Does studying abroad help an application, and if so by how much?

<p>I am not studying abroad just to help my application to medical schools, I actually want to study abroad (especially because the legal drinking age is foreign countries is a lot less then in the us, jk lol). My junior year I will probably spend a semester in oxford. I was just wondering if this helps my application, and if so by how much? (even if it doesn't help I am still spending 6 months at oxford.)</p>

<p>bump…10char.</p>

<p>Like most things it could be neutral or help “some”…it all depends on what you do while you are there and how you express that experience in your app. It’s not a “check the box get a point” thing. Threaded seamlessly and not gratuitously into an essay about your motivation for <strong><em>, or your awareness of </em></strong><em>, or a new found understanding of </em>____, or any number of other things, it could add color and flavor and maybe even some meat to a plate.</p>

<p>But just “I took part in a study abroad in a cool place?” Nope. Not a whit.</p>

<p>^^ K, hopefully I have the opportunity to do some cool stuff there, that I can write about in my essays</p>

<p>I also think that for Medicine that study abroad is fairly neutral. Oxford however would be a great experience. Most Oxbridge colleges however require a full year. Some US Colleges like Tufts, Brown, Haverford, Bryn Mawr etc have relationships with certain Oxbridge colleges for direct admit but it is very competitive and usually requires high SATs and College GPA’s.</p>

<p>^^^ At my school, you can do it for a semester, and you only need a 3.6 gpa…</p>

<p>You may want to check with your school. I believe the GPA qualifies you to apply. It does not guarantee selection as there are probably only a few slots available. The Oxbridge colleges are small.</p>

<p>Theres a study abroad program to CHILE in the summer that emphasizes on medical studies. I can’t imagine that this wouldn’t help. </p>

<p>It’s called a Summer Health Studies Program</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.iesabroad.org/IES/Programs/Chile/Santiago_Summer/santiagoSummer.html[/url]”>https://www.iesabroad.org/IES/Programs/Chile/Santiago_Summer/santiagoSummer.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>^^ Right, I asked some upperclassmen and my advisers and they said as long as your gpa is +.1 or +.2 above the minimum requirements, you should be fine.</p>

<p>Curm pretty much covered it. You are applying to go for one semester which will go by in a flash. Go, enjoy and make the effort to spend time with people other than the American students.</p>

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<p>^^^ I wanted to go spend a year at THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, but unfortunately I don’t have a year to spend abroad (can’t fit it into my schedule) and THE london school of economics doesn’t have a semester long program, so I can’t go there. I really want to check out the European club scene, last time I went to Europe, I was only 14 and I was with my parents, so they wouldn’t let me sneak into clubs lol.</p>

<p>I would make every effort to do the year. It’s a great time. The Oxbridge colleges are small with numbers of undergraduates between 250 and 450 on average. I believe Williams sends a lot of students to one Oxford college but otherwise there seems to be room for only a few students each year from a small group of US colleges. The person in charge of your college study abroad program would know the fine details.</p>