Dear Maria,

I am writing to ask you for some information and advice on further education.

I am going to finish secondary school in May and I have been thinking a lot about taking a gap year or pursuing further education immediately. Here are the points that worry me most.

First, I want to consult you about the advantages and disadvantages of taking a gap year. I know that a lot of school leavers in your country prefer taking a gap year before deciding to pursue further education. Would a gap year look good on my college application?

If I pursue further education immediately, what kind of attendance mode should I choose? There are excellent universities in your country, and a bachelor’s degree from one of them will definitely help me to find a good job easily. However, the tuition fees and living expenses will be very high, and I am not sure if a scholarship will cover all the costs. Do distance learning degrees offer the same content as campus-based degrees?