To study abroad, or not to study abroad?

When deciding whether to study abroad, students typically fall into one of three categories:

1) “I am 100% going to study abroad, no matter what!”

2) “Studying abroad just isn’t for me – it’s too far, too costly, or would take too much focus away from the classes in my major.”

3) “I’m not sure yet, but I have lots of time to think about it…”

No matter where you fall, now is the right time to talk about studying abroad – even if it’s for the last time – because it really can set the framework for the rest of your time in college. Also, studying abroad is just one of those things that the more you work out the details now the easier it will be down the line.

Here are the most important things to consider…

Options
It might sound obvious, but you’ve first gotta figure out what your options are. Are you able to go for a full year, or just a semester? Are there partner programs affiliated with your university, or do you want something entirely unassociated? If you want unassociated, will you be able to get course credits? How, if at all, can your financial aid package be applied to a particular program? Do you want to stay in one location, or would you want to travel to different places (like Semester at Sea)? Do you want to stay in dorms, or with home-stay families?

Location, location, location
Because there are so many factors to consider, sometimes the best way to start is just by pulling out a map and listing out possible places to check out. Next, really think about what qualities you actually want your location to have: city vs. country, population size, historical significance, language spoken, cost of living, culture-feel, travel opportunities, public transportation, weather, etc.

Timing
For those of you who feel like you have loads of time to think about study abroad, the truth is, most universities require you to apply at least a year in advance for the program you want!! Yikes! So, you need to gather some information now in order to decide the right time for you to go abroad:

1) How might the coursework for your major be affected? (Hint: Meet with your Academic Advisor asap!)

2) How might leadership opportunities be affected? (Hint: Double-check when officer elections are for clubs, societies, Greek life, etc.!)

3) How might internship possibilities be affected? (Hint: Get feedback from professors and your Career Development Center!)


Alternatives
Think an entire semester or year just isn’t going to work out but still want to get some international exposure? What are the alternatives available to you? Check out the potential to do an international internship one summer – it would be a great way to build your resume! Also, some universities offer travel courses, typically led by faculty members, which vary in length from 2-6 weeks, giving you the opportunity to take a course you need while traveling with friends.

Now, Get to it!
Many campuses have a central Study Abroad/Global Education office – check it out and get some good perspective and info from the staff and student workers before you make your decision. If your campus does not have this resource or you want to consider other possibilities, try these websites to get you started: http://www.studyabroad.com/, http://www.goabroad.com/.

Bottom Line: Studying abroad is a wonderful way to be exposed to new ideas and cultures, and also to add to the college experience you are currently building. Putting thoughtful consideration into deciding how, when, where, and even if, you study abroad will ensure that no matter what you decide, you will feel great about your decision.

Financing your education

You’ve heard it a million times before, and here it is again: College is a great investment. The question for you is: how much do you really know about how your college education is getting paid? If your answer is, “Not a lot,” then now is the time to find out…

First, you’ve gotta get clarity
The first step to feeling comfortable with your college financing is getting questions answered around what your individual situation looks like. For a lot of students, that means talking to your parents. I know sometimes it can be awkward asking about money issues, but it’s important for you to know what’s going on and to know what is expected of you during and after college. Here are some good things to find out:

• How is your tuition getting paid? Grants, scholarships, work study, family donations, loans?
• How much are you receiving within each category?
• Could the amount in any given category fluctuate year-to-year?
• What could happen, if anything, to change your financial situation?
• If any is in loans, is your name on any of the paperwork? What are the terms of the loans?
• If any is in scholarships, are you expected to maintain a certain GPA, keep a certain major, etc. in order to keep your financing?
• Similarly, if any is in family donations, are there any expectations for you to keep it?
• If any is in work study, what happens if you don’t get an on-campus job?

Next, you’ve gotta take charge
Now that you have gotten your questions answered, what are the final steps that will allow you to feel like you are really on top of financing your degree? Are there any remaining concerns or discrepancies that you need to get sorted out in order to feel secure about your expected graduation date?

For financing next year’s tuition, here are the two most pressing categories to consider:

• FAFSA. Is your family filling out FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the coming year? Have you started working on it yet? If you aren’t familiar with it, check it out ASAP: www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is the same application that is required for many state financial aid programs, the earliest of which have preferential filing dates as early as March 1st … coming right up! This is definitely not something you want to procrastinate on – be sure to give yourself (and your parents!) plenty of time to gather everything in order to fill it out completely the first time, ‘cause if you don’t, it can affect when you receive your financial aid package. Yikes! If you have questions, be sure to contact your Financial Aid department.

• Scholarships. Feeling the pressure to get some more scholarships? Here is a great website to start with: www.scholarshiphelp.org, and then here is a popular scholarship search engine to check out: www.fastweb.com. But here’s a warning: I work with a lot of students who either think scholarships are going to pay their entire college-way, or who think that it isn’t even worth the time to try for them. The fact is, getting scholarships takes hard work and perseverance, but hey, if you spend 10 hours writing an essay and filling out an application and you are awarded $1,000, isn’t that the best 10 hours you’ve ever worked?! A lot of scholarships start the process early, so check it out now if you are looking for next year.

Remember, feeling secure about your college financing doesn’t mean graduating debt-free; according to www.finaid.org, the vast majority (two-thirds!) of 4-year undergraduate students graduated with a Bachelor's degree and some debt in 2007-08. You’ll be in excellent company if you are among them. Especially considering that according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a person with a Bachelor's degree will earn, on average, almost twice as much as workers with a high school diploma over a lifetime ($2.1 million compared to $1.2 million)! How’s that for getting the most out of your investment?!