<p>Do most colleges expect students to study abroad? Are there certain types of schools that have this expectation more than others? Is it a bad thing if a student doesn't think they want to study abroad? Do grad school expect students to have studied abroad or travelled abroad?</p>
<p>In my day, I didn't know anyone that studied abroad except the students at the international university, which was the very nature of the school.</p>
<p>Students CAN study abroad. They do NOT have to study abroad. It is a choice.</p>
<p>Completely optional.</p>
<p>Optional, and most students do not study abroad.</p>
<p>Studying abroad may be of most value to those majoring in some international subject or a foreign language/literature/culture subject.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. I just wasn’t sure. One scholarship program requires it but the school pays up to 12K for it. </p>
<p>Do most schools with large endowments help with the cost?</p>
<p>It is an integral part of some schools curriculum, Kalamazoo College being the one that comes to mind most readily. </p>
<p>Many LAC encourage it, and help keep the cost similar to the cost of a semester on campus. But don’t count on it-look at the policies of the individual school.</p>
<p>Which scholarship?</p>
<p>The [Robertson</a> Scholarship](<a href=“http://www.robertsonscholars.org/index.php?type=static&source=477]Robertson”>http://www.robertsonscholars.org/index.php?type=static&source=477) includes a summer study abroad, and financial support for (presumably optional) study abroad for up to two semesters. It also includes a semester at the “other” campus, but it is not like Duke and UNC-CH are “abroad” relative to each other.</p>
<p>No, it’s the Eugene McDermott Scholars program at Univ. of Texas, Dallas. The average SAT (M and CR) for the scholars class of 2011 was 1525.
<a href=“http://www.utdallas.edu/mcdermott/award/documents/2pager-Complete.pdf[/url]”>http://www.utdallas.edu/mcdermott/award/documents/2pager-Complete.pdf</a> </p>
<p>Travel abroad is a requirement of the program but I don’t think a semester is required; it might be a summer or even a shorter period of time. (I should know this but I forgot the parameters)</p>
<p>Was he taking Arabic language courses? Some of the countries in the list are Arabic speaking.</p>
<p>A year/semester abroad can be a wonderful growth experience. Many schools have wonderful programs that make studying overseas more accessible, but it is optional. Most U.S. college students spend all four (or 5) years stateside.</p>
<p>It’s a student-college “fit” issue. Study abroad is so common at some colleges that students who don’t do it are ducks out of water. Some colleges only provide three years’s worth of housing (i.e. BC) in part as a way of nudging students to go abroad. If I were a student who knew I really didn’t want to go abroad, I"d avoid colleges where it’s popular/expected.</p>
<p>There was a recent thread on here asking parents what they wish they’d done differently in college, themselves. I noticed two themes that seemed to predominate in the replies. One was relationships, and the other was study abroad. Many parents wrote that they didn’t do a study abroad (concerned about the cost, timid about venturing abroad, focused on graduating as quickly as possible) and it’s a choice they regret, looking back. Food for though.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1294104-parents-looking-back-what-do-you-wish-you-had-done-college.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1294104-parents-looking-back-what-do-you-wish-you-had-done-college.html</a></p>
<p>Do most schools have pre-prescribed travel abroad programs or do some allow you to submit a proposal for a self-designed travel abroad? (McDermott does that)</p>
<p>Yes, UCB, my son did take Arabic. That certainly is an idea to travel to an Arabic speaking country.</p>
<p>Study abroad is optional, but I would highly recommend it for any student who is interested and can deal with being away from US for an extended period. ( Some students we know have had problems with being away from either their school or ability to see family for 2-3 months). Both our S and D studied abroad in their junior year and found it rewarding-both from an academic and social perspective. Our S spent 3 months studying in the British Isles-over 1 month in London, and felt like he had become a citizen. The opportunity to study at universities like Trinity in Ireland were invaluable. This program also gave students a 10 day travel option at the end the trip and many students traveled to European cities on the weekends.</p>
<p>Our D spent last Spring in Italy in a multidisciplinary program-included classes in Botany, Religion, Art History and one other subject. She loved the time in Italy and her confidence in traveling outside the US is amazing to us. This program also gave her confirmation of some careers she will not pursue, and others she is now interested in learning more about.</p>
<p>the professors on both trips were incredible and the bonds our kids formed while there are so valuable to each of them. </p>
<p>The one thing to emphasize to a student considering a study-abroad is that it really is class work and courses-with all the attendant work, assigned and expected for completion by specific dates. I think some kids believe programs like this are high-end tour groups-in our experience, the level of work required was actually more intense and it certainly wasn’t a “straight A experience”. Both of our kids worked the semester prior to departure reading required texts and writing papers.</p>
<p>Most kids do not study abroad. For one thing, it is more expensive. </p>
<p>My D is pre-med. What with research projects, working in a clinical setting, and completing all the requirements for her degree and for medical school, there is simply no time for study abroad. And for a science major, nothing to be gained. Maybe for a language major or a history major.</p>
<p>Goucher is another college that requires overseas study. </p>
<p>My S never had the gumption to study abroad, and has always regretted missing out on the opportunity. D has health issues that are an impediment to extended travel, and is very disappointed that she can’t spend a semester abroad. But I would strongly encourage any student who doesn’t have health issues or an excessively demanding course of study to spend a semester abroad. Most people will never have another chance to spend an extended period of time in another country. It’s a shame to skip this kind of experience. Some more passive kids will need a push from parents–I think this is one area where a little helicoptering may be a good thing.</p>
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<p>Regardless of major, there is always something to be gained from studying abroad.</p>
<p>If cost is too high, or one just can’t spare the time and still graduate in four years, that’s one thing, but a study abroad program is not simply about the academics.</p>
<p>Some LACs have shorter J-term programs specifically for science majors.</p>
<p>I agree with poster in #17,and additionally, to say it’s more expensive is not necessarily true. It depends on the school. Both of mine studied abroad for a year. It saved us tons of money in each case. Researching the uni’s policy before attending was part of what mine did.</p>
<p>^^^^When D1 did a study abroad semester, her tuition was the same as the in-state tuition rate at her university. Since we normally paid OOS tuition, the actual tuition bill was far less.</p>