June might be start of warm days and summer - but it's also a time of revision, exams and stress.

For those taking their A-levels, the pressure rises even more, as students desperately try to get the grades for their dream course at their dream university as the scramble for places looms.

So each year, 50,000 18-year-olds defer the decision, and improve their prospects, by taking a gap year.

And while many seize the opportunity to tread the traditional backpacker routes around Australia and south-east Asia, using their time to see the world and build a formidable photo album, there are plenty of other options available.

Tom Griffiths, founder of gapyear.com, says increasing numbers of students are using their year to earn money and gain vital experience.

"50% of 18-year-olds have no idea what they want to do after university, so if you use a gap year to get experience in the workplace, you'll know if you want to go into that field," he says.

"Some people change their minds about what course they want to do after a year of work, others are really motivated and push forward."

"It's a myth that gap years are only for teenagers from public schools spending their parents' money.

"Half of all gap year projects you can do now earn you money. We're seeing an increasing number of students from working-class backgrounds who are the first of their families to go to university, and are looking to earn money to fund their degree."

If you apply for university during a gap year you will already know your grades.

This means you can apply to universities whose entry requirements you know you meet.

For Griffiths, who took a gap year before studying Economics at Manchester University, seeing the world is the fastest and most enjoyable way to grow up.

"If you travel the world, you will mature - you gain character and confidence," he says. "Universities and employers are looking for life skills, and a gap year, wherever you go, will help you gain them."

But he warns that you need to think ahead to make the most of your year.

"We do see some people just waste it," he says.