Malia Obama will attend Harvard

Malia Obama has toured many top universities around the country including Harvard, University of California-Berkeley, Stanford, New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, Bardard, Tufts, Brown, Yale, Wesleyan, Columbia, and Princeton. Malia will graduate this June, and after many months of consideration, she has decided to attend Harvard University in the fall of 2017 after taking a gap year. A gap year allows the student a year off from schoolwork to do other things such as travel or work. Malia hopes to become a filmmaker; she has interned on the sets of the TV series "Girls" and "Extant." Both her mother and her father attended Harvard to obtain their law degrees.

Questions:
What are your opinions on taking a gap year? Do you think this would be beneficial?
Would you rather attend a university because of its reputation-such as Harvard- or a university that you think is a good fit for you? What would be the benefits of each side?

My opinion:
I think taking a gap year could go either way. It seems like an extended summer to me. On one hand, it is good to relax and enjoy your time before the stress of university begins, but on the other, I think it would be bad for your brain if you don't do stuff that would help you remember the information you learned in school. Even when we come back after a summer, it can be hard to remember information. I think a summer would be enough time for me to relax and come back focused. I would make sure a university is a good fit for me before attending. If the classes are way over my head, I wouldn't go there because that would not help me. I think As at a school that isn't as "prestigious" would look better than Cs at a more "reputable" school.

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Replies

  • Good job!!

  • I think for some people it would be beneficial, but I would have trouble coming back to school and getting into the flow of things after a whole year off. I would also just want to get done as soon as possible, and then you will be done a year earlier than you would have without the gap year. I think it's better to have good grades at a less reputable school that you feel more comfortable at.

  • Yes, cause it would help students get caught up with their financial needs so they can save up for college or something. A university that better fits to the individual because it will help the individual more than attending a university because of it reputation.

  • I understand taking a gap year becuase it is a good time to figure out what you want to do for sure. If you do know exactly what you want to go into then I think that you should just go to college without the gap year. I would rather not go to Harvard because there would be so much pressure, but if you did well it would be a good choice. If you picked who got a job, wouldn't it be a better choice?
  • I think taking a gap year would be relaxing, but difficult to come back from. After taking a year off of school, I'd be very unmotivated to come back to it. At the same time, I could see it having a positive effect in the form of relieving stress, being able to try new things, and giving people a chance to discover what they want to do with their lives.

    I would want to attend a university that has both a good reputation and suits me. If people know you went to a school with a huge reputation, they'd obviously be very impressed by your accomplishments. If you attended a school that was tailored to you, you would be in a comfortable environment, which might improve your social skills and mental being.

  • I don't think a gap year is a good idea because after doing that you would have to go back to work and it's gonna be harder. I think going to Harvard would be something amazing to do and if you have the opportunity to go there you should go but I also think that if Harvard doesn't fit with you, you should go and find another one that you like.

  • Gap year I think is a bad idea because american will get lazy and think they like the way they are living now and not want to go back to work. I would rather attend an university that is fit for me of course, if i dont like the college then i wont do as good as i would at a college i do like. 

  • I don't think a gap years is a good idea because it can make you lazy. I feel that a gap year is just an extended summer and it can change a person if they don't stay active or work. If they just sit and relax for a year then it will be hard to get back into the school routine. A university that is a good fit for me because if I am going to start my career and live a this college I want it to be right for me.

  • I think it depends on the kind of person she is, a gap year can be bad for many because the loss of knowledge and motivation to get back into school. I would rather attend a college that would be a good fit for me because it is ultimately going to come down on you being comfortable and able to do good. Going to a university for the name or reputation is great, but it doesn't exactly mean anything for an individual person.

  • I think a gap year could be a good idea to build up some funds for college. I think I would go to a college that fits your occupation and something that you like. Of course everyone knows that Harvard has a great reputation, it just depends if it is right for you.

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