The truth is, most teenagers have the opportunity to experience a type of freedom that is very rare. High school students don't yet have the responsibilities that come with adulthood. Without mortgages to pay or families to support, they have the freedom to travel and truly experience the world. A gap year study abroad program can allow high school students to take advantage of their wonderful freedom. Here are three things parents and students should know about high school gap year programs:
1. They feature excellent academic programs.
Parents are understandably concerned about their students' education. Taking a gap year is well and good, but parents want to know that their kids won't fall behind in the process. Fortunately, study abroad programs offer excellent academic courses. Kids will learn everything they would learn in school back home with the added bonus of all the things they'll learn from traveling. When students return from their gap year, they'll be refreshed and ready to rejoin their home high school class.
2. They can help students learn new languages.
People who are multilingual are highly prized in the workforce. Adolescence is a good time to learn new languages since kids' brains are more malleable than adults, so they can pick up languages more quickly. Studying abroad will facilitate the process of language acquisition. Your child will meet other kids from all over the world, and the resulting cultural exchange will give high schoolers the chance to learn other languages.
Kids will also get the chance to be immersed in the languages of the places they visit. Immersion is the best way to learn languages, and kids will have the opportunity to learn from native speakers. A gap year of studying abroad can be more instructive than any language classes your child could take at home.
3. They can take students on amazing adventures.
Study abroad programs are all about taking kids outside of their comfort zones and exposing them to all the world has to offer. Some study abroad programs even allow students to study while traveling the seas. Sea-based study abroad programs are located on large ships. Students will attend most of their classes on the ship, although they will have the opportunity to go ashore and experience local cultures as well. Studying at sea is a truly unique experience that will allow kids to make unforgettable memories to treasure for a lifetime.
Contact a company like A+ World Academy to learn more.