By Kristen Wharton
If any of you are like
me, finding a justification to studying abroad is an overwhelming task. First
there is the cost. Yeah…parting with 10 grand to spend a fabulous 15 weeks
abroad is not an easy thing to maneuver. I don’t know anyone who is sitting on
that kind of monetary cushion, so the next step is –find investors. If you are
shocked to find that checks do not magically appear at your doorstep after this
plea to potential financiers, it’s time to look at loans. Now this is the point
where most people just nip this little dream in the bud and say, “I’ll just
have to wait until after college to travel when I actually have disposal
income.”
You won’t. Life
happens. Careers happen. Families happen. And the opportunity to make a
strictly selfish decision falls by the wayside.
I would have never
known these things had I not deliberated for months in a cost-benefit analysis
format about the pros and cons of ditching Tallahassee and subsequently the
life and network of friends I had built up here and taking the plunge, by
saying “money is resurgent (or maybe just plain worthless in this economy) so
lets make this happen”. Since it is really not that simple though,
International Programs is more than happy to sit down with you and discuss
scholarship eligibility and loan options.
What I also learned is
that most faculty members and employers alike recognize studying abroad as an
important contributor in career development, so are thrilled to discuss options
for getting to your country of interest. The resources are endless if you seek
them out.
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