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Plan to Study Abroad

Want to make you dream of traveling come true? The allure of education abroad, through study and travel surpasses expectations for many students. ” The places I have been and the sights I have seen have been beyond my imagination,” says Megan Goins, junior Howard University psychology major, who is currently studying in Florence, Italy.

Despite the demanding influx of spots to go abroad, some students need more assurance. The academic and personal leap of faith can be a process, not a plunge. If you have questions contact the university’s international affairs office, but for now here are few top solutions to ease the weary mind.

Money! Money! Money! Money!

1. Most students fret because of finances. “It will cost too much,” says sophomore physical therapy major Becky Ross. “I surprised to find that the price was  no more to study abroad than to attend college for a semester or a year.” This is true. Most state and federal financial aid transfers.

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2. ” I assumed my grades would go down,” says junior architecture major Haven Elise who is spending her days now with her Ghanian family.

Grades may drop or stay the same, the exact same possibility from staying on campus. Despite the fear of a dropping GPA, many students return with the same GPA as when they left. If students study hard and keep up, their grades tend to show it.

Transfer

3. “My courses not transferring was never an option.

If plans are made well in advance, courses will transfer. As soon as students arrive on campus the options should be described.

Habla Ingles?

4. “Their aren’t classes offered in another country, where English is the spoken language. No university abroad will have the courses that I need taught in English,”says Smith College, psychology senior Karla Johns. That is until she studied abroad in Spain and Dominican Republic, where some classes were taught in English. Many study centers abroad have selected courses in most of the general academic disciplines.Students are however urged to not only look at course offerings in English, but also in the language of the host country. That is point of going: to learn.

My Major is Student Organizations

5. “I am a leader in many organization and my school cannot get along without me”, says University of Texas at Austin junior journalism major, Chloe Davies.

Great! You can now become a leaders overseas as well. Students’ concern that their school will "miss them" will eventually be far overshadowed by the experiences they will have. Students develop more self-confidence than they ever imagined and come home with even more mature leadership skills. But for those memories, they’ll truly "have to be there!"

All By Myself

6. “I never  knew anyone that was going, so I never even considered it,” says senior public relations major Ravi Windom.

In many cases most students do not know the others in their group. But they all have one thing in common-willingness to risk the adventure of living and learning in a different country. Some have made life-long friends in the process. You will never know if you don’t try.

Out the Box

7. ” This is out of the ordinary for me. I have never done anything like this before,” says Shari Taylor of Houston, Texas. It is a tremendous privilege to be able to study abroad. On-site staff will help students to understand what they need to do to adjust to a completely new environment, you won’t be left in the dark.

Contacts

8. The only move left is who to contact for study abroad?

Students can talk with on-campus study abroad advisers and other students who have studied abroad; surf the web; and read Transitions Abroad.

Study abroad advisers are uniquely positioned to view the transformation that comes from an overseas experience. So set the appointment now, give yourself a deadline, and take a leap.