Editing Gap year (section)

===Disadvantages===
Financial Constraints: Gap years can be very expensive. Travel, program fees, and living expenses can accumulate quickly, making this an option inaccessible for low income families. 

In the [[UK]], this can also result to losing benefits such as [[Universal Credit]] as well as a likelihood of severe benefits sanctions by the DWP.

Loss of Academic Momentum: Without a properly structured gap year, individuals may waste their year with little productivity. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Horn |first=Michael B. |title=A Gap Year Shouldn’t Be Just For The Privileged, Especially Now |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2020/06/11/a-gap-year-shouldnt-be-just-for-the-privileged-especially-now/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> Taking a year off from academics could easily result in students losing the habits they create while in high school, leading to poor performance in college due to an inability to reintegrate into a more structured academic environment. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Pros and Cons of Taking a Gap Year Before College – Fontbonne University |url=https://www.fontbonne.edu/pros-and-cons-of-taking-a-gap-year-before-college/ |access-date=2024-11-21}}</ref>

Delayed Graduation and Entry into Workforce: A gap year typically delays graduation and entry into the job market, which may be a disadvantage for some students who need to start their careers sooner. Some believe that this delay may hurt students in the long term. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Horn |first=Michael B. |title=A Gap Year Shouldn’t Be Just For The Privileged, Especially Now |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2020/06/11/a-gap-year-shouldnt-be-just-for-the-privileged-especially-now/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>