<p>Question: Given that there is so much emphasis on first-semester senior year grades, how do colleges view a student who chooses to spend the semester as an exchange student in a Third World country? That’s a good question. In most cases, colleges will be far more intrigued by a student who has spent a semester on [...]</p>
<p>Sally, my S has cast his lot in a manner consistent with your conclusion. A year ago he decided to spend not just a semester but instead his entire senior year abroad as an exchange student. I would not recommend it to the faint of heart or hesitant of commitment. The amount of foresight, preparation and hard work it required is daunting.</p>
<p>You are correct that the primary work needed was with the high school. S worked with the school’s GC to arrange his schedule to meet all the requirements for graduation. Last year, as a junior, took two years’ worth of language, English, math, and social studies. He had no free blocks during the day and everything was honors and/or AP. It was a lot of work. His grades were ridiculous - nothing lower than a 97. He is smart, but I don’t care how smart you are, it is a lot of work to do two years’ worth of honors and AP classes in one year. He sat for the SAT, SAT II and APs all this spring so he won’t have to take them in the host country. He is waiting on AP results (he forgot his test number so he has to get the results by mail!) but the SATs and SAT II results were very satisfactory to him and he won’t need to take them a second time in the fall.</p>
<p>Of course there is the concern about getting college applications completed too. He is determined to have all the applications complete before he leaves in September. Because they are almost entirely on line today he can get them completed and hit “send” whenever he’s ready. He expects to supplement his applications when he arrives and finds out the school he will be attending and the classes to which he is assigned. None of the classes will be taught in English and he will be in a non-Western country in which he has no training in the language other than a summer of self-study. </p>
<p>The question of how this will affect his college admissions chances remains open, of course. He has asked the right questions to the right people in interviews and such. The general consensus seems to be that applying to college while abroad will not necessarily get you in - a longer track record than that is necessary - but it will almost certainly get you noticed and your application read. </p>
<p>Here is one piece of advice S would offer to anyone else interested in such a senior year adventure. His GC recommended that he not finish 100% of his required coursework before he leaves. In his high school anyway, when you finish 100% of your required coursework you have to graduate. You are no longer considered a student at the school. Not being a student can have repercussions - some programs will only accept students, for example. Also, if you are no longer a student the high school has no legal obligation to help you anymore other than to provide a transcript. Because S will still be a member of the class of 2009, he is still entitled to the same support and GC services as anyone else. This means recommendations, assistance with National Merit and other scholarships, and the like. He has a commitment from his high school that the work he will be doing at the host school will satisfy his requirements to graduate from his home high school.</p>
<p>Thanks, laxtaxi, for sharing your son’s story. It is a good cautionary tale indeed for others who are contemplating a senior year abroad.</p>
<p>Your point about completing all high school requirements (or not) is an especially interesting one. While this isn’t the case at every high school, it is definitely something that is important to investigate. Not only will a “non-student” potentially lose access to support services from the high school, but also it can mean losing eligibility for awards that ordinarily go to seniors–including the top $$$ in scholarship money that the school-related prizes offer. (At some schools, this is negligible anyway, but at others it can be more significant.)</p>
<p>Good luck to your son (and to YOU!) as he ventures forth.</p>
<p>Hmm…i never quite considered doing a study abroad during HS…just thinking of how difficult it can get to complete all your requirements (and then as Sally said…not all high schools can help you do this…mine is like that…there’s just no way i can do study abroad unless i transfer to my local public school and sort that out..but it’s too late either way i guess..haha). I’m definitely looking for colleges that have great study abroad programs for both summer/semester worth ones.
thanks for sharing your son’s story laxtaxi.</p>
<p>My D spent her senior year as an exchange student in Europe. I also agree w/ laxtaxi you should try to complete all you required courses and SAT’S etc before leaving. It makes for a very intense junior year (she too took all AP’s and honors classes and completed all required courses by doubling up her courses and independent study). My D’s high school also held her gym grade for her senior year grade report so that she could “graduate” with her senior class. This made her eligible for local and state scholarships. She did attend high school in Europe but it was more for a cultural and language immersion rather than academic. She did not submit a transcript of her courses in France. She wrote her college essays while on exchange via emails. She wanted to use her exchange student experience as the basis for her essays. Writing in English while developing a profieciency in another language can be difficult. She also did not have a teacher to give her feedback on her essays. Computer access and host family understanding of the application process are absolutely necessities. It also meant that I was much more involved her application process, ie filling out forms, getting transcripts and letters of recommendation, keeping track of deadlines etc. </p>
<p>Did this help her get into college? I am not sure. I don’t think it is the hook that some purport it to be. She was an excellent student and may have gotten in to her colleges even if she did not study abroad. Her exchange experience was priceless. She fulfilled her dream of living abroad and in the long run the benefits of her exchange far outweigh any hardships associated with the application process.</p>
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<p>When I worked in a college admissions office, I always had enormous respect for students who spent an entire year–or even a semester–living in a foreign country with a host family, attending a school where English was not the primary language of instruction.</p>
<p>But, despite my own personal appreciation of the risks these students took and the challenges they faced, I found that other admission officials sometimes seemed jaded by all the applicants who’d had some sort of travel-abroad experience, and they didn’t properly differentiate between those who’d immersed themselves in an unfamiliar country for months at a time and those who spent six days in Salamanca with the high school Spanish Club.</p>
<p>So I agree with collegex4 … If a child wants to do this to have an enriching experience, it’s well worthwhile, but don’t count on study abroad to wow admission folks. Some will be duly impressed but others won’t.</p>
<p>Here’s an update on S. We have taken two quick trips to visit colleges this summer. The time spent together was priceless for me, and it did solidify some perceptions (positive and negative) for him. He has been aggressive in chasing down alumni and/or admissions office interviews for which he will not be around in the fall. The feedback has been very positive. He has been remarkably calm and in good spirits about the whole process this summer, even though he is working full-time + in two different restaurant jobs while getting his applications, recommendations and essays in order. APs came back as 5’s which is nice. </p>
<p>When S told us this was his plan last year, spouse and I decided not to focus on all the things that could go wrong and instead focus on how great it would be if everything goes well. So far, so good, as not only does S appear to be on-target and on-schedule but he is very happy. For us as his parents this is the greatest reward we could receive for putting our faith in him to pursue a divergent path.</p>
<p>Our son spent six months as an exchange student in South America during his sophomore year in high school. It was a great experience for him and did not interfere with the college search process (although it made for challenging junior and senior years, with a heavy courseload). </p>
<p>As a 4-time host parent, I can say from experience that I think younger exchange students (15-16 years old) have an easier time fitting in to a household–they are not as intent on being independent as a 17-18 year old might be. </p>
<p>So think about doing an exchange sooner rather than later. It was really hard letting our sophomore get on that plane, but it has broadened his worldview, made him confident and mature and it gave him a great topic for his admissions essay!</p>