Why Taking a Gap Year After High School and Before Entering College May Be the Right Choice for Your Son or Daughter - Even During a Recession

After high school, our son took a year off before going to college. Because he was burned out from studying so hard, we didn't fight his decision. As time went on, we started to see the wisdom of his choice. Although we'd worried that he wouldn't return to college, when he did go back, he did so with more focus, dedication and drive than ever. Meanwhile, we could get our finances in better order for a potential recession.

With the economy being unpredictable, we worried that he wouldn't get a job. Although he was welcome to live with us during that year, he'd decided that he wanted to try and get a job, pay rent and see if he could make it on his own. We admired his drive but wondered about job prospects. Could he truly get a job that would allow him to get by - especially in a tight economy?

As it turns out, he not only did but found one with health benefits and enough money to live in a small apartment with two other people. He learned quite a bit from the experience. He also got an education about how his earnings were calculated and the reality of payroll deductions. It was both a shock and a wake-up call. When he returned to college, he no longer felt exhausted or half-hearted about being there. He was ready to learn - and ready to earn when he left school.

Most importantly, his gap year turned out to save money in the end.

Here's why a gap year could still be the right choice, even during a recession:

1. Gap years make sense even during a recession - because college is expensive.

Yes, scholarships exist. But why have a student take a scholarship if he or she doesn't want to be in college yet? For those students who don't qualify for a scholarship or have to rely on student loans, it might make more sense to have the student work for a year, save money (possibly living at home) and delay the expense. For parents, avoiding college expenses may allow time for them to avoid debt and keep financially afloat during a recession (hopefully, long enough to build extra savings and offset a decline in the return on money already saved for college).