Studying abroad can offer a college student a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the world and experience different cultures. Indeed, you could travel to Spain and study Spanish culture or you could travel to Egypt and learn Egyptology. The list is really endless.
The benefits of studying abroad includes broadening perspectives, learning a new language and opening up the opportunity to find out what your passions are in life. If you are stuck on campus, you may not discover any of this.
However, many students wonder when the best time to study abroad is. Is it freshman year? Is it senior year? The truth is that there really is no ideal time except for when you are ready to go. Here are some of the best times to study abroad in college.
Summer Break Between Semesters
Summertime is a great time to travel abroad because you don’t need to worry about losing credits. If you are worried about not having enough credits to graduate, then you may want to squeeze in a study abroad program over the summer. Oftentimes, the summer can be really beautiful and a great time to visit another country.
During the Second Half of Your Freshman Semester
If you think you might love the experience of studying abroad and may want to try to go for more than one semester, you may want to think about starting during your freshman year. Going for your second semester will give you the chance to see how much you really do like living in a foreign country.
If you do like it, you could go back and study more – perhaps in a different country. Of course, this option is great if you have a pretty clear idea of your trajectory in college and your future career.
Sophomore Year
Your sophomore year is a great year to devote to studying abroad. After spending a whole year on campus going to classes, it will be a nice break to visit another country. After a couple of semesters or quarters of studying abroad, you may realize that you really do want to come home.
It does’t matter if you go to Maryville University or another college, sophomore year may be the year where you really branch out and explore what the world has to offer.
First Semester of Junior Year
This is probably the most common time to study abroad. After a couple of years on campus you already know the lay of the land pretty well and are also a bit more mature for such a culture shock.
As you near graduation and start thinking of what kind of career you want, getting out of dodge and spending a few months abroad can sound like a great idea. Sometimes, going for the extreme can help you really find out what you want to do in life. You may realize that you want to stay in the country you are studying in or you may realize that you want to come back and pursue a degree in a specific field of study.
Your Entire Senior Year
Of course, if you want to branch out during your last year in college, studying abroad may be the best way to go. After spending three years in college, it may be a breath of fresh air to get out of there. In the end, taking a break and experiencing the world could possibly change your life, for the better.