Advice On American Students Attending College Overseas

by Zephory

posted on 08/24/2009

Attending college is usually the next step for many high school seniors all over the U.S. The preparation usually begins around the sophomore year with the ACT and SAT's which are college placement tests to strengthen your knowledge in disciplines like mathematics and science. Keeping an excellent GPA is also very important when submitting your school records to your college of choice. Most students will stick with the traditional route and enroll in a university in the US but the lucrative and exciting offers that a university overseas can offer is drawing more students out of the country every year.

Attending a university overseas is more than just excitement of a foreign culture. The perspective student becomes enriched to new ways of thinking and living, which increases their maturity level and greatly asserts their independence. Becoming more aware of global issues is another issue that many students will learn by attending a foreign university. Employment opportunities are also more possible as more and more companies are seeking individuals with overseas experience.

Once you know that you want to attend a university overseas, the process should be entailed as soon as possible. For the most part the same steps apply as attending a college in the states. Make sure that you have an idea of the area of study that you want to pursue. If you are going to be attending a university in a country where English is not the first language you might want to enroll or start gaining some knowledge of the language in which country your university of choice is in. Seek international scholarships and organizations within your city to help with the financial hardships. You can also gain a lot of insight and knowledge by talking to people who have already graduated and attended a university overseas and checking out online forums on the subject matter.

Once you know your university that you want to attend overseas you will need to gather all the facts about the country and city that you will be living in. Being aware of the new country and customs that you will be living in is both crucial and very important. You will also need to make sure that you have the adequate funds and proper housing situation taken care of. In a lot of instances going to school overseas can be a lot cheaper than attending college in America, especially in countries like Thailand or the Philippines. If you do plan on coming back to the states one day to seek employment make sure that the foreign university that you plan on attending is accredited according to the American educational system, otherwise your degree might not be relevant in the states. A lot of people are also thinking about attending grad school overseas which is another great option because that can be a lot cheaper than attending grad school in the states. I plan on attending grad school in Thailand and I will be saving about $5,000-$8-000 and I will also be gaining insights on a whole new culture. The experience will be well worth it.

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