Foreign exchange programs aren't just for the lucky few anymore. In fact, the academic world has well-documented the benefits to all involved and are working toward making studying abroad more available for the masses. Studying on foreign soil is as old as apprentices journeying to craftsmen to learn a trade, except today's students are packing up to learn from the masters regarding art, science, math and even medicine. Here are just a few of the perks you can expect to gain in addition to knowledge (and some frequent flier miles):
1. An overwhelming majority of college students report a sense of personal growth. As a student, they will need to stretch their comprehension skills as they learn to cross language barriers and culture differences. There's also a general feeling that their worldview and tolerance has broadened, which leads to increased maturity at an earlier age. Friendships developed while studying abroad tend to last a lifetime which keeps the global influence alive when making everyday decisions.
2. Ambassador status. Our university students in other countries represent our country to their peers with everything they do. Such intercultural exchanges likely explain why over 98% of college students who took a world study survey claim that they returned home with a broadened perspective of the value system that they went away with. Extended periods of international travel, especially while still young and 'open' to the world they see, allows for introspection that might not have been as prolific at home.
3. The journey often leads to a shift in career goals. A new and broader perspective gives students a chance to reevaluate their college major before entering the workforce. What's more, up to 64% of respondents attribute their decision to attend graduate school to their time abroad.
In past decades students committed to year-long programs, but the current trend is toward six to ten-week sojourns to other countries. Today's short-term programs do indeed deliver benefits, but the longer a student studies abroad the greater the rewards.
If you are still in college, now is the perfect time to look into the possibility of joining the ranks of those who have studied abroad. Your advisor can counsel you about transferring credits and financial aid, as well as guide you through the application process. What have you got to lose?
Jim Hart has been the director of academic advising at a medium-sized university for eight years. His interests include student exchange programs, online college graduate degrees, career advising, online degrees in the sciences, and CLEP examinations.
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