Ashlie
When in college, does study abroad help in experience for when traveling after college?
I've head many things about study abroad, but don't know if it would actually help when being in college to take these trips for a wildlife biology degree in college #biology
2 answers
Austin L.
Austin’s Answer
Hi Ashlie,
It's good to hear that you are thinking about study abroad, I studied abroad and it was one of the best decisions that I ever made. That withstanding, you need to be sure that you are able to study abroad. You may have lots of required courses for your wildlife biology degree, and if you aren't able to earn credit overseas for your major then you may want to rethink studying abroad. I studied abroad in China and earned credits for my Chinese language minor. I would research the study abroad programs available to you and see which ones, if any, offer courses that fulfill credits for your degree. If you are willing to miss a semester's worth of credit earning potential and just take a heavy load of courses for the remainder of your time in college then studying abroad is still an option.
I found study abroad to be extremely rewarding and really valuable for my personal growth. I had to become even more independent and responsible, more so than I already was because here I was a 20 year old Junior all alone in China. It forced me to be responsible for myself and my actions and I was thus able to be more personally independent. Study abroad also helped me travel confidently overseas, especially in an area that did not speak English. I learned how to navigate international airports, navigate a foreign capital city (Beijing), and all around be more confident. Study abroad is so incredibly rewarding so I highly suggest studying overseas if you are able to.
Best,
Austin
Gloria Ortiz
Gloria’s Answer
I studied abroad when I was in college. It made the most sense for my major since i was studying a foreign language at the time. I went to school in another language and then I was in a country where i had to use that language 100% of the time. Well more like 90% of the time as the locals wanted to practice their English language skills on me. I don't know much about the degree that you are trying to get, so I cannot say specifically if going to school abroad will benefit your major. I would say that if your career will often take you overseas, then going to school abroad is a good way to prepare for that. International travel is harder than people think. Visas, vaccinations, safety, and other elements can make travelling overseas difficult and confusing. When I went to study abroad, I had help with getting there and back safely. My college made sure that i had access to the appropriate vaccines and told me about proper behavior in airports. And this was all before 9-11. The biggest challenge for me was around the Visa. I had told the person upon entry that I would be in the country for a certain number of days. I actually flew out a day after my visa would have been expired. I have to say that being interviewed by another country's security in an airport is very unnerving. It is also nice to travel with a group you know during your first International travel, since it allows you to feel safe in an foreign environment. For those experiences alone, I would mention study abroad.
Gloria