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Taking a gap year, or a break between high school and college can be beneficial for students. This break might be the only chance for a teenager to travel the world, follow a passion, obtain a unique internship, or work and save money to help pay for college. Those who take a gap year have been found to be more academically focused than tose who went right from high school to college.

Some Ivy league schools encourage time off: Princeton University offers a nine-month tuition free "bridge year" for incoming freshmen who are interested in volunteering abroad.

Make sure your gap year is worthwhile; colleges do not want to see that an individual played X-Box for a year.

Keep in mind: a gap year will extend the amount of time it takes to graduate college and some students may find it difficult to go back to a structured, academic life.

Watch the video below and learn about the pros and cons of taking a gap year.

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Why more teens like Malia Obama are taking a gap year

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Joining the military offers a wide range of opportunities and benefits.

Gives students a chance to serve their country.

The military provides career opportunities within and outside of the services branches.

Engineering; Cyber Security; Mathematics; Nurse; Education

Allows students to save money and/or attend college for free

Keep in mind: Free tuition is contingent on the amount of time served (1 year of college = 3 years of service);

Steps one needs to take to join the military:

Take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

Pass the physical examination

Meet with a counselor and determine a career

Take the Oath of Enlistment

After the MEPS - Direct ship or Delayed Entry Program (DEP)

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Enlisting In The Military After High School On The Rise, Recruiters Say

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Community colleges welcome all who desire to learn regardless of wealth, heritage, or previous academic experience.

Serves all segments of society through an open-access admissions policy that offers equal and fair treatment to all students.

Allows individuals the opportunity to take college courses at a lower tuition than a 4-year college or university.

Close to home - makes it easy for individuals to go to school and hold a job.

Students can earn an associate degree or receive a certificate from a specific program.

Most community colleges have agreements with other colleges and universities - specific credits earned at the community college can be applied at the 4-year college or university a student transfers to.

Montgomery County Community College has partnerships with West Chester University, Temple University, Gwynedd Mercy University, Drexel University, and Kutztown University (to name a few).

For more information about Montgomery County Community College, visit www.mc3.edu

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Great way to give back and do some services. Also helps you learn more about yourself and the direction you want to go in your life.

You can volunteer locally or you can get involved with a national program like AmeriCorp

AmeriCorp gives you the opportunity to travel and learn new skills, make connections, and focus your energy on a cause that interests your.

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Getting a full-time job is a good way for high school students to transition into adulthood.

Provides responsibilities college students do not necessarily have.

This is also a good way to save money for future plans - going to college or not.

It is important to look for jobs that offer career growth in a company that is of interest to you and where you can see yourself working in the future.

Jobs would include - Real Estate, Sales, and Administrative Assistant (just to name a few).

Keep in mind: Entry level jobs might not offer vacation and/or benefits until after a certain period of time.

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Getting to travel around the world can help open your eyes to new cultures and experiences.

Learn a new language (can benefit you when entering college and/or the workforce)

Explore the history of places and acquire as much information as possible.

While traveling, you can explore you interests and find out exactly what you want to do in life.

Keep in mind: Traveling takes funding and if you do not have the necessary resources, it can prevent you from going where you want to. However, there are options that can help support your ambition to travel:

International Community Services

Employment opportunities - working on a cruise ship; becoming an au pair.

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If you have the drive, initiative, and a quality product or idea, starting a business might be the path for you.

A lot of prominent individuals started out as entrepreneurs:

Rachel Ray, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, and Dave Thomas to name a few.

The internet had made it even easier for individuals to start their own business.

There is a lot of information and free education available related to venturing out and starting your own business.

Keep in mind: more small businesses tend to fail than succeed, but many people have found invaluable information from those failures to help relaunch their thinking and become successful.

The U.S Small Business Administration provided 10 tips for starting your business in this article - https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/10-steps-start-your-business/

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This gives you the ability to "test drive" a career before making a big commitment.

Being an intern or apprentice gives you valuable experience in the workforce, and perhaps give you the push you need to excel in a career of choice.

They focus on only what applies to the field.

Keep in mind: Most internships and apprenticeships are unpaid, but with the right knowledge, you can find companies who will fund you in the process.

Watch the video below to learn more about the benefits of being an apprentice.

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Benefits of an apprenticeship - BPP Professional Apprenticeships

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Hear from real apprentices about why they chose an apprenticeship and their story so far.

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Earn a Vocational or Career Training Certificate 

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Earn a Vocational or Career Training Certificate 

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Many professionals place more value in an industry certificate and experience than a 4-year college degree.

Certification programs take less time than a bachelor's degree.

Dental Hygienist, Radiology Technician, Information Technology Expert, and Medical Transcriptionist.

There are many other careers that only require a certification. Your local community college typically offers some of these programs.

Keep in mind: Some of these programs are competitive and you may need to apply to the program in order to gain admission.

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Learning in a classroom setting is not for everyone, therefore, college is not for everyone.

Getting involved in a trade and learning on-the-job is a great alternative to being in the classroom while gaining valuable experience for your future career.

Usually completely skill-based, so the only way to learn is to get hands-on experience.

You should gear your trade of choice based on what you are interested in.

Some examples of trades include carpentry, technology, cosmetology, and machining.

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Young Money: Trade School Vs. College | CNBC

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CNBC's Landon Dowdy weighs the pros and cons of heading to a trade school rather than a four-year college. " Subscribe to CNBC: http://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered.