I agree that seminary is being overused, but there are some people who SHOULD go. I myself think that I really need to learn kodesh in a english speaking environment that dorms. This I believe is a personal choice that fits my needs for next year. The first thing that fits the bill for what I need is american seminary. And I’ve checked them out. I feel the majority of girls I saw were immature, in-town, and wasting their parents money. There are sems in america, and seriously- they don’t get to venture out to see Israel that much. You can get the Israel expirience in the summer, a 3 months seminary, free programs available in many Out of town cities, and you can go live there on your own too after completing american sem and paying your own bills.
In any case, I know my parents have 0 money for seminary. That is why I’m being painfully realistic with myself that I have to go to the american israeli seminaries who understand the margin of income for Israelis-people not making it every month no matter how hard they work. Even so, I felt shana aleph in seminary is equivalent to israeli 11th and 12th grade and that it wasn’t for me.
In any case, there are reaosns people go to seminary, and sometimes it IS the best choice for someone. But more often than not girls get here that don’t need it, or even brings them down in the long run (think unrealistic expectation of life) and short run (think sem girls and yeshiva guys at ben yehudah 11pm any weekday night)
I know too many people who abused their sem year. If they would of gone to USA for sem they would of come out as better people versus worse.