How will a year abroad to the UK next year for college (all being well) benefit me moving forward into work after I graduate? Will it add value to me as a professional? I’m going from a top Ivy League US college to a ‘Russel Group’ in the UK.
From a career pov? imo little to not at all - unless you pick up some useful/relevant experience. So, if you are interested in say IB, they won’t care at all- unless you get an internship with one of them while you are there, or are randomly lucky enough that somebody interviewing you knows somebody who went there. Especially true if you are applying for jobs in the US: your “top Ivy league US college” will tick all the ‘prestige’ boxes.
If you were looking at graduate school I would say potentially, b/c of exposure to a bigger pool of profs to write LoRs, or who might have connections w/ other institutions.
It can help in several ways: demonstrating adaptability and open-mindedness; the intensity of that time will make you grow and mature very quickly; giving you interesting things to discuss during an interview (which you’ll need to prepare and curate); if you volunteer or find an internship there, you’ll have one more experience for your resume; if you can conduct research or participate in a lab with a famous PI, it’ll also help for graduate studies (which in turn would help for a job).
After that, it really depends on the university in question, the position you’re seeking…;
It will add value to your life experience.
Honestly, do it for that reason or not at all.
What subject? What career plan?
Also, which university specifically may make a difference.
Chemical Engineering at University of Nottingham (ranked 3rd for the subject in UK)