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How to Study Abroad

Studying abroad can be an enlightening and enriching experience for anyone. Not only are you taken away from the usual distractions of everyday places and things, but you’re also placed into a setting where you need to learn more than just what’s in your books – you need to learn about the new area that you are in. If you’re a college student or high school student that’s interested in studying abroad, here’s what you will want to do to prepare.

What you will want to realise is that you’re not alone when it comes to wanting to study abroad, meaning that you’ll have a lot of competition in the more popular programs. If you want to be the one that’s chosen, you will want to do several things well ahead of your application:

Get a legitimate passport or travelling identification – Keeping these ID papers in order will allow you to travel as soon as a program is ready for you.
Take additional courses in the language of the program you wish to attend – By learning Spanish ahead of time, you will show your commitment to the culture and future studies, but it will also help you feel more at home once you arrive.
Go to informational meetings about abroad studies – Learning when information meetings are taking place will allow you to get a sense of what will be expected of you in the program and whether or not your expectations and the reality are one and the same.
Talk to others who have studied abroad – You should be able to find someone that has already made the trip to an overseas program. Talk to them to see if they have any advice to offer.
Keep your grades up and your extracurricular activities relevant to your future career plans.
Try to network with those that are in the admissions department of the program you wish to apply to – Ask for any information packets they have and then follow up with questions. By ‘meeting’ the people in the office and corresponding enough times, you will leave an impression that lingers once the application forms have arrived.

Once you’ve gotten into the program, you will want to learn about what’s expected of your first so that you’re following the rules and doing your best. Try to find out what kinds of things are okay to do in your off time and where the other students in the program will be. Make time to see local sights and attractions so that you get the full experience of the city or the countryside.

Make sure that you take pictures and keep a journal of the things that you’re learning as well as the cultural aspects you fund fascinating. You never know when you might want to choose one of these interests for a paper or a research project.

When you’re studying abroad, take the time to study and learn while you are there. This is an amazing opportunity that should not be wasted.

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