFL Gap Year Offers Rewarding Productivity

If you choose to take a gap year, it’s important that you show colleges how this experience has helped you grow as a person and an academic. 

Whether you’re volunteering or working as a TEFL teacher, you’ll be required to plan lessons, handle problems, deliver classes, manage students, organize and present feedback, and adapt to changing circumstances.

TEFL teachers are able to offer colleges concrete examples of these soft skills that they have developed and practiced throughout their gap year. By productively using time toward practical skill development, gap year TEFL teachers become more appealing to college admissions.

Gap Year Vs College: A TEFL Gap Year Broadens Your Perspective

Diversity is key in every aspect of our lives. Showing colleges that you understand a wide range of perspectives is important.

By leveraging your TEFL certificate as a means to travel and teach, you’ll be exposed to a plethora of experiences that you wouldn’t have otherwise. Teaching students from all over the world will help to open your mind to approaching problems in creative and dynamic ways, from overcoming language barriers to exploring cultural differences.

Having a deeper knowledge of the greater world will only serve to benefit you in your future college career.

Gap Year Vs College: A Gap Year Before College Helps Drive Career Decisions

We grow up going to school and become easily influenced by the adults around us telling us who we are, what we should be, and what our path holds for us.

Taking a gap year helps you to find out what your true passions and interests are, as well as the formats in which you work best. Likewise teaching abroad challenges you and helps you develop as a person.  

With hands-on work experience teaching kids and adults from all manner of places, you can gain insight into where you want to go with your life. This enables you to make better decisions about what subjects you choose when heading to college.

You may find that you want to take a different course, change college location, or follow a different vocation altogether.

Gap Year Vs College: An EFL Gap Year Boosts Your Resume with Work Experience

By completing a TEFL program, you make it far easier to clinch a job on your travels around the world. Work experience is invaluable in teaching you how places of employment work around the world.

For those looking to pursue a future teaching, working with NGOs, helping children, and so on, a TEFL gap year provides hands-on insight into those fields. 

If you are considering entering a degree program for this kind of work after your gap year, a TEFL teaching position gives you a topnotch relevant work experience placement to show off.

Gap Year Vs College: A TEFL Opens Doors for College Graduates

For those choosing to go to college, remember that many people choose to take a gap year after college before starting work. There are plenty of gap year programs for college graduates that can help to direct you toward a prosperous career.

College graduates looking to travel or enter the teaching field are particularly suited to a TEFL program. Graduates of the TEFLPros 120-hour TEFL certification are qualified for English teaching jobs all over the world. 

From Russia to Thailand, a TEFL certificate can lead to a life-changing gap year for college graduates.

Gap Year Vs College: TEFL Teachers Can Earn Online to Support College

It would be foolish to ignore the elephant in the room. CoVID19 has put a dampener on everything, throwing all college placements and gap years into question.

Since the future seems so uncertain, it would be wise not to put all your eggs in one basket.

By taking a TEFL course, you give yourself a new line of income. Whether you want to fund your travels on-the-go, save for college, or simply make money in your gap year, TEFL teachers have plenty of online teaching opportunities.

What are you waiting for? Kick off your journey with our FREE 2-day trial course.

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