Introduction to Research Methods and Blended Learning

This is the second out of three examinations the essayist plans to form roughly mixed procurement. The principal paper acquainted perusers with intermix securing. He examined what mixed really was and the grounds why instructors want to fuse mixed larning into their guidance. He other than illustrated the range, limitations and focused on client of the exploration. Two articles were other than examined by the essayist. The principal article was composed by Norm Vaughan, of the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education ( AACE ) Chesapeake, VA, for the International Journal on E-Learning on the Positions on Blended Learning in Higher Education. In the article he talked about the advantages and limitations of mixed procurement in foundations of higher guidance from the situation of the individuals who had involvement in this strategy for securing. The second article was composed by the Oxford Center for Staff and Learning Development at Oxford Brookes University for the Higher Education Academy. The reason for the review was to rethink bing exploration and example on mixed obtaining, place cardinal surveies and issues, and do suggestions to control future arrangements, examples and examination. The essayist finished up the paper by bespeaking that he felt mixed securing is the regular improvement of e-learning. In this examination, the author expects to carry on a writing reappraisal on mixed procurement. The author would farther explain what mixed obtaining is. He would portray the various degrees of mixed learning.The points of interest and detriments of mixed obtaining would other than be talked about in this paper. The essayist would so try to answer the main exploration request, which is, how does Blended Learning help in current guidance framework? The author other than expects to occur out whenever mixed procurement is truly superior to the conventional face to defy signifier of securing. The essayist would stop by giving his ain situations on mixed acquisition.2.0 Blended LearningBlended Learning includes the incorporating or mixing of larning plans in arranged configurations to achieve a typical end. Mixed larning plans ordinarily comprises of a mix of talk suites and on-line plans. Mixed securing could other than be characterized as the merger of conventional vis-à-vis and on-lin e larning systems to augment the effectivity of readiness plans. In mixed procurement, the readiness plan is separated into resources and the most fit bringing strategies are chosen for each and custom-made to single requests. The main reason for existing is to exploit the best attributes of every strategy. A variety of media might be utilized, runing from customary workshops, study hall based guidance, books and other help stuffs, PC based planning and CD-ROMs.2.1 Brief history of Blended acquisitionAlthough the term mixed larning simply picked up notoriety in the previous not many mature ages, it has been used for decennaries by instructors and associations at each degree. In the unadulterated feeling of the term, mixed larning in a general sense implies utilizing more than one larning assault to instruct students. As of late mixed obtaining has been seen as the blend of conventional face to go up against larning and building, using whatever was well known at the clasp. This could incorporate everything from reckoners to broadcasts sets to individualized computing machines and the Internet with both it favorable circumstances or impediments. During the class of the last 15 mature ages mixed obtaining has developed fundamentally. Both the figure of instructors learning mixed course of studies and the a wide range of kinds of mixes being utilized are a demonstration of the achievability of these sorts of plans.2.2 Degrees of Blended LearningBlended obtaining happens at a variety of various degrees. The entirety of the signifiers Blended Learning happen at one of the undermentioned four distinct degrees ; aë†? Action degree aë†? Course degree aë†? Program degree. aë†? Institutional degree.Activity Level Blending.Blending at the this degree happens when an obtaining movement contains both eye to eye ( F2F ) and processing machine interceded ( CM ) elements.Course Level Blending.Course degree mixing is one of the most mainstream approaches to intermix. It comprises of a mix of the conventional up close and personal ( F2F ) and registering machine interceded ( CM ) exercises utilized as bit of a class.Program Level Blending.Blending at an arrangement degree much of the time includes a hypothetical record wherein the members pick a blend between eye to eye ( F2F ) classs and on-line classs or one in which the mix between the two is endorsed by the plan.Institutional Level Blending.Some instructive foundations and associations have made a committedness to intermixing eye to eye ( F2F ) and figuring machine intervened ( CM ) course. The University of Phoenix has an institutional hypothetical record for intermixing where understudies have F2F cla ssifications toward the start and terminal of the class with on-line exercises in the middle. ( C. Graham and B. Youthful, 2004 ) .2.3 Advantages of Blended LearningBlended securing has a few focal points over different signifiers of larning. Past surveies and articles on mixed obtaining has uncovered that pacing and going to is a bit of leeway of mixed procurement. In most mixed obtaining schoolrooms, there is the capacity to larn at whatever point the student chooses to make so. In the event that an understudy is missing from an exercise, the person in question may see a portion of the lost talk stuffs at a similar clasp that the rest of the classification does, regardless of the way that the student ‘s non truly present in the class room. This guarantees understudies who may hold one ground or the other that keeps them from went to chats all the time can at present be in the same spot as the various students in the classification. This larning assault other than guarantees that students can see learning stuffs at any clasp they choose to, in example they need to return to what they have been instructed or just travel on to future subjects, for the individuals who learn at a quicker walk. ( Alvarez, 2005 ) Another bit of leeway of mixed securing is the way that it boosts the effectivity of larning. Most students show that the schoolroom can be a dull and stifling topographic point to larn some of the time, the coordinating of mixed obtaining into the framework adds an originative measurement to the uninteresting procurement condition. Past surveies have other than delighted that this learning assault empowers and improves educator student collaboration. Besides, online obtaining empowers understudies from various land areas to get decision guidance they for the most part would non hold dish to. . ( Elearning2day.com ) . it ‘s capacity to back up and elevate significant instructive encounters each piece great as to flexibly an expense and asset solid methodological investigation has other than made it curiously speaking to an arrangement of associations and instructive foundations. ( Garrison and Kanuka, 2004 )2.4 Disadvantages of Blended LearningSurveies at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee ( Garnham and A ; Kaleta, 2002 ) and University of Central Florida ( Dziuban and A ; Moskal, 2001 ) showed that understudies experienced a figure of issues with mixed classs. Obligation for securing was one of the significant occupations understudies experienced with mixed classs. Green beans undergrad, who are as yet utilized despite everything used to the conventional face to face larning assault think that its difficult to suit their examination and larning wonts to oblige on-line learning.Although, with cut they become used to the idea of being liable for their ain procurement, it is as yet an occupation they face in the underlying stages. Time committedness was another test distinguished by most module. They asserted that the arranging and advancement of a major enrollment mixed class take considerably more clasp to create, when contrasted with cut taken with build up a comparative class in the customary format.Faculty, at the University of Central Florida, showed that a class with on-line constituents requires a group more clasp in both the turn of events and hebdomadal managerial endeavors than a comparable class conveyed in the conventional face to face position. ( Dziuban and A ; Moskal,2001 )3.0 How does Blended Learning help in flow guidance system?Before get bringing down the examination, the author had a couple of requests which he needed replied by the terminal of the exploration. The main request was how does Blended Learning help in current guidance framework? The author intended to compute out how mixed procurement fitted into today ‘s higher guidance framework and comprehend the positions and percep tual encounters of people towards the incorporating of mixed larning into higher guidance. An examination was directed by Curtis J. Bonk, Kyong-Jee Kim from Indiana University, USA and Tingting Zeng from Warwick University, UK.The reason for their study was to investigate the current position and future waies of on-line guidance in higher guidance scenes. The examination members included college educators who were individuals from MERLOT, a higher guidance assosciation, abiding of college teachers, instructional applied researchers and leaders who segment and companion measure their web stuff s and assets. The review survey comprised of 42 requests predominantly identified with the great beyond of mixed procurement in higher guidance. Simply 562 examination were finished out of the 12,000 investigation petitions sent.65 % of the members in the higher guidance study were discussions or professors,28 % were college chiefs or capable help powers, while the staying members were instructive counselors. Outcomes from the investigation showed that a majority,93 % to be explicit, of the members demonstrated that they by and by consolidating intermixing into their guidance approach.The journalists guaranteed that the aftereffects of the this consequen

Representations of Women in Early Irish and Welsh Literature Essay Example for Free

Portrayals of Women in Early Irish and Welsh Literature Essay Despite the fact that there are matches among Irish and Welsh adventures of elopement, the incredible fearless ladies portrayed in these stories don't speak to the genuine ladies of Medieval Ireland and Wales. Proinsias Mac Cana has recommended that the prevailing jobs of Deirdre and Grainne in their individual stories (Longes macintosh nUislenn and Toruigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghrainne) are ‘literary minor departure from the model of the power goddess’ (Doan, 1985: 90). Bitel (1996: 2) declares that Celticists have been lured by these prevailing female characters seeing them as illustrative of genuine ladies with significant control over men, a delineation which if genuine ought to be reflected in the law tracts or ‘custom in action’(Stacey, 2002: 1107). This paper will contend that the ministerial and legitimate tracts of both Ireland and Wales offer numerous pictures of ladies, decisions about ladies, and guidelines for ladies. They don't anyway introduce the cliché medieval lady as the sway goddess delineated in the mainstream adventures. Since ladies left no set up accounts, we are subject to male writing (most likely the entirety of the writings written in early Ireland and Wales) for a meaning of lady and her social job. These male creators composed of ladies in: ‘saint’s lives; sonnets; adventures and fantasies; gnomic writings; narratives; annals; lineages; folktales; philosophical tracts; and broad clerical tracts; and common laws’ (Bitel, 1996: 12). Despite the fact that these writings offer bits of knowledge on ladies they should be seen through the hermeneutical focal point of the socio-verifiable setting of the period in which they were composed. Early medieval Ireland was a man centric culture and a woman’s job and personality was controlled by male centric standards and shows. The literati of this period didn't characterize lady as a free person. Ladies existed uniquely corresponding to men and in this manner their portrayal in writing was not so much goal or as per Bitel steady. Pressures exist between different writings. The depiction of ladies as ‘capricious beasts’ (Bitel, 1995:137) introduced in the eighth century shrewdness text Tecosca Cormaic stands out pointedly from the acknowledgment of a lady as home-producer and spouse with restricted plan of action to the law delineated in Cain Lanamna or the law of couples (O Croinin, 1995: 127) . Most of the surviving Irish law books were created between the seventh and ninth hundreds of years. At this stage the Irish literati were individuals from the respectability instructed in devout networks. Many were priests yet this world class bunch additionally included legal scholars, history specialists, writers and narrators. Mc Cone has recommended that these scholarly first class delivered writing for the religious community which was intensely impacted by Biblical writings (Bitel, 1996: 14). Donnchadh O Corrain, Liam Breatnach and Aidan Breen have contended that there exists a nearby association between religious law and Irish vernacular law (Stacey, 2002: 1108). Stacey states that in spite of the fact that the lawful sources from Wales (gathered in the twelfth and thirteen centuries) are later than the Irish sources there is additionally a huge connection between ‘legal, idyllic and ministerial learning’ (2002: 1108). The Irish penitential books composed between the 6th and the ninth hundreds of years uncover strife between the goals of Christian pioneers and the traditions of early Irish people group. These penitentials were planned as good aides for questioners in crediting compensation in the ritual of admission (Gula, 1989: 25). As per Bitel, Christian pastorate were determined to moving social control of sex from the kinfolk gathering to the individual Christian (1987: 67). Fox agrees with Bitel, attesting that by freeing the person from the obligations of faction and family, the congregation was endeavoring to diminish connection to ‘its most minimized shared factor [the family unit: the least family relationship bunch that is perfect with reproduction] while seeming to help fundamental family relationship values’ (1993: 109-110). The Clergy in advancing Christian ethical quality for the individual endeavored to revamp Early Irish society. As indicated by Bitel, the family bunch were persuasive in controlling sexual movement. This was important to guarantee the endurance of the network as a reliant gathering. Archeological proof proposes that houses comprised of one room. This took into consideration minimal individual protection and sex was a characteristic and obvious piece of family life. Illegal experiences needed to occur outside of the home, and, after its all said and done they were checked by the network. Any sort of sexual relationship that must be directed in mystery was viewed as perilous. The endurance and government assistance of the family relied upon social security and this standard decided the demeanor of the pre-Christian Irish toward sexuality. Sex in itself anyway was not viewed as improper. Chastity was not depicted as a prudence in the common writing. Cu Chulainn’s sexual adventures are recorded in the adventures; anyway his easygoing experiences didn't compromise the network (Bitel, 1987: 70-71). Bitel states that ‘the strain between singular want and network need had consistently to be settled for the community’ (1987: 72), and herefore marriage was an authoritative course of action decided not by sentiment or love yet by the need of creating kids and the endurance of the kinfolk gathering. Woman’s regenerative limits themselves are coordinated into the monetary existence of the general public. The picture of lady portrayed in Cain Lanamna is a lady whose social enthusiastic and financial direction is coordinated towards the family and home. Early Irish Law, regularly known as Brehon Law was a progression of common laws which administered each part of day by day life including marriage and separation. Marriage and separation were interlinked by temperance of an agreement concurred and an agreement broke down. Under the Brehon framework, ladies were allowed to wed in one of nine different ways, despite the fact that the essential sort of marriage, lanamnas comthinchuir was the most widely recognized. The two accomplices enter this marriage with equivalent money related assets. In the second sort of marriage, lanamnas for ferthinchur, the lady contributes practically no monetary advantages for the marriage. In the third classification, lanamnas for bantinchur, the lady contributes the more noteworthy portion of the marriage resources. These three classifications required formal pre-matrimonial understandings. With the staying six sorts of conjugal association (counting living together with a lady with family assent, willful eloping without family assent, deliberate kidnapping without family assent, unlawful meeting, marriage by assault and marriage of two crazy individuals) marriage involved the acceptance of monetary accountability for youngster raising (O Croinin, 1995: 128). Comparing to the wide assortment of relationships perceived by law, there were numerous justification for separate. A lady may separate from a man who neglected to fulfill her sexual needs since he was clean, weak, androgynous or gay. In this case she was qualified for be paid her coibche notwithstanding a fine in remuneration. A lady could separate from her significant other on the grounds of tactlessness should he talk about private subtleties of their marriage outside of the home. A lady could likewise separate from her significant other should he desert her either for the congregation or for an actual existence out and about as he would never again be in a situation to look after her. Physical maltreatment was additionally viewed as genuine justification for separate. Regardless of whether the first imperfection vanished, a lady was qualified for what could be compared to her lady cost as pay. The laws are very clear about the legitimacy of female declaration in issues concerning culmination of marriage. This declaration is confirmed by a physical assessment of the lady by female dignitaries. For a situation where a lady denies her better half his marital rights either in view of a difficult pregnancy or her menstrual cycle, the law viewed her protests as legitimate. A lady could likewise decide to separate on grounds of betrayal albeit extra conjugal relations were perceived by law (O Croinin, 1995: 129). O Croinin recommends that by and large terms numerous ladies were perceived by the law in ‘their limit as spouses and in their own privilege as individuals’ (1995: 133) Law writings are certain that a woman’s rights in separate are explicit to each sort of marriage and related marriage contract. Lanamnas Comthinchuir was viewed as the most widely recognized sort of marriage as of now. It was a noble state for the spouse, she was known as a be cuitchernsa, actually ‘a lady of joint territory, a lady of equivalent lordship’ (O Croinin. 1995: 128). On the off chance that this class of marriage finished in separate, the lady got what she had at first added to the marriage notwithstanding a portion of the benefit accumulated from the couple’s joint exercises during the marriage time frame. O Croinin records that the division of property was as per fixed extents: ‘one third went to the accomplice who gave the land; 33% to the accomplice who gave the stock; and 33% to the accomplice who gave the labour’ (1995: 128). This last arrangement perceived the woman’s work in the home and on the ranch. The second sort of marriage lanamnas for ferthinchur spoke to an alternate sort of separation settlement. Since the lady gave neither land nor stock, she was qualified for half of her own handicraft and one 6th of the dairy produce coming up. On the off chance that she had worked tenaciously on the homestead and in the home she took one ninth of the corn and restored meat coming up. She additionally got a sack of corn for a predetermined time. Separation in the third class of marriage, lanamnas for bantinchur, guaranteed that the lady held a real existence enthusiasm for the homestead. She couldn't anyway move any rights to the home to her kids. She could howeve

How to Write in MLA Style

Step by step instructions to Write in MLA Style On this scene, we examine MLA style, including what it is, who utilizes it in their examination, some significant things to recall when composing a paper in MLA group, whats new in the eighth Edition of the MLA Handbook, and how to arrange in-content references and a works refered to page.MLA style is regularly utilized by researchers in the humanities and the aesthetic sciences. The humanities and the aesthetic sciences comprise of subjects like English writing, talk and arrangement, social examinations, and unknown dialect studies and literature.You will presumably utilize MLA style on the off chance that you are composing an artistic investigation, an influential article, a scholarly analysis, an interpretive exposition, or an exploration paper for the humanities.In expansion to these points, we cover:A barely any things to recall when utilizing MLA style, for example, keeping 1-inch edges on all sides.Whats changed in the eighth Edition, for instance, how MLA has been adjusted fo r advanced research.The organization of in-content references, and how they are required in the event that you are summarizing or straightforwardly citing a source.How to finish a page, including how the second and resulting lines are indented.

Is Torture a Necessary Evil Essay Example for Free

Is Torture a Necessary Evil Essay fourteenth September 2013 Torment is a fundamental shrewdness. In the wake of perusing this article and assessing the two sides of the contention, my supposition continues as before. I differ that torment is important; it is a brutal break of human rights. In the wake of taking a gander at measurements, just 8% of Guantanamo prisoners were Al Qaeda contenders, this is an incredibly low rate with respect to the 517 Guantanamo that were kept. English laws have considered torment illicit but then at any rate 6 prisoners claimed that British powers were engaged with the torment. Tormenting can't go on; the aces don't exceed the cons of torment. In remarkable conditions, lives might be spared, however at what cost? Where does it end, as expressed in the article, will relatives become torment casualties? As the underlying suspect might not have an incentive for their own life, they go to his/her friends and family? In the event that a suspect has been kept, paying little heed to what their wrongdoing might be, they despite everything reserve the option to stay quiet. Any constrained extraction of data conflicts with the central human rights, and regardless of whether data is picked up, what confirmation do we have that it will be right data? Without giving it much thought, it might appear that the data is valid, to end the torment that the casualty is in, yet it might all be fiction. These are unmistakably not dangers worth taking, and as I would see it, any individual who is happy to present a kindred person to that measure of agony and inconvenience, doesn't fill me with trust in the way that they are in a place of intensity. In late news, nations like the UK or the USA are unsure whether to include themselves in the matter of Syria; they guarantee that contribution, in the feeling of ethics, is the best activity. However there is as yet a discussion on whether torment ought to be lawful, does one not repudiate the other? It appears to be incredibly deceptive that on one hand, the military have a feeling of human rights in a single manner, yet then again, claims that torment is important, which totally abrogates human rights in another way. Taking everything into account, paying little heed to the contentions for torment, I despite everything differ that torment is an essential insidiousness; it dehumanizes casualties, stripping them of their human rights, whet her or not they might be Al Qaeda contenders, they despite everything have the fundamental human option to stay quiet during addressing, any method of acquiring data by constrained methods is ethically wrong.

Leadership :: essays research papers

Authority When Ronald Reagan stated, "What I'd truly prefer to do is go down in history as the President who caused Americans to have confidence in themselves again", he most likely was not pondering the meaning of initiative. In any case, without acknowledging, he essentially characterized it. I accept the meaning of administration is having an impact on others, and rousing them, however having a physical effect in their lives (ideally positively). Without that perspective, there isn't just no powerful initiative, yet there is no administration by any stretch of the imagination. To have this capacity to establish connections and contrasts, you need relational abilities. One who can not impart well will never be a pioneer. A pioneer must realize how to talk so his thoughts are comprehended in the right way. Ronald Reagan own special moniker was "The Great Communicator." The models that demonstrate his moniker genuine are his extraordinary acting aptitudes, the way that his converses with the Soviet Union push to the Russian advance toward private enterprise. The following part of powerful administration is the capacity to decide to change, and not generally adhere to the state of affairs. What great is a pioneer who is terrified of progress? Regardless of financial misfortunes, President Reagan diminished government spending colossally, and slice back on business guidelines to reinforce the business division of the economy. By rolling out this improvement, the expansion rate fell 13% to 2%, and made a huge number of employments for Americans. At the point when Reagan entered office, the joblessness rate was 10.8%, when he left it was 5.3%. This monetary development would have never come if Reagan didn't have the will to change. Despite the fact that Reagan's expression sounds fruitful, there were numerous issues. Disappointment is a part of administration whether we need to in all honesty. The tranquilize danger, loss of worldwide intensity, falling norms in instruction, and the rising national obligation were the entirety of Reagan's blemishes. Be that as it may, to be a successful pioneer, one must understand that there will be blemishes, for example, Reagan experienced in his term, and it is the successful pioneer's obligation to attempt to

The Lost Boys Horror Genre Essays

The Lost Boys Horror Genre Essays The Lost Boys Horror Genre Paper The Lost Boys Horror Genre Paper The Lost Boys by Joel Schumacher abuses a few shows of the ghastliness classification yet additionally reverses others. Like in any thriller, they accompany the squeaking entryways, exceptional music and want to illuminate all secrets including the unexplained and the film, The Lost Boys doesn’t miss the mark. This vampire filled, popcorn flick incorporates a considerable lot of the standard highlights of the awfulness sort yet in addition incorporates rearranged and turned around certain shows. To begin, the most clear part of the repulsiveness kind that is in this film is vampires as they are a heavenly animal. The Vampires in the film are what you would expect; parasitic brutes with their sharp teeth, which rest topsy turvy, cast no reflection and who fear daylight. However, that’s not every last bit of it. There is an underhanded pioneer in the film, who is Max yet this isn’t clear until the finish of the film since he was viewed as a guiltless man from Lucy’s eyes which implied she was continually safeguarding him. Additionally when he was welcomed over by Lucy, he made the man of the house, Michael welcome him inside which as it were, shroud his actual character. In this way when the Frog siblings directed a progression of tests attempting to demonstrate that he was a vampire, they all show that he was human. The music in the film is weird, carnival like with a malevolent turn on occasion. A genuine case of this is toward the beginning of the film, when the lost young men are at the festival on a happy go-around and there is bazaar music playing which gradually changes into an increasingly vile sound with a pound out of sight on account of the difference in scene. By blurring various kinds of music, it makes a progressively sensational state of mind. All through the film, there is additionally non-diegetic and dissonant music which structures sensational impacts all through the film. Just as following a portion of the standard qualities of a blood and gore movie, Schumacher modifies and turns around certain shows. The most reversed show that sticks out, is the manner by which The Lost Boys investigates ideas of family that incorporate the single parent family being Lucy, the young men and the group of vampires lead by father figure Max. Consistently Max seems to have his â€Å"families† advantages on a basic level which is a Catch 22 is a few different ways since we see vampires to be detestable and not benevolent. This shows the inversion of the show and the thoughts of vampires. Max likewise planned to have a â€Å"fairytale† finishing with the mixing of his family and Lucy’s yet it didn’t turn out as he visualized and this is spoofed toward the finish of The Lost Boys. The principle inversion in the film is the character of Grandpa. What everybody would see to be as a typical Grandpa is decently something contrary to the character in this film. He’s a joker who beverages root brew and lives in an unpleasant house with dead soft toys. A case of Grandpa playing jokes is when Lucy and the young men show up at his home and he is lying on the yard professing to be dead. This makes let-down which would chiefly fall into the standard shows of a blood and gore movie. Another model is toward the finish of the film when all the vampires are executed and Grandpa goes to the refrigerator to get a beverage and says Something I never could stomach about Santa Carla, all the damn vampires! which shows that he thought about the vampires from the start. By and large, Grandpa is an unordinary character that adds a lot of cleverness to the film. In this Teen vampire flick, it isnt precisely the most startling blood and gore flick at any point made. Indeed, the absurdly curiously large 80s haircuts on show are likely more terrifying than the teeth. On second thought, its not actually the most interesting parody youre ever liable to run over either. However, theres only something about its 50-50 blend of the two types of loathsomeness and satire that just turns out phenomenally well. By modifying and turning around the typical shows of the repulsiveness type, it made this film exceptional and a work of art.

How To Decide If You Should Pursue A Gap Year Before Graduate School

Reasons to consider taking a gap year It is hard to imagine remaining a student after graduating from college, yet it is increasingly popular these days as the working field becomes more selective and applicants more experienced. Although most students are confident in their decision to pursue graduate school, there is uncertainty when deciding whether to pursue a gap year. As a current third year dental student, I was faced with the same options and felt conflicted because both sides have their fair share of pros and cons. Although I decided to start school immediately after graduating, taking a gap year would have been an equally fine choice and there ultimately is no wrong direction! Reasons to consider taking a gap year A way to boost your GPA A gap year used to be seen as a way for applicants to boost their resumes; if their grades were not up to par, for example, they could take post-Baccalaureate courses to increase their GPA. If their work experience was lacking in the field they wanted to pursue, they could work in their desired field for a few years to build up skills and impress their target employers. Although gap years are undoubtedly advantageous to future employers and admission committees, taking a year off does not mean the applicant is not strong enough to apply for the current cycle. Many qualified and successful students voluntarily take gap years for other reasons, and boosting their resumes is just a beneficial by-product. Employers will not see a gap year as a sign of weakness or remediation, so do not let this deter you from pursuing a gap year. A breath of fresh air One of the best benefits of a gap year is the breath of fresh air that interrupts the long journey of school. Graduate school programs can range anywhere from one to eight years and after sixteen years of school prior to college graduation, a break is well deserved and encouraged. Furthermore, a gap year is the best time to try something you have always wanted to do but had no time for in college. Many of my friends took this time as an opportunity to travel for an extended period because this becomes increasingly difficult while working or studying full-time. Some who were applying to medical school spent a year doing research or working as an EMT to ensure the healthcare field was something they were truly passionate about. Others, however, got a job in a completely unrelated field to explore their options and ensure they had ruled out other professions. The drawbacks I ultimately did not choose to pursue a gap year because I preferred to capitalize on traveling and relaxation during the summer before dental school. Although it would have been advantageous to work and accumulate some spending money, there was nothing in particular I wanted to do for an entire year. Instead, I decided to take two months of summer to simply travel and visit friends and family without any obligations. It was a short enough time not to feel obligated to be productive yet long enough for me to feel sufficiently recharged for a new school year. Some of my peers who decided to take gap years mentioned the difficulty of transitioning from a working adult to a student since re-starting school. Because the lifestyles of a working professional and student are so different, they felt frustrated having to adjust to a more rigorous schedule with outside work hours dedicated to studying. Having this in mind, I wanted to maintain the stamina I had from college and go straight int o graduate school already accustomed to being a student. Still unsure? It is ultimately what makes sense for you.Although it can be a difficult decision to make, choosing whether to take a gap year is one that requires serious consideration. While some people take the year to travel or work, others go straight through because they feel ready for a new chapter of life. Regardless of whatever path you take, make sure it is one you are truly comfortable in and do not base your decision on what you think graduate schools would prefer. Want to connect with a graduate admissions coach to discuss your decision-making process? ; Interested in reading more on the process? What No One Told Me About Grad School: Setbacks Aren't Always Bad What No One Told Me About Grad School Programs:Long Distance Means Far Away The 3 Essential Steps to Finding the Right Graduate School