<p>I am a bit worried about studying abroad at Bryn Mawr, mostly because they do not offer programs in India and some of the other places I wish to study in. How easy is it to study abroad through another program not listed under their previously approved locations? Also, how easy is it to study away? I plan to spend a semester at BYU as well as studying abroad.</p>
<p>The official study-away and study-abroad policies are here: [Undergraduate</a> Deans | Bryn Mawr College](<a href=“http://www.brynmawr.edu/deans/four_year_pic/transfer_credit.shtml]Undergraduate”>http://www.brynmawr.edu/deans/four_year_pic/transfer_credit.shtml)</p>
<p>Unofficially, I have several friends who took a leave of absence from Bryn Mawr to enroll as a non-degree-seeking student in another institution, without formal approval from Bryn Mawr. They did get some transfer credits through the regular transfer credit policy. </p>
<p>There are a few more things to think about: does your academic major accommodate two semesters away from Bryn Mawr? What about your post-graduation plans? (Spending the junior year away can have a detrimental impact on grad school applicants, for example: it becomes much more difficult to obtain strong letters of recommendation and substantial research opportunities because you would not spend enough time in a single place to get meaningfully involved.)</p>
<p>I’m not quite sure what I want to major in yet so I’m kind of putting that question off right now. I know I’ll probably change my mind between now and junior year.</p>
<p>I never realized studying abroad can be detrimental to the grad school application :/</p>
<p>I guess my main concern is if it is easy to go on a yet non-approved study abroad program at Bryn Mawr.</p>
<p>Hmm, that’s a good question. The only person I know who wanted to go on a non-approved study abroad program bypassed Bryn Mawr completely by taking a leave of absence and organizing everything herself. </p>
<p>Knowing Bryn Mawr, I would expect the following: if you want to go to a country where we do not yet have an approved program, if you can demonstrate why this program is important to your personal goals, if you can demonstrate how this program would fit into your liberal arts education, and if you have the support of a faculty member, then Bryn Mawr would make you jump through a gazillion hoops but eventually approve your choice of program. </p>
<p>I also noticed that most approved study abroad programs in non-English speaking countries are actual study abroad programs, not direct admission to a native university in that country. I wonder why: did Bryn Mawr decide not to approve such endeavors, or are students not interested in just attending a foreign university overseas? That always seemed counterintuitive to me because it seems that you would get much more out of a study abroad program surrounded by natives of the country, not other American study abroad students.</p>
<p>My daughter was in a program that required approval from Bryn Mawr. She had to get the support of her advisor and she had to explain how it realted to her major (an independent major). She also got her language prof to support her program as well. It took a bit of doing but she got it done. Credits for the program did not come from abroad–they came from a US college that was sponsoring the program she went to (in Russia). I know that among her group of friends two studied in London, another at the Sorbonne in France (that’s a full year committment), and another friend went to Argentina.</p>
<p>I studied abroad with an unapproved program last year. It was a very easy process, and only required a short essay. For me, the explanation was simple - I wanted to go to a country where there were no approved programs. And, I wouldn’t worry too much about grad school, especially considering that time abroad can be a huge asset for certain fields.</p>