13th August 2010 9:00
By Harriet Boulding
Private tutors will know that this week has brought grim news for school leavers as record numbers of students will be turned away from university. Many students, some even predicted straight As, have been turned away from their chosen universities and now have to face the fact that most universities will be offering few or no places in clearing this year. The country’s top universities are reporting being ‘totally full’ and many are unprepared to offer clearing places even to students who achieve 3 A grades.
Students are being advised to take a gap year, in the hopes that things improve by next year. Whilst this is an extremely stressful time for students, tutors can be there to help ensure that they keep up their skills and academic interests for when the time comes to go to university. Not least, tutors can help by ensuring that student make the most of what a gap year has to offer. The cliché of the student finding themselves on a gap year abroad may have something to it in our troubled times.
In a time when students are consumed by finance, stress and the burden of academic pressure as never before, a gap year is an opportunity for relaxation, and may well provide some much needed perspective on life. Tutors should encourage their students to look for programmes which are fun, but also keep up mental activity. Teaching English abroad is an excellent start, as are many programmes available for 1 or 2 months in developing countries.
Although it may seem difficult, tutors should point out to their students that all is not lost. Having a productive gap year looks good on CVs, and should make students more attractive to universities the following year.