<p>Ok, I’ve got a really good idea of the schools I’m going to apply to and I just maybe add one or two and take off another every so often but my main ones I have down pat. Now what I want to know are what are some schools with good study abroad programs from the schools I have chosen or any schools that may match me. So far my list is something like:</p>
<p>Out of those which ones have the best study abroad programs? Also what other schools may have some good abroad options. Little info about me:</p>
<p>Black Male from jersey</p>
<p>4.1 or 4.2 W GPA/ 3.7 - 3.8 UW (not updated yet)
My Sat will be around 2150 (I believe according to my PSATs/practice tests)
Decent ECs, been working since I was 14. Alot of ECs in the church, some in school, nothing too spectacular.
Well have good essays and great recs.</p>
<p>I’m looking for school with fun student population, good weather (most of my schools probably reflect that with the exception of PSU), and a good balance between academics and fun. Any other suggestions?</p>
<p>Definitely consider PSU. If you get into the Honors College you can easily study abroad. In fact, the vast majority of students in the program do just that.</p>
<p>Connecticut College guarantees any student like 6 months or something in most major countries for a study abroad program. ive only heard about it from one of my teachers.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, Florida State University has an amazing study center in London. It is a fairly large building on the popular Great Russel Street (same street as the British Museum) and cost several millions of dollars to purchase. It is very beautiful and has a painted ceiling inside that looks like the Sistene Chapel almost. There are dorms, classrooms, and a very large media room complete with about 50 computers and many books. The student lounge offers many things to do within London, the UK, and Europe in general.</p>
<p>As someone who just finished the study abroad application process, I would STRONGLY discourage you from picking a school based on its study abroad programs. There are many, many programs out there that accept students from any college, and it is usually very easy to get them approved. </p>
<p>Your factors (weather, fun) bring Emory to mind.</p>
<p>Where do you actually want to do your semester/year abroad? You should pick the school that offers the destination that you want. Also, make SURE that being able to go abroad is not based on some competitive system where only a fraction of the interested students actually get to go. Make sure YOU will be able to go where YOU want, regardless of other people's preferences. THAT is a good study abroad program. Otherwise you end up competing with your friends while the administration relaxes and pats itself on the back for making you stress out.</p>
<p>I get the impression (I myself am at the end of the college application process--deciding where to go) that very few schools have study abroad programs that distinguish themselves. That is, most colleges have it and it is suitable. Consider, however, the list of international universities (and their academics) at which you are able to study.</p>
<p>Those that have weak programs might allow you to use other schools' programs.</p>
<p>I have two main pieces of advice:
1. Don't choose a school based off its study abroad program. It should be a consideration for sure, but not a deciding factor. You could end up with not enough room in your schedule to study abroad or you could end up not wanting to.</p>
<ol>
<li>As you visit schools, go to information sessions, etc., take note of exactly what people say about the study abroad programs. Do the programs require a foreign language? Are the programs "immersion" (you're in a dorm with the students from the other country or staying with a family) or "island" (you're in a dorm with other students who are studying abroad at that particular university)? Does the university have both? Which one suits you best?</li>
</ol>
<p>Dickinson College had the strongest study abroad program out of the colleges I looked at in my college touring (mainly LACs in the Northeast & PA). It's a school that prides itself in having an international outlook and requires its students to do some sort of off-campus study during their four years as a student at the college. Also, Dickinson students are usually sent to the "less tourist-y" cities when they go to study abroad so that they can get the best immersion in the native culture possible.</p>
<p>Most schools will offer several types of experience:</p>
<ol>
<li>Fixed site programs run and/or co-ordinated by their own faculty (or run as a consortium with a couple of peer schools).</li>
<li>One-time or occasional programs run by their own faculty.</li>
<li>Pre-approved programs run by other schools or by outside money-making contractors.</li>
<li>Other outside programs that you get get approval for ad hoc.</li>
</ol>
<p>In general, the ones that the school runs itself on a permanent basis are the real test who has "good" study abroad options. Lots of the outside, for-profit programs are notoriously uneven. If a school says "we offer study abroad in 40 countries," beware: all they may be telling you is that they let their students go on just about any of the for-profit programs.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In general, the ones that the school runs itself on a permanent basis are the real test who has "good" study abroad options.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I disagree with that to some degree. A college's own GOOD programs can be a part of a good overall study abroad package. However, many colleges operate crappy programs. And, some colleges rely exclusively on their own programs -- which can be very limiting. The best options I've seen are schools that operate a few really outstanding programs PLUS a wide range of pre-approved excellent programs from other schools and independent programs.</p>
<p>For example, if a college's own programs consist of packing up 35 kids and moving them en masse to Rome where they take classes in English, that's not much of a study abroad program.</p>
<p>The way to research the topic is to log on to each school's study abroad website. See how finances are handled. Do you pay your own school? Pay the study abroad program? What about financial aid? Then, look at the list of pre-approved programs.</p>
<p>I basically agree with interesteddad and could've expressed it more clearly: if a college runs its own programs, research them--if they're GOOD, that's generally a good sign about the foreign study program in general. (If they carefully screen the pre-approved programs--and many selective schools do--that's good, too, but it's also not much of a reason to choose one college over another, since many schools will allow students to study on those same programs.)</p>
<p>Dickinson is a good example of interesteddad's point about the trade-offs: they run a lot of their own programs, which have a reputation for being quite good. BUT, they don't let you transfer Dickinson FA to most outside programs, so the choices are actually more limited than at a school that might run far fewer. 75% of their students, or something like that, study at one of D's own programs.</p>
<p>Yep. It is often the case that a group of similar schools under consideration will all have good study abroad programs. The more likely scenario is that a college will be cut from this list because of a limited study abroad program.</p>
<p>For example, Dartmouth runs its own programs. They are fine programs, but very limited -- mostly Western Europe, etc. You can petition to do other programs, but there is no list of pre-approved programs...and the quarter system makes some of these programs difficult, especially for a spring semester. </p>
<p>So, if you are thinking about study abroad in Asia, India, Africa, etc., Dartmouth might not be the place. Other schools simply have miniscule numbers of students studying abroad. Harvard has always had very low rates; although they are trying to reverse that.</p>
<p>A lot depends on the cost of the college. A state university has to offer study abroad programs with price tags similar to the cost of a state U. Many of the best study abroad programs cost like a high-dollar private college: $20,000+ per semester.</p>
<p>It's hard to give one size fits all advice.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, and you should never have to pay for study abroad. In fact, any decent program will likely give you an extra scholarship to help defray some of the extra incidental costs you incur from being in a foreign country. </p>
<p>The only thing you should have to pay is your regular tuition to your *home *university, your flight, and your room & board + incidental/personal expenditures. If someone is trying to make you pay a fee for the "privilege" or to cover the costs of "administration" they are trying to rip you off.</p>