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Mentor Advice

Question

When did you know you wanted to study abroad and how did the process work for you?

6 Replies from Mentors

  • mentor picture Rae Rae
     
    Rae Rae
    Senior Year Student
    Loyola Marymount University
    It worked a bit differently for me as the first time I studied abroad was in high school. My...
    It worked a bit differently for me as the first time I studied abroad was in high school. My school did not have any programs so I traveled through an organization called AFS. When I started French lessons at 12 years old, I always knew I wanted to live in France to actually use my skills. The summer before my senior year in high school, I stayed with a host family in France for about 2 months. I knew I wanted to study abroad in college as well and always had my heart set on London. I don’t know why, but ever since I was a small child I was fascinated with England. So as a freshman I began planning for study abroad my junior year and took all the necessary arrangements to do so. The process did not go as smoothly as I hoped. There were a lot of hidden fees, financial problems and surprise forms. I went through a lot of turmoil and stress just to get to London. But in the end it was all worth it; I had some of the best times in my entire life while there and I’d love to go back in the future and live there again. In the future I’d also like to live in India and Africa. For me, traveling is more about immersing yourself in the culture rather than going for a weekend and snapping a couple of tourist photos. So I always plan to stay at least a couple months if possible when going abroad.
  • mentor picture Priscilla
     
    Priscilla
    Graduate Student
    University of California at Berkeley
    I realized I wanted to study abroad during my second year of college. Luckily, it was not too late...
    I realized I wanted to study abroad during my second year of college. Luckily, it was not too late to apply and I was able to spend my third year abroad. There were many people at my college who were available to answer any questions I had about programs, financial aid and any other concerns I may have had. This definitely made a world of difference. If it were not for the support I received from the staff at my university, I may have remained convinced that I could never afford to study abroad. Things worked out well for me because I was able to get a travel grant to study intensive German during the summer, as well as take out enough of a loan to support me during my year abroad.
  • mentor picture Emily Le
     
    Emily Le
    Doctoral Student, previously International Programs Counselor
    UCLA
    Since I knew I wanted to study abroad as a freshman, I planned out my schedule in order to study...
    Since I knew I wanted to study abroad as a freshman, I planned out my schedule in order to study abroad my senior year. The only change I made was in the destination. The application process was very simple once I decided on where to study.
  • mentor picture Kimberly
     
    Kimberly
    Senior Year Student
    Loyola Marymount University
    Ever since I was a sophomore in college, I knew that I wanted to study abroad. I knew that I would...
    Ever since I was a sophomore in college, I knew that I wanted to study abroad. I knew that I would be busy my junior year so I could not study abroad that year. Thus, I planned it for the fall of my senior year. I found that even though I studied abroad my last year in college, it was definitely worth it. I gained so much from studying abroad. I learned how to be independent, be open-minded about different cultures, and make friends from around the world. The friendships and memories I made while studying abroad will last a lifetime and I am truly grateful for this experience.
  • mentor picture Ashley
     
    Ashley
    Junior Year Student
    Loyola Marymount University
    I realized I wanted to study abroad when I visited a friend in London for a week. Being there for...
    I realized I wanted to study abroad when I visited a friend in London for a week. Being there for one week was not enough to really learn about the culture and to travel to different countries. I never had a taste of leaving the country and visiting a new one so once I stepped foot in a new country and experienced it, I knew I wanted to live in another country for a while and I figured that studying abroad would be the best way to do it.
  • mentor picture Janeth
     
    Janeth
    Junior Year Student
    Loyola Marymount University
    By the end of my freshmen year, I decided that I wanted to study abroad. I started looking into it...
    By the end of my freshmen year, I decided that I wanted to study abroad. I started looking into it my sophomore year and considered going my second semester of sophomore year. At the end, I decided to study abroad the first semester of my junior year. At the end of my sophomore year, I went through the paperwork and applied for the program. I was accepted into the program and during the summer, I applied for my visa and started preparing for my semester abroad.