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What are the pros and cons of going to a private school if you want to study abroad for a year compare to just going to a UC and doing their study abroad program?
#college #study-abroad
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Claire’s Answer
Hi Laverna! I went to Saint Mary's College of California (a small private school in the Bay Area). I agree with both of the previous answers that it will likely vary depending on the school, and it's always best to start talking to the study abroad office at the school you decide as soon as possible (to plan classes, etc.!)
At my school, there was a list of preapproved study abroad programs at a variety of locations around the world - with these programs, you paid standard tuition at Saint Mary's, and it covered the cost of the program (so no unexpected/hidden fees other than the plane ticket). These programs allowed for classes to easily transfer back to Saint Mary's, so you could be confident you were still making progress toward your degree or general education requirements. There was the option to do "unapproved" study abroad programs as well - this was often the more expensive option, and there were so many approved programs that I never saw anyone take this path.
I personally did two semesters abroad in Spain - one in Barcelona, one in Sevilla. The study abroad office was very engaged with ensuring I was ready to go, an "orientation" prior to departure, and check-ins during the semester. My assumption would be the study abroad office at a larger school may not be as attentive (as they're likely sending more students abroad in each semester) but I didn't personally attend a UC so I can't truly compare.
In terms of the cost of the programs - there are a variety of scholarships you can apply for specifically to study abroad (as well as scholarships to the school itself - as I mentioned, at Saint Mary's if it's an approved program you pay your standard tuition, so a general scholarship for your education would reduce the cost of your semester abroad as well).
At the end of the day, UC's and many private schools will have a robust offering of programs. I would recommend taking a look at the study abroad pages for some of the schools you might be interested in as a starting place. I've included a few links below in the "Optional next steps." One thing to remember - depending on the major you select for your studies, you will have more or less flexibility to study abroad. I was a Business/Spanish double major, which allowed for more flexibility in classes offered abroad. If you're in a more rigid major (perhaps engineering, pre-med, etc.), I would talk to the study abroad office as soon as possible to create a plan to take your general education requirements abroad instead.
If you're interested in looking at Saint Mary's as a general example for private school study abroad programs: https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/study-abroad
This seems to be the overall study abroad site for the UC system: https://uceap.universityofcalifornia.edu/
General list of universities with highly rated study abroad programs: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/study-abroad-programs
At my school, there was a list of preapproved study abroad programs at a variety of locations around the world - with these programs, you paid standard tuition at Saint Mary's, and it covered the cost of the program (so no unexpected/hidden fees other than the plane ticket). These programs allowed for classes to easily transfer back to Saint Mary's, so you could be confident you were still making progress toward your degree or general education requirements. There was the option to do "unapproved" study abroad programs as well - this was often the more expensive option, and there were so many approved programs that I never saw anyone take this path.
I personally did two semesters abroad in Spain - one in Barcelona, one in Sevilla. The study abroad office was very engaged with ensuring I was ready to go, an "orientation" prior to departure, and check-ins during the semester. My assumption would be the study abroad office at a larger school may not be as attentive (as they're likely sending more students abroad in each semester) but I didn't personally attend a UC so I can't truly compare.
In terms of the cost of the programs - there are a variety of scholarships you can apply for specifically to study abroad (as well as scholarships to the school itself - as I mentioned, at Saint Mary's if it's an approved program you pay your standard tuition, so a general scholarship for your education would reduce the cost of your semester abroad as well).
At the end of the day, UC's and many private schools will have a robust offering of programs. I would recommend taking a look at the study abroad pages for some of the schools you might be interested in as a starting place. I've included a few links below in the "Optional next steps." One thing to remember - depending on the major you select for your studies, you will have more or less flexibility to study abroad. I was a Business/Spanish double major, which allowed for more flexibility in classes offered abroad. If you're in a more rigid major (perhaps engineering, pre-med, etc.), I would talk to the study abroad office as soon as possible to create a plan to take your general education requirements abroad instead.
Claire recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Alexandra’s Answer
Hi Laverna! That's a great question. In terms of study abroad, both private and public universities offer study abroad opportunities. If this is something you're interested in, research the school and ensure they have a study abroad program aligned with your field of study. Personally, I attend a public university and was able to study abroad. It depends on you and your family's finances of course but public schools do offer study abroad programs, not just private schools!
Research study abroad programs at UC schools.
Research study abroad programs at private schools you're interested in.
Alexandra recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Karim’s Answer
Hello Laverna!
I went to Georgia Tech and they have an incredible study abroad program in multiple campuses across the world. I happen to go to the one in Lorraine, France which allowed myself and some close friends to travel all across Europe creating endless memories.
I'm not well versed in how Private Universities handle studying abroad, however I did attend a private high school briefly and can make some comparisons there from my experiences:
Pros for Private Institutions
- I'd imagine itineraries are more custom fit or created broadly for students, so all that is needed is pay a fee and travel, lodging, food, etc. are all taken care of. You essentially just show up and have a good time!
- Private institutions might also have access to specific parts of the world that general public institutions might not have, as well as likely higher quality areas that are shared with public institutions.
Cons
- If price is a contributing factor for your situation, Private Institutions will likely be much more costly, as my experience with public institutions was that you made your own trips and could go as cheap or as expensive as you'd like in terms of lodging, travel, food, etc.
- There might be a space issue with some private institutions as they likely can't plan detailed itineraries for hundreds of students in a single location, so if you are planning on going with a group of friends, this might be more difficult for a Private Institution vs. Public.
Let me know if you have any other questions and I'd be happy to help where I can!
-Karim
Search online for students with experiences in both situations from places like Reddit or college specific social media
I went to Georgia Tech and they have an incredible study abroad program in multiple campuses across the world. I happen to go to the one in Lorraine, France which allowed myself and some close friends to travel all across Europe creating endless memories.
I'm not well versed in how Private Universities handle studying abroad, however I did attend a private high school briefly and can make some comparisons there from my experiences:
Pros for Private Institutions
- I'd imagine itineraries are more custom fit or created broadly for students, so all that is needed is pay a fee and travel, lodging, food, etc. are all taken care of. You essentially just show up and have a good time!
- Private institutions might also have access to specific parts of the world that general public institutions might not have, as well as likely higher quality areas that are shared with public institutions.
Cons
- If price is a contributing factor for your situation, Private Institutions will likely be much more costly, as my experience with public institutions was that you made your own trips and could go as cheap or as expensive as you'd like in terms of lodging, travel, food, etc.
- There might be a space issue with some private institutions as they likely can't plan detailed itineraries for hundreds of students in a single location, so if you are planning on going with a group of friends, this might be more difficult for a Private Institution vs. Public.
Let me know if you have any other questions and I'd be happy to help where I can!
-Karim
Karim recommends the following next steps: