Travel Abroad? by Michael

Travel Abroad? by Michael - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

The question of whether a student should be required to take a course abroad is an unusual question with a very simple answer. It is very productive for a student to take a trip abroad, but I don’t believe it should be required of a student to do so. The student should have a choice in the matter for many reasons.
For one, financial reasons must be taken into account. Living in a famous city in Europe is usually more expensive than living on a campus, and if the student is already short on money, he or she cannot be expected to have to travel to Europe. Other circumstances like attachment to home, special needs, and other things of that nature make it clear that these people should not be made to travel. Even without these needs, a student should not be forced to school abroad. It is valuable if the student knows what he wants out of it, not so much if he is told to go somewhere else to be taught. If the student wants experience in the outside world, cultural education, or language familiarity, he should take the initiative to chase those desires. The program becomes so much less worthwhile when everyone must go, rather than the people who plan to get something out of it going and getting the experience they want.
So I would say no, study abroad should not be required. It is for those with the ability and desire to travel, not for everyone. The project means so much more when a group of people interested in a culture go to experience it, rather than just moving the campus somewhere else of a while.