6 Things to Consider Before Applying to Colleges Abroad
Most of the people have some friends who went abroad to study for at least one semester. But it is the completely different thing to go abroad for your entire college experience. We had a conversation with Keara Dekay, who is senior study abroad advisor at the University of South Carolina, to find out what aspects you have to take into consideration before making a decision of getting your college career abroad. So, before taking that ride, make sure you know about every turn. These tips will definitely open your eyes to the things you’ve probably never thought of.
A perfect place to study in
When you have a thought of going abroad for studying, you must keep some place in your mind. This is the first step, you should take in this process. Most students choose their favorite country. This is kind of the wrong choice. Make sure there is a college that is the best choice for your major. With such majors as humanities, business or mass communication you won’t have problems. But when it comes to STEM field or medical schools, make sure you know all about and ready to meet all the requirements. Here what Keara Dekay says about the abroad education. ‘No matter where you go, you will challenge yourself and get an incredible experience. You will come back to the U.S. with a great set of skills and completely different point of view. Everything you would do to pursue your goals will worth it.’
Three things you don’t have to forget about
Every college in any country has its own procedure of education process. If you choose an international college, you have to learn about all obstacles that might be on your way. Sometimes people go to another country without being aware of all the details, and when they are not able to overcome the hardships the only way they get is to come back home.
According to Dekay’s words, there are three things you have to think about in advance:
- A level of immersion;
- Cost;
- Courses.
If you 100 % sure about getting the education abroad, make sure you consider the cost of living, the cultural differences, the language barriers, even what the surrounding countries are. You can notice that most of the international colleges are cheaper than the American ones, but the cost of living has a completely different side. Prepare yourself that you will live in the country for four whole years, not for one semester. Skipping one aspect can ruin all the expectation.
Exploring
One of the outstanding things you can do while studying in another country is getting a perfect chance to explore. Even if the country you end up in is not your first priority, it doesn’t mean you can’t travel. First of all, get to know the country you will live in, the culture, local people, you have the chance to see more than the tourist’s attractions. The travel to the places you want to, use this unique possibility to explore the world. The experience you’ll get cannot be compared to anything.
Academics
Credits, grading, difficulty are the things you have to learn. The services and the system of the education are very different from the ones that we have in America universities. International students should be independent and don’t expect all the services that are available in the U.S. universities. However, your decision to study abroad indicates that you are pretty independent.
Not for the one who is homesick
Getting to a college itself is a big step, doing it in another country more responsible work. You can’t just go home on the weekends, or when you have homesickness. During your first weeks, you may feel that you want just go to your own bed and do nothing. Although, sooner or later, you will adjust to the life in the foreign country, and it will be your second home. Also, remember about time differences. If you study in Australia, for instance, it means that the time schedule is completely opposite to the U.S. one. So, it will be difficult to talk to your family and friends. If you have never been away from your home for a long time, it is better to go somewhere before making the decision about education abroad.
The application process
Keep in mind three main things you should display in your application to an international university:
- Independence;
- Academic success;
- Adaptability.
When you reveal these things properly you have all the chances to get enrolled.
I hope these tips will help you to make your choice whether you should give it a shot and try a foreign country as a place for your best studying years, or you would prefer to stay in your home country.
“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.’”– Clifton Fadiman
