Hi guys, I know it’s a bit cheesy to ask this but I’m curious because luckily I have supportive parents when it comes to education and they really encourage us to try and study abroad. How about you guys has it been hard to convince your parents about it?
Have u even asked them yet? If so, and they said no, then what were the reasons cited?
@GMTplus7 --The OP said he/she has supportive parents and this is just a curiosity question.
I am a parent and my own said no. Too expensive and too dangerous in their minds. I had to wait until I was old enough and had my own money. I support it for my kids because 1)I didn’t get to do it and 2) traveling and studying abroad teach a student so much, The student learns not just the subject matter, but also self reliance and differences in culture. Seeing that not everyone lives like us is liberating and helps you think in new ways when you get home.
I bet you could google up some studies that show how desirable studying and working abroad are for getting jobs and for functioning better at work. Parents love the economic arguments.
My W and I both did it and they were tremendous experiences for both of us.
Many students are reluctant to try to squeeze it into a schedule that is heavy in athletics, core requirements, and majors which require courses to be taken on a somewhat rigid schedule. I like Goucher’s approach: everyone goes. Also, D has a friend who is doing Northeastern’s program that lets you start your freshman year in London.
I just stated the opportunities and benefits that I can get if I pursue studying abroad. One more thing, I said that I really don’t wan’t to stop learning.
Mine have been hesitant at first due to my condition but as I read this diversityabroad.com/study-abroad/articles/convincing-your-parents-you-should-go-abroad somehow it helped.
First my mother said no, and then she said yes.
When she said no, she was being practical where I was not: as a bright-eyed freshman, I wanted to spend a year in the UK, which would have cost about $9,000. Basically I was an Anglophile w/ a crush on Prince William, and when a 15-year-old is like “mom, spend almost 10K so I can have an adventure!” the answer should be no.
So one year later, when my teacher told me about the CBYX scholarship program to Germany, I was convinced she would say no again, and that there was no point in applying. But I asked anyway, and she said yes–that it would be all she could wish and hope for me to get the scholarship and go my junior year. She’d always wanted to study abroad and couldn’t, and Germany made sense–I was taking it in school, and if I got the scholarship, it would not present a financial burden on our family. PLUS it was a structured program run by the government, and I was asking as a 16-year-old–more mature, etc.
I think your reasons for studying abroad, plus where you want to go, the strength of the program and the cost are the magic ingredients for getting parental support, providing you have a baseline of being a generally mature and trustworthy kid.
@Lizardly It’s nice to hear a parent’s view on this and having that you support the idea and see the benefits of it. Have you kids engaged in a study abroad program yet?
@MidwestDad3 I’m a little confused with all the letter, sorry I’m new in forums what does the ‘W’ and ‘D’ in your comment stand for? 
Wow! that’s a pretty bold move you did @boysilva did your parents agree immediately?
Wife, Daughter
That’s extremely true @proudterrier Our objectives on studying abroad is a big thing for our parents. That’s a cool experience you got their by the way
@HumphyDumpy true enough that’s a helpful read. Thanks
Older son has been doing summer abroad programs since high school. Younger participated in fewer due to his sport, but he, too, has been attending programs, including last summer in a language program abroad. Older son does not want to give up a school semester to study abroad, just a summer. Younger, however, has his eye on one of his school’s semester abroad programs already.
Watching it as a parent, I can tell you I have been anxious but have also been impressed by my kids’ ability to figure things out. When I was their age, I also had a lot of confidence in my ability to manage my own life (rightly or wrongly), but my parents worried about me. Now that I have been on both sides, I can understand my folks’ concerns! But I have to trust that I raised my kids to think for themselves and to get themselves out of these scrapes ( getting on wrong train in country with different language, contracting stomach bug, drinking in pubs/bars, having roommate from radically different background, running out of money too soon, scariest was crossing border of hostile country). It is usually better to hear the story after the fact!
I know right they have a bunch of those in their site. Reading along all those helps me out somehow
Thanks @GMTplus7 other forum jargons do I need to learn?
I can imagine how proud you are of your kids @Lizardly Supportive parents like yourself are actually the ones who keep us (kids) going, keep us dreaming. On behalf of your children I’d like you to know that we truly appreciate your support and hope that it doesn’t stop.
That’s great @HumphyDumpy their site is quite filled with inspirational articles and blog entries
It all really boils down to whether your parents can afford it. The safety issue is a red herring. It’s not like there are any organized study abroad programs in Afghanistan.