STUDY ABROAD
If the idea of leaving the comforts of your home or campus and exploring all that the world has to offer, studying abroad may offer you a fulfilling option. It is now possible to study or work, or work and study in most countries while receiving credit at the same time and not delaying your graduation date. Alternatively, some students, particularly those in England and Australia choose to spend a gap year between high school and college travelling abroad and gaining exposure to different cultures. Whether you are looking for educational or work opportunities, there are many options when it come to going abroad and it is possible to find short-term programs lasting as little as a few days as well as options for spending up to a year or more working or studying abroad. Generally “studying abroad” denotes a semester spent at a university in a foreign country, studying and receiving credit at your own school. Aside from personal growth opportunities and expanding one’s mind, spending time abroad will often propel a person in their future plans by giving students a broader perspective and a recognition that there is more out there. Studying overseas, learning languages, trying new foods, experiencing new cultures all contribute to rounding out a person and providing them with the tools to relate to different types of people whether it is in school, work, or anywhere else.
In the past, overseas study was reserved for the wealthy but with so many programs now being offered and travel costs being less prohibitive than times past, the opportunity is now open to most students to explore new lands and gain exposure to new cultures.
Making the decision to study abroad can be difficult. After all it requires leaving friends and family and the comforts of home. And often times, the transition can be difficult. But it is difficult to find a person who regrets having studied abroad. There is an entire world to explore and even if you spent a lifetime trying it would be impossible to see all that there is to see. But studying abroad programs give students the opportunity to experience day-to-day life and be part of a different culture for several months at a time and grow as a person into an independent, cultured individual. The benefits of studying abroad are really endless and affect a person’s academic, professional, and personal life in a very positive way.
When you ask students about their study abroad experiences they will often relate that they learned more about themselves in one semester abroad than they did in all four years of college and that they cultivated friendships which have lasted throughout their lives.
It is safe to say that few experiences will be as eye-opening and rewarding as a semester abroad or a year abroad whether you choose to study abroad, work abroad, or any of the other options available. Often times the more popular programs will have to turn away applicants so if spending time abroad while in college is a consideration it is best to apply early.