Home > Career > Question
Need Expert Advice?Our Gurus Can Help

Class 12 student aiming for UCL: Is a gap year the right choice?

Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |4100 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Feb 02, 2025

Nayagam is a certified career counsellor and the founder of EduJob360.
He started his career as an HR professional and has over 10 years of experience in tutoring and mentoring students from Classes 8 to 12, helping them choose the right stream, course and college/university.
He also counsels students on how to prepare for entrance exams for getting admission into reputed universities /colleges for their graduate/postgraduate courses.
He has guided both fresh graduates and experienced professionals on how to write a resume, how to prepare for job interviews and how to negotiate their salary when joining a new job.
Nayagam has published an eBook, Professional Resume Writing Without Googling.
He has a postgraduate degree in human resources from Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Delhi, a postgraduate diploma in labour law from Madras University, a postgraduate diploma in school counselling from Symbiosis, Pune, and a certification in child psychology from Counsel India.
He has also completed his master’s degree in career counselling from ICCC-Mindler and Counsel, India.
... more
Asked by Anonymous - Feb 02, 2025Hindi
Listen
Career

Sir I am a student of class 12.I am a JEE aspirant.I wish to study abroad if I cannot get a cs seat in a good iit, but I missed all the deadlines ( I got this idea recently).Is it ok to wait for a year and upgrade my skills to study at ucl in case I don't get into iit?

Ans: Have You Checked Your JEE (Main) Score? What’s Next?

By now, you have appeared for JEE (Main). Have you checked the answer key and assessed your score? Understanding where you stand will give you a clearer idea of your performance in JEE (Advanced).

Exploring Other Options:
IIT is not the only pathway to a great career in Computer Science. You can also consider other entrance exams or explore studying abroad.

Considering a Gap Year for Studying Abroad:

If you’re aiming for top universities like UCL but missed application deadlines, taking a gap year can be a strategic move. It allows you to:

1. Strengthen your academic profile (SAT/ACT, TOEFL/IELTS, subject tests)
2. Gain experience through internships, research, and open-source contributions
3. Improve your programming skills and competitive coding performance
4. Apply for better scholarships and multiple global universities

Challenges & How to Overcome Them:
A gap year requires discipline and planning. Challenges include:
1. Social expectations – Overcome doubts with a clear action plan
2. Staying productive – Engage in structured learning, internships, and projects
3. Financial planning – Research scholarships and funding opportunities

What You Can Do in a Gap Year?: 1. Retake JEE (if needed) 2. Prepare strong applications for international universities

If you secure a good CS seat in India, that’s a great option. However, if you wish to explore global opportunities, a well-planned gap year can help you gain admission to top institutions like UCL. All the Best for your Prosperous Future.

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Health | Money | Relationships'.
Career

You may like to see similar questions and answers below

Latest Questions
Radheshyam

Radheshyam Zanwar  |1189 Answers  |Ask -

MHT-CET, IIT-JEE, NEET-UG Expert - Answered on Feb 15, 2025

Listen
Career
My son has got 91 percentile in the recent jee exam , he has next attempt in april, but i feel its difficult for him , can i know about other good colleges in karnataka , as im based their. interested in computer science and aeronautical degree, also advise some recent good courses for his career in india.
Ans: Hello Manoj.
Do not get stressed at this stage. Even though his score is 91 percentile in 1st attempt, he can do well in 2nd attempt. But from the safer side, ask him to appear in the Karnataka State Engineering Entrance Examination also. Even if he scores less in JEE on 2nd attempt, he may good college via the state entrance examination in CSE or aeronautical engineering as per your wish. For your reference, there are 10 colleges in India where you can get admission without a JEE score. To know more details, please copy and paste the following link into your browser- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/10-engineering-colleges-in-india-for-pursuing-btech-without-jee-main-2025-score/articleshow/118162587.cms.
There are no such courses to be called as recent. The choice of courses depends upon the interest of your son. Hence there is no need to hurry and get into panic at this stage. Let him appear for both exams first, Ask about his interests, and then choose the course accordingly. I would be happy to suggest you after knowing his scores in JEE+State entrance + his liking.
Till then, ask him to focus only on two engineering entrance exams. Best of luck to your son for upcoming exams.

If satisfied with the reply, please like and follow me, else ask again.
Thanks
Radheshyam

...Read more

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

Close  

You haven't logged in yet. To ask a question, Please Log in below
Login

A verification OTP will be sent to this
Mobile Number / Email

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to

Resend OTP in120seconds

Dear User, You have not registered yet. Please register by filling the fields below to get expert answers from our Gurus
Sign up

By signing up, you agree to our
Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Already have an account?

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to Mobile

Resend OTP in120seconds

x