[chadlavi]

This seems pretty out of touch. Encouraging people to go right into the jobs market as 18yos without degrees is encouraging them to trap themselves at the (already rapidly expanding) bottom of the economic ladder, unless they're from an already upper/upper-middle-class family.

And the same goes double for encouraging degreeless 18yos to skip getting paid entirely and volunteer. That's rich kid stuff.

[jseliger]

Most schools will allow you to defer for a year. Consider taking them up on it. And if they won’t let you, well, a school that admitted you once will probably admit you again (or a different one will

And:

There are other important, worthwhile things to do if you take a semester or even a full year off

And:

If you defer or postpone, what’s the worst that can happen

[taylodl]

That's generally true unless there's a scholarship involved. Those are take-it or leave-it. If you had 50% of your tuition paid for by a scholarship would you leave it?

[PeterisP]

The article is not suggesting these people to avoid college as such, it's suggesting them to skip a year. Your college prospects won't be worse with a year of working experience, if anything, it really helps learning if you have a bit of context working in the direction of your studies.

[taylodl]

A gap year would be great if you could work or travel - but travel is heavily restricted and with the historical record number of layoffs working is effectively killed too. And if you have scholarships in hand that may be rescinded if you don't start this Fall - then what are you to do? Yes, it's less than ideal and maybe your Freshman year is less than ideal. But it's a lot better than having your Sophomore, Junior or Senior years getting hit!