It’s senior year. Time to make your final decision about college. Some students choose to spend the next four years at the college they love, or serve in the military, but some decide to take a year off from their education. A gap year can serve multiple purposes. You can prepare yourself to attend college later, travel, work, or pursue a life-changing experience. But is a gap year the right thing for you? It depends.

If you choose to go straight off to college after high school, you have already completed the strenuous application process and submitted your deposit. Congrats – you’ve committed! Most seniors graduate some time mid-May. That gives you approximately three months to prepare to leave for college. In that time you’ll have to buy anything you don’t already have and get yourself emotionally ready to leave friends and family and go off on your own. Going straight to college gives you the new experiences many seniors look forward to, and you can share great stories with your high school friends when you catch up on breaks. Your schedule will stay similar to what it was in high school. No chance you’ll forget what it feels like to do homework or attend classes; you’ll still be in the swing of things.

When I spoke with graduates of my high school, they all agreed that they were excited to head off to college. They were ready for the new experience and didn’t even think of taking a gap year. Those three months can fly by fast, with packing (unless you commute) and saying “See ya later” to your family and friends.

In contrast, gappers have a year to prepare for college. They may take that time to relax or actually do something with their life. Go out into the world and experience things they wouldn’t in college. Working and saving money for those hefty college bills is a good idea. Those who are unsure of what they’d like to major in can explore interests. Or they could do a stint volunteering. Yet this extra time can lead to an increase of nerves regarding leaving home and being in a new atmosphere.

Senior year is known for students slacking and trying to do a minimal amount of work. Although a gap year means they won’t get the immediate college experience, teenagers will be able to recharge from the past 12 years of constant school. With a gap year, they can get the break they need and go to college recharged and ready to start anew. However, a gap year could throw their schedule off. After getting used to relaxing, not getting up early to attend classes, and not doing homework, starting college may be difficult.

A big downfall for gappers is that many of their friends will go straight off to college. Mary, who graduated from Westborough High School in 2015, complains how she’s at home while her friends are away. She deferred from UMass Amherst until the spring. “It’s annoying that my friends aren’t around, and I want to be off at college sharing those experiences they tell me about,” she says. So while gappers are at home, the people they would want to spend their free time with are away studying, making new friends, and having new and exciting experiences.

A big concern for parents and gappers is how colleges will view a year off. Some colleges view it as a reason for admission – if the student has used the time to accomplish something. According to Harvard, “Time away almost never makes one a less desirable candidate or less prepared for college.” If you choose to defer your enrollment, most colleges will ask you for a deposit, a deferral request, and your plans during that time. This forces you to have a productive plan to show colleges you’re not just using the time to catch up on sleep. According to one study, students who took a gap year saw a significant positive impact on their academic performance and were more likely to have a higher grade point average than those who went straight to college after graduation.

There should be no fear about taking a gap year. You might just benefit from the experience. While going straight to college can be exciting and give you new experiences to discuss with your high school friends, gappers can get the same result even after a year-long break. As long as you’re focused and committed to continuing your education, a gap year might just be the right thing for you.