The True Cost of Studying Abroad by Alaina

The True Cost of Studying Abroad by Alaina - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

When preparing for college many students worry about money. Between high tuition and expensive textbooks, there are countless students who must rely on financial aid, scholarships, and student loans to pay for their education. A study abroad program offers students an opportunity to meet new people, experience different cultures, and see the world; however, a study abroad program is also very expensive. If college students are required to study abroad for a time in order to get their degree, how are they expected to pay for it? Although all students should be encouraged to pursue this opportunity, they should not be required to study abroad in order to get a degree.
If studying abroad becomes a requirement for all degree programs the cost will likely be built into school tuition; however, this will cause tuition rates to be raised even higher than they currently are. The resulting higher tuition will make a college education unavailable to many who are unable to pay the higher costs. If people are unable to attend college because of the high costs, they must instead get an inferior job that does not require a degree. An inferior job usually means inferior pay, and those who are unable to pay for their own college education will not likely be able to, later in life, pay for their children’s college education. This will result in a large decline in enrollment, and a large increase in the number of people without a college education. In addition, many of those who do attend college with the higher tuition rates will have to take out loans to help pay for the high costs, and will then have large debts to pay off later in life.
Requiring all college students to study abroad could cost many people their college education. If students are required to enter a study abroad program in order to get a degree, then tuition rates of collages will most likely increase significantly. With an increase in cost, many people will find themselves unable to pay for college. This can cause a decline in enrollment that will result in less and less people receiving a college education. Although a study abroad program can provide an excellent experience to students, the benefits it provides are not valuable enough to make it a requirement for all students.