Why Archie's joining us next month

Archie Batra, 18, from Altrincham

Why have you decided to work for Yipiyap during your gap year?

I always knew that I’d be taking a gap year – I was more confident of that than my choice of university! This was mainly because I was certain that I’d be ready for a break after my A-levels and would want to consider my options before leaping straight back into more exams and more revision.

A lot of my older friends had told me how they’d regretted not taking a gap year and would have preferred to wait until the following September before starting their degrees. While a year travelling would be a lot of fun – but very expensive – I wanted to earn money and I loved the sound of Yipiyap. I was always very aware that I had been very lucky with my education, but that these advantages were not available to everyone, so the chance to support pupils really appealed to me.

What are you looking forward to most about being a Yipiyap tutor?

I enjoyed my time at school and I feel passionate about the subjects for which I’ll be providing tuition – science and maths. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and planning exciting, stimulating lessons for the pupils I’ll be supporting. I hope that I can help them boost their skills and improve their grades, but I’m also looking forward to sharing my enthusiasm with them and hope that it’ll rub off along the way!

In addition, I’m keen to gain some ‘real world’ work experience and have my own money, as well as not having to rely on the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’!

What advice would you give to Year 12 students currently considering their options after A-levels?

Everyone is different and what’s right for one person won’t necessarily be the best option for another. However, I would advise people to think carefully about what they’d like to do after results day. It’s very easy to get swept up in the chaos of writing personal statements and completing UCAS forms, and you can forget that there’s no rush to decide just yet. Not only does a gap year give you a bit of breathing space and time to mature, but it can also make you much more attractive to future employers if you spend it wisely.

Therefore, my one piece of advice would be to research different options thoroughly before making a final decision.