<p>School starts in 2 weeks (still can't believe it!!) and I really want to travel abroad, preferably while I'm in school. I have the oppotunity to study abroad during the Summer (next Summer) or study abroad for a semester and graduate a semester "late". I currently won't need to get student loans to finance my education, but if I decide to study abroad with either option, I will have to get about the same amount of student loan debt because I won't be eligible for financial aid for Summer travel-study and I will be short the same amount if I spent an extra semester in school. I was wondering if it would be better to study abroad, get the debt, but the experience as well or graduate debt-free and travel abroad once I get a job and save up some money to go abroad later. What do you think? Also, depending on your answer should I study abroad in the Summer for one month or pay the same amount to study abroad for a semester, but graduate in Fall 2011 instead of in the Spring?</p>
<p>Study abroad. When you do it is completely up to you and your preference. Graduating late isn’t such a big deal, but graduating in the spring is nice (you get to keep your bus pass and health insurance until the following August! if you graduate in the fall, it goes away in January). </p>
<p>There are ways to finance it, too, so you shouldn’t need to get loans for the entire amount. Start looking into other ways to do it: save money from a part-time job, apply for scholarships, compare cost of living of places you’re interested in going, etc.</p>
<p>It’s worth it to study abroad. As you’re debt-free at the moment, incurring a small debt for the opportunity isn’t sacrificing too much. I just got back from two months in England, Ireland and Northern Ireland (conducting archival research on both a Haas Scholar’s and a Departmental grant) and the experience of working with other academics from those countries and others from around the world was amazing. Go for it!</p>
<p>Depends on if your degree is in something marketable/what your grad school options are.</p>