In the last few months, I’ve received some interesting emails from those who work for study abroad programs. In most cases, these individuals are responsible for marketing packaged study abroad plans to college students in the United States. They’ve read my blog, they know I’m writing a book (The World Is Your Campus) about ways to get a great global education, and they are writing to me hoping that I will choose to recommend their particular program in my book.
Fat chance.
Don’t get me wrong–most of these folks are very committed to getting more students to go abroad, and I commend them for that. They are working very hard to encourage more college students to consider spending a semester or a year in another country through their program. That’s fine. And most of these programs do a decent job.
But see, there’s a reason that only 5% of US college students study abroad–it’s the cost. And these programs lead students and parents to believe that the only way to go abroad is to cough up several thousand dollars for a packaged plan. Not wanting to skip this opportunity to gain a global perspective, they scrape up the money (or take out loans) in order to sign up for the program.
I don’t have a problem with these programs per se or those who choose to pay and go. If they’re all happy with the experience, that’s great.
But my book is focusing on helping those who are opting out because they can’t afford it. You see, it’s possible to spend $5,000 to get the VERY SAME STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE for which the groupers (packaged plan students) are paying $20,000 or more. Right now, in cities around the world, these indies (independent study abroad students) are having fantastic experiences that don’t cost a fortune–and they’re getting full credit back at their US universities.
So, if you want to write and tell me about the great study abroad package your organization offers to students, well, that’s fine. I’m always happy to hear other perspectives and learn about different options. But don’t expect me to promote it in my book. I’m showing students how to get a BETTER experience for LESS money–and be SAFER in the process.
Tip: the biggest safety risk for US students abroad is going out together with a group of other American students.
Yesterday, while doing errands in my neighborhood, I saw a group of American college students sitting together at a cafe. There were about eight of them, and they had that just-landed look. They had to be students at the local university, here as part of a program (lots of those here).
I was a few tables away, but couldn’t help noticing what was going on around the students. What they didn’t see were the two guys across the street eyeing them, the four friends sitting at the table next to them talking about the purses the girls were carrying, or the two businessmen next to me discussing the two iPhones two of the guys were playing with.
You see, there’s nothing more conspicuous than a group of American students abroad, and if there are those looking for an easy target, well, the groups are the best bet–they’re distracted, they’re speaking English loudly, they are carrying way more than they need, and they aren’t being careful about their cameras or watches or whatever. (Even if someone has bothered to tell them how to behave here, they have a false sense of security because they are always surrounded by other Americans.) I’m not saying that any of my Argentine neighbors had any ill intentions–just that the students were oblivious to the fact that others around them were definitely noticing them and talking about them.
And that’s usually not a good thing. At all.
I’ve interviewed nearly 200 students who have studied abroad, and groupers have a FAR higher rate of experiencing crime (theft) than the indies.
Anyway. More on this in the book, but suffice it say that those who are paying top dollar for the packages because they think it’s safer need to wake up and see that being a conspicuous American student abroad–in a group of others–is far more dangerous than connecting with locals and learning how to blend in as an indie.
So, yeah. Not really recommending the group plans for a number of reasons, but I’m happy to hear your comments.
2 Comments
June 3, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Students abroad who stay with their own cultural group the whole time are also missing the point of study abroad. They aren’t challenging themselves to learn about the culture where they find themselves.
The design of the study abroad program is key, and the greater the immersion in the host culture the greater the potential for learning. It’s not about the sights you see but about the relationships you form. Placement with a host family should be a key component. This can be hard to find on your own.
June 4, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Hi Betsy,
You’re absolutely right about the experience being more about the relationships you develop than the number of sites you can check off your list!
And it’s also true that the design of the study abroad program is key.
But in my book, I walk readers through the very simple process of creating their own study abroad program–including finding homestays with people who really want to host them (and not for money!)–and give them very clear (and well tested!) advice about how to get credits transferred to their US university.
By creating your own program, being in charge of your own home-stay and connecting with those who can help you PRIOR to arrival, students can have a much richer experience while saving many thousands of dollars. There’s a section in my book called “The $5,000-and-under Semester Abroad–and How To Get Credit For It” that provides all kinds of only-if-you’ve-tried-it tips, and the section called “Pick a Country, Choose a College and Make Great Contacts–In 30 Minutes Or Less” shows just how easy it is to get all of the information you need to craft your own fantastic study abroad experience.
Best,
Maya