To Study Here Or There by shakerra

To Study Here Or There by shakerra - March 2017 Scholarship Essay

To study... or to not study; that is the question that most students tend to think about when a date for a test or quiz is looming around. So when the idea of studying abroad is brought into the equation many students many students think that it is impossible since studying in their home countries is already a hassle. However, I would like to change that idea by giving nationwide speeches about the importance of studying abroad to a school-wide audience.
Personally, I had the opportunity to study abroad in South Korea at Korea University, which is one of the top three universities in South Korea. I never thought that studying abroad would be possible for me since my mom is a single mother providing for my three siblings and myself on low income. However, with the help of donors, maintaining a 3.9 GPA, and working many hours I was able to save enough money to studying abroad and become a part of reputable program for foreigners at my host university called ITS. Never would I have thought that challenging myself to be a better version of myself would take me on journey to another country where I learned essential skill sets like communicating efficiently, and leadership. In the process I created a network of lifelong friends across the globe from Sweden to Malaysia.
With a look at a data analysis by NAFSA only 1.55% of all college students study abroad every year. I believe this number is too low and needs to increase since studying abroad is very essential to one’s professional and education career. According to a survey IES conducted with recent college graduates that studied abroad, 90% of students reported that they secured a job within the first six months after graduating. In today’s job force is very difficult to enter to workforce in any designated field even after completing a degree in the selected field. Therefore, studying abroad gave these students an advantage that most college students do not have. Also it was recorded that 90% of students were able to into their first or second choice of graduate or professional school. Studying abroad can also have many lifelong benefits that go beyond simply going abroad and studying in another country. I can also somewhat support the statistics since I was offered the job to work as a peer advisor in the Study Abroad office after two months after studying in South Korea.
Studying abroad also can teach students the importance of their place in the world as a global citizen. As well as expose a student to different climates and how to react in different situations. Then overall studying abroad can be a fun experience that includes travel and discovery in all aspects of life.
I want to inspire other student’s school-wide that despite their economic status or social class studying abroad is a possibility and my story is most definitely proof of it. So I would choose to study… and to do it in another country where I can learn about things I normally would not being a student in the United States while acquiring skills and knowledge that will benefit me in all aspects in my life from personally to my future professional career. I have already started doing speeches about the wonders of studying abroad at High schools around Broward County and in the future I would like to make it state-wide or even nationwide.