Abruptly Abroad by Emily

Abruptly Abroad by Emily - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

Studying abroad is an experience many people look forward to when they are attending college. It is an experience of a lifetime that gives the student a new cultural experience as well as a fresh perspective for the major that they are studying. All parts of the world teach in all different ways, so the chance to study in another country is a fantastic opportunity, but it should be mandatory for all college students. Some students may simply not want to travel, a student may not have the money to afford the experience, and being in a new country may be too overwhelming to students, which would affect their academics. While the experience is once in a lifetime, it is not something that every student will wish to be a part of.
First, not all students in college want to travel to other countries, they may simply feel safe at the college of their choice. Some students may feel more comfortable staying local to be able to experience “the real world” and gaining outside knowledge on their majors, as opposed to studying in another country. Traveling abroad may be scary to some students have traveled, or even experienced travelers. Traveling on their own may be more daunting to some students. For those students who want to travel abroad, they should by all means study abroad and spend every moment they can enjoying a new culture, but, this is not for everyone. Students should not be forced to do something they don’t wish too. College is the first time many students get total freedom, so studying abroad should be their own decision.
Next, studying abroad is not cheap. Yes, a student may apply for scholarships and financial aid for the program, but it does not guarantee that the student will receive any money. So, if studying abroad becomes a requirement to graduate, the college may be seen as responsible to fund the experience for those students who simply cannot afford it themselves, or it will leave a student farther in debt after college. Making the study abroad programs mandatory will either cost more money for the colleges, or for the students attending. Some students may be deterred if they see that a college’s tuition has raised due to the new requirement. This may make application rates lower, and therefore the college would be making less money, while still, partially, paying more money for the current students that are newly required to study abroad. Overall, to make studying abroad mandatory, new funding from colleges would need to be set in place, which is not a cost all colleges may want to take on.
Lastly, but certainly not least, students should not be forced to study abroad because it is not an experience that will inspire all students to flourish to way it should. Some students may not be able to adapt to a new culture, it may be overwhelming and daunting, which would affect the student’s ability to study and learn an abundance of new things while they are away. The whole concept of studying abroad is for a student to be able to gain knowledge on their major by observing and/or participating in new experiences. Not all students will gain knowledge from other cultures, especially if they are uncomfortable. Mandatory study abroad programs may cause a sudden drop in a college’s academic scores. Students who are not able to adjust to a new culture or environment could possibly not be able to complete essays, portfolios, exams, etc. which would in turn drop their academic scores. On a bigger scale, this may affect the overall academic integrity of a college.
All in all, studying abroad should not be made mandatory for college students. Between homesickness affecting a student’s grades, financial problems rising from having all students travel, and a student’s possible inability to flourish during and learn from the experience, making it mandatory would not be beneficial to students or colleges. Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity, that many students do in fact participate in, but it is not something that all students are able to enjoy. While it is a great experience, studying abroad should not be forced onto all college students. It is an experience that can be liberating and wonderful for students, but will also have abrupt repercussions for the school as well as the student, such as academics and finances .if it becomes mandatory.