Gap Year

[Dunce]

Hey can someone tell me how gap years work? I'm in Ireland so it'd be helpful if you were Irish and know the system :) but if you're not Irish I'd still like your opinion please :D
If I wanted to take a gap year would I still apply to college when I'm in leaving cert year or not?
If I dont apply to college and do a gap year do I start college as a mature applicant...?

My careers teacher is telling us that if we don't know what to do in college then to take a course that seems interesting. I don't want to pay registration fee's for and start a course that I'm not truly interested in, that would be a waste of a year for me as I would much rather see the world and discover my interests that way. I've always wanted to travel aswell. I'm very bogged down with school and find it hard to find the time to think about college, so if I did a random course it would be even worse, I just dont think it would be a wise descision.
Is taking a gap year unwise in todays current economic climate?
Please dont answer that with 'that doesnt matter, if you really want to do it then go for it' etc etc, what do you really think? I wont base my descision on that anyway, its just a contributing factor to my descision.

I am taking this seriously by the way, I'm working on getting a job to pay for it myself, and i know alot of the time after gap years people come home and have no interest in college, that's something thats worrying me...

[drac]

Yes you can take a gap year but not in compulsory schooling. Say if you finish the leaving cert, you can take the opportunity to go find work or go away for a year and then re-apply with CAO the next year with them results in January. Depending on what year you're in, try doing TY.

[Mr. Awesome]

Im in college second year in Ireland, and first off id say your better to go straight into college, because i have a freind who took a "year off" 2 years ago.

Also there is such competition to get into college at the moment because of the economic climate id fear that preferance would be given to Leaving Cert graduates of that year.

I didnt know what i wanted to do but i chose something i was remotly interested in and im loving my course.

Good look with the Leaving btw, it feels so good to get it finished and done

[Dunce]

Yes I did TY, I'm in 5th year now. Thanks, in school they think we're all informed but not little old me... :)
And thanks, I wasnt sure If preference would be given to students of that year. I might take a year out after college, though if an oppertunity presents itself it wouldnt be smart to turn it down, it would be downright stuuuuuupid these days :O My parents went around the world on their honeymoon, which would be pretty cool, but the chances of me getting married are slim.