When first starting college, it’s easy to sail through thinking that once these four or more years will be it and the degree will be mine. Done right? But as soon as you step into that dorm room and set your bag down, your family asks “so are you going to grad school?” It’s a frightening thing to think about especially when you have to think about it before you even receive your first degree. You have to think about the money, the degree, the length of the program, the job, etc. College is always thinking about one step ahead, so if you’re think about going to grad school, let me tell you why it’s better to do it outside the U.S.
I had always thought that as soon as I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree that would either be the end of it or I’d pursue my Master’s in at the University of Washington, in my favorite state. But as funny as it is, my ambition had changed after meeting a handsome European man at a bar. At a bar where my coworkers and I had a couple drinks for a fun night out, my coworker was dared to invite some men over to our table. And when they came over to us immature women in our twenties, we realized these men were well established, extremely smart and funny men from England.
I was caught in a long conversation about the future with one of them who was curious about my career ambitions and told me that studying in London would be a great way to get my education and study abroad experience. Rather than choosing a program for a quarter, why not jump into a whole year or a few depending on your program? In my experience, the quickest way to grow up is to experience life away from where you’re comfortable, so why not try and mix in your education?
By working towards your Master’s degree abroad, the two biggest perks would be the tuition as well as the length of time for the program. Grad programs are usually one to three years, but abroad programs are traditionally on the shorter side. In addition to the shorter length of education, the tuition will definitely be a lot cheaper. While some would assume getting an education for a Masters anywhere would be expensive, most programs (especially in European countries) is significantly less than in the states. Coupled with that, you’ll get some real experience and opportunities to network outside the country which expands your education network and potential career network. The list of benefits goes on. And if you’re still on the fence, my first suggestion would be to get in contact with your advisors and see if they have any suggestions for good programs for your major. They’ll be your first resource for support so take advantage while you’re still in school.
Travelling and living abroad is definitely something scary to some people who haven’t left the states. But once you do your research and get in touch with those who have done their programs abroad, you should hopefully feel more at ease. I went ahead and did some research for you to find a couple sites that are great resources to learn more about abroad graduate programs. The idea of going abroad is scary, but if you have an open mind, you might find that this experience might be the best path for you in the long run.
https://www.goabroad.com/articles/degree-abroad/myths-about-getting-a-masters-degree-abroad
https://www.gradschools.com/graduate-schools-by-country
https://www.goabroad.com/articles/degree-abroad/study-abroad-graduate-programs