To Study Abroad or Not To Study Abroad by Elizabeth

To Study Abroad or Not To Study Abroad by Elizabeth - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

Studying abroad is an engaging educational opportunity. In college, a student depends on any type of money to be able to live day to day. In my opinion, college students should not be required to study abroad because it requires extra funding. The initial cost of college is so high these days and continues to raise. Studying abroad is a great educational opportunity for a college student, but I feel that it should not be mandatory.
One reason I feel this way is because studying abroad can be quite expensive. If it becomes an imperative part of college, some students may not be able to attend their trip due to funding insufficiency. It is difficult to obtain funds as a college student, especially if the student does not have a job. Would it be likely then, that a college student would have the extra money needed to study abroad? Parents may be supportive in their child’s decision to go to college, but parents who pay for their child’s college may not be in a position to spend the extra fund necessary for such an experience.
Another reason involves potential risks that would accompany studying abroad. The possible dangers of going to another country could negatively affect the decision of a student whose abroad study may include an overseas expectation. A student’s safety is one of the most important factors in going abroad. Students may feel unsafe in a new country, especially if they are unfamiliar with the events going on in that specific country or even neighboring countries. In this situation, studying abroad may actually place a student in a dangerous situation.
Cultural differences and adjustment would be an additional personal stressor of a college student who is expected to take classes in another country. Individuals from another country may hold negative stereotypes of Americans. Abroad students may be tagged as different, and the locals in the specific culture might shun the American student rather than welcome. The locals may speak a different language, or an unknown/different dialect. If a student decides to go to a country where they do not know the language, communication would be difficult. Even if the student knew the mother language of the country, a different dialect may prove to be cumbersome. Money change and exchange in another country would be yet another potential issue; some countries do not honor American currency. Lastly, homesickness may be a natural though added difficulty in a study abroad experience, making the learning process in a different culture less effectual.
In summary, these are reasons that may cause undue stress and even anxiety for a mandated trip abroad. For students who would like to go and experience other cultures through a study abroad program, I think studying abroad would provide them great opportunity. However, for one who may not desire such an experience and for some of the reasons given herein, studying abroad may be unfavorable and counterproductive to a student’s education and college experience.