It was during one of my sociology lectures when one of my professors mentioned “studying abroad is what makes your college experience memorable.” At first, I did not really have much interest of studying abroad because I was worried about the cost. As I was going into my second year, I joined the sociology club and our second meeting was about sociology majors studying abroad. At that point, I became interested to study abroad. Several members of the club shared their experience abroad. I then realized that I should give it a try. At first, I was afraid to ask for information about the different programs they offer. But, the staff at the study abroad center are so friendly and approachable. They then guided me on how to create a profile and find a program that would suit me.
During my sociology theory class, I met a third year who was preparing to study abroad for Spring 2017. She gave me more details about the program, and I was really interested because you get to travel and study in two places: Rome and Madrid. After that I started my pre-application to study abroad. Then, I submitted my application for the program. Honestly, it was not too difficult to fill out.
One of the problems I encountered was submitting my passport photo. After several tries, the office finally received it. Before they received it, I was thinking to myself, “I’m probably having this problem because studying abroad is not meant for me.” However, two weeks later I received an email that I have been accepted into the program. Now, I’m just waiting to attend orientation.
Here are some tips for those preparing to study abroad:
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Go speak with someone at the study abroad center
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Research programs
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Speak with someone who has studied abroad
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START SAVING $$$