I want to do a short term exchange program to Europe, but I am also considered a very good student here in the US. I am planning to do online courses the summer before I leave to make up that section of the year. Will elite universities such as Harvard, Columbia or Georgetown look at it as a bad thing? I plan to incorporate it into my theme of being interested in international relations & cultures, etc. What do you all think?
It will not be a negative unless you are trying to do it senior year. Assuming we get back to live classrooms, writing applications and obtaining recs is much harder while abroad.
Thank you for your reply! And no, this will be happening in like 3 years from now.
What will be happening three years from now? What grade are you in?
Personally I think that this is a good idea. I agree that doing this during your senior year would get in the way of also applying to universities.
One daughter did a semester abroad in high school. She was accepted to every university that she applied to. However, she did not apply to “elite” universities in the US so we do not have any experience with this.
Perhaps more importantly she really enjoyed the study abroad, and gained confidence and a perspective on the world. She stayed with a family abroad who had a daughter her age, who later came to stay with us. The entire experience was very positive.