<p>(If you've noticed, I already posted this in the Study Abroad subforum but I'm not expecting many replies there because very few people post there anyway. I'm sorry about this duplicate thread, I kind of need to get immediate replies. But hopefully I can hear from different people on both the High School Life and Study Abroad subforums.)</p>
<p>I want to study abroad during senior year with Rotary. I want this experience really badly, but the only thing I am worried about is how it would interfere with what I'm doing in high school. I currently have a few leadership positions, I am going to start a club in 11th grade, and I will be an officer of another. I don't want to just rudely and abruptly leave behind my club positions and leadership positions, I'd feel like I was abandoning my school and community. Additionally, there are many AP classes I want to take during senior year and I wouldn't be able to take them so that I wouldn't be on par with other students applying to colleges with competitive admissions. But I'd only be lacking 2 credits that I need in order to graduate, so I could probably graduate on time with my peers here in the U.S.</p>
<p>I know this is an experience I could never have again though since studying abroad in college doesn't immerse you as much into the culture. I absolutely love learning about new cultures/new languages and am very receptive to it. I am really excited about potentially doing this during senior year and being a teenager living in a different culture. I feel like this could change my life forever; what my outlook on life is like and my maturity/independence.
I am just worried; I hope colleges don't hate me for abandoning my school and community and put me at a disadvantage for not having as many APs as other competitive students as well as lacking some core subjects in my high school courseload.</p>
<p>From reading about my situation, do you think I should study abroad during senior year?</p>
<p>That's really something I was thinking of lately. I want to travel abroad & I love everything like meeting new cultures, but $$ is really bugging me. So, I'm going to work/ earn money & then MAYBE live abroad for a semester or so. I was thinking of going through AFS or something, but I'm not so sure what's "better." I guess it depends on where I'm going to go study. Anyways, I think it would be a good idea. If you're a foreign exchange student, I think you would still be able to participate in the community, after all those kind of programs def. want you to soak in as much as possible.
Wouldn't traveling abroad show some kind of "independence" & initiative?</p>
<p>Read your post carefully once again - I think you've subconsciously made a decision.</p>
<p>Either way, I'd travel abroad anytime...new experience, new people (esp. the hot chicks, as I met the last time I went to UK once). </p>
<p>Your concerns, as usual, are understandable, but nothing important IMO - something that you're worrying about too much; the only reason you're hesitating is because you're afraid that "colleges will see it negatively." Um, 1) they probably, most likely won't...
2) It's still a comparatively better choice.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, where are you going and how long will you be staying there?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Invoyable: I'm probably going to a French-speaking country in Europe and I'll be staying for an entire school year.</p>
<p>Oh, an entire school year, that's why it's a bit tough...yeah actually it'd be a semi-difficult decision too, moreso for me because of all my friends (I'd want to spend 1 extra year with them).</p>
<p>but lol, you don't seem to be missing your friends...if you have any? ;)</p>
<p>jk (je parle francais aussi, d'ailleurs, mais je suis suck like crazy)</p>
<p>Yeah, Invoyable, it is a difficult decision. In order to do what I'm planning, I'd have to graduate early, start applying to colleges THIS YEAR, take my SATs/SATIIs right now, miss out on APs, quit my current ECs, not to mention being in a completely different culture out of my comfort zone without family/friends, and could ultimately just hurt my chances of getting into a good college. Trying to make this decision is tearing my mind apart. I definitely want to do it really badly, there's just many down sides to it that I have to consider.</p>
<p>One of my friends studied abroad the year after she was a sophomore. She had to repeat the year here because my school's not receptive to that (exchange students come here, not the other way around), but sometimes if you talk to the administrators, they'll be helpful. They can come up with other ways for you to get the credits.
I'm probably biased because it's the experience I'm familiar with, but I think it's better to repeat the year at home. Some people I know come after they've finished high school, but these people are coming to America. I've known people from Italy, Turkey, and Thailand who did that. It's a lot easier since for most of the people who come before graduating, the year counts. So my friends over here now can kind of slack off. They're already accepted to colleges back home and everything, so this is just fun.</p>
<p>Millancad: I'll graduate at the end of my junior year. The grades I get from studying abroad won't be on my high school transcript so I don't have to worry about that. I'll be finished with high school when I go on the exchange program, so it's basically a gap year instead my would-be senior year in the U.S.
I didn't really understand from your post, but is this what you are talking about?</p>
<p>I just wish I knew I was going to do this before. Applying to colleges later this year--it seems pretty intense. Plus, a lot of people I've talked to are discouraging about it, I wish they weren't because I'm so excited and they're just bringing me down.</p>
<p>Hmmm, really, if you don't know what to do, just wait, & continue with your education. What are your parents/guardians saying? Try listening to their point of view & maybe another adult's, like your counselor's as well.
I'm kinda thinking you should just finish schooling, because you would still be able to venture out in college. I mean, college is still a school. You could probably just sign up for a study abroad program through that. Or maybe even just become an exchange student in another college/ university. Or you could consider missing one school year, and then continue with your senior year. Or you could just do a gap year, which are pretty popular nowadays.
There are just TONS of possibilities, you just need to figure out what's right for you.</p>