<p>hi! i'm not really sure how to phrase this question, so let me know if i'm not clear. i'm a rising senior and have been wondering how to ask colleges i'm applying to if i can study abroad in sierra leone. it's been my dream since elementary school, so i need to know now if they won't approve it; i won't apply if they're going to say no.</p>
<p>so i'm wondering who to contact, and how to phrase my question- should i just email the study abroad department and ask if they'd approve a program in SL? or should i email my regional rep? if it helps, i'm looking at colleges like smith, george washington, mt holyoke, and barnard.</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>What are you planning to do in Sierra Leone? Maybe you could do it outside of school during the summer. In any case, it sounds like you have something pretty cool in mind. Good luck!</p>
<p>The first thing is to pore over the school’s study abroad info on the web- every bit of it. Many schools have their own list of abroad programs as well as lists of other programs they have approved. (This ensures you can get credit for the program you choose.) Schools also generally have a fee associated with holding your place while you are away on a program that’s not their own. Some require you to be proficient in the language of that country (depending on the program.) Or have a legit academic reason behind the choice of that country. And, some may extend your fin aid to cover an approved program. </p>
<p>After checking the info they have already put on the web, I’d call or email admissions, as a start.</p>
<p>thanks guys! chrome, i love the idea of working there in the summer, but i’d like to do a more extended stay if possible- i really, REALLY want to get a handle on mende, temne, and/or krio and i don’t think that would be long enough to learn even one of those languages :(</p>
<p>lookingforward- your post is awesome, thanks! i didn’t know about the fee; that really sucks. i’ll check my schools’ sites, but i’m almost 100% sure SL won’t be approved- after the civil war, it seems westerners have (understandably) steered pretty clear. i’m a little worried about the language requirements, because i can’t find a school that offers a single language spoken there. hopefully that won’t be an issue. so i’ll surf around their websites and then give admissions a call :)</p>
<p>Emailing the study abroad people is usually pretty helpful- for phrasing you can just ask what their general policy is on letting students study abroad in countries that they don’t have programs in- that’s worked really well for me, though from everything I’ve heard from colleges it’ll probably be easier for you to pick a second choice for spending a semester away, hopefully a neighboring country where the language might be similar (like how I’m probably doing Jordan) and then spend the summer in SL where you don’t have to deal with the school administration quite as much.</p>
<p>PS just saw Meghna’s comment and do you actually have Andy now?!?!</p>
<p>ok perfect, that’s what i’ll do :)</p>
<p>and no, dw! sam just thought i had andrew (if only… </3) so then meghna thought i did. still have marcotte… ■■■. david, however, more than makes up for it ;)</p>