Below is an email I received from a student...
Hi, teacher,
Can I ask a question about life?
These days, I am thinking about a series question, and I wander can you help me with it. I think about working for a year before going to the university but can I apply for a university and delay my enrollment time. I mean, for example, this fall I am going to apply for university but if I am accepted by one of the university, can I not go to it next year but the year after next year without applying it again?
Thanks a lot.
Shinny
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Shinny,
If you are interested in deferring your admission to college you'd have to check with the university you are applying to -- they all have different policies regarding this type of decision. Now, if you're interested in taking a "gap year" of sorts (that's what they are called in Europe and Canada) there are a number of things that you need to consider.
- When you say "working" what do you mean by that? If you're just working in a retail store in Zhengzhou it probably won't help your future very much in terms of accumulating experience. If you mean volunteering at non-profit organizations, working overseas, doing something similar to the Americorps or Peace Corps then this experience could be very rewarding for your future.
- Many Canadians, British, Europeans, etc. often take a "gap year" to travel a bit more extensively around the world and gain a better perspective of the world. This is pretty uncommon for Americans to do so but that's mainly for cultural reasons.
- You have to consider also what your parents want as well. If you are able to defer your admission to college for a year this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity but you and your family need to be in agreement about this decision.
- The bottom line question is: Why do you want to take a year off? What's the real reason?
-Mr. Haus
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Hey Mr. Haus,
I actually want to work in New Oriental as a teacher because I know some of my school mates do that. However, I am not sure about their employment policy but l like the atmosphere there: it's casual and fresh. I think the working experience is good for university. However, this is only a superficial reason.
l really appreciate your insightfulness. Since you said that life problems can be part of questions we ask about, I want to tell you the truth which I do not want to other people know. I want to do it because I want to wait for my boyfriend.
My boyfriend and I are middle school classmates (
Note: This is lost in translation for the casual reader but she actually means "high school"). However, he now is in the biology competition class. We both love each other deeply, so he want to apply for American university in the sophmore year in China college. He studies exceptionally well and want to go to the best shcool in China before go to the US. He's good at physics, chemistry and especially biology. However, his english skills are not very high. He want to study in the US but he would like to finish Biology competition in China becuase he adores Biology. Because of our deep affection to each other, we don't want to be apart for a long time(we get used to be with each other everyday). I want to stay by his side and help him with his english when he needs, for the rest of the time I want to take part in some Activities not necessarily New Oriental. I know it's crazy and I shouldn't do that. Maybe I won't, but I love him and I see my precious sentiment very importantly. Please don't laugh at me.
-Shinny
