Why Study Abroad? by Sa'id

Why Study Abroad? by Sa'id - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

Should all college students be required to study abroad? Why or why not?

Studying abroad gives many college students, who are also interested in travelling the world to study their particular major in another country. These students rarely regret their choices to leave the country and follow their sense of adventure and experience new things. The goals of colleges is to not only push educated individuals into the workforce, and society, but also to make sure they are well suited to handling new adversities, problems, and differences in their everyday life. In short colleges create smart, adverse, and problem solving individuals that are a benefit to society.

Taking colleges ultimate goals the question is then asked as to why not require these individuals experience new cultures, perspectives and people? Especially in today's society that is connected through the web, where I can be in Arizona and talk to my friend in Japan about the Middle East, it is essential to be aware of not just your local surroundings but also the world as a whole.

Looking into studying abroad students may ask, what are some of its benefits and how will they affect me? From a scholarly standpoint the main benefit would be to experience different ways of learning and living on a global level that just cannot be experienced by just staying in the country. It also serves to open your mind allowing you to think in new innovative ways.

Well, how does it help society as whole? Students who are more globally minded together influence the world in positive directions and actively combat ignorance by being lifelong learners.

In a perfect society everyone college student would wish to learn in various countries and gain new experiences that they would have missed at home. However this is a unrealistic goal and would actually deter many potential students entering at the undergraduate level. The requirement aspect, in my opinion, should be exclusive to students at the graduate level who at that point are committed life long learners invested in not only their future but society as whole.