Five Major Benefits of Going Abroad in High School
The intense nature of jam-packed schedules for all you 9th-12th graders can make it hard to see beyond your immediate routine. You probably have a limited amount of time to consider the immense value of opportunities like a trip abroad and travel as you run between classes, extracurriculars, and sports.
However, high school is the best time to explore these options because you want to make sure that you stand out as you get ready to prepare for life beyond high school. You’ll get a chance to continue expanding your cultural competency, gaining real-life context for your language skills and ultimately helping you stand out among millions of high school grads before you look to make the big investment in college.
Is it a bad idea to take a break from routines and get a taste of travel? Isn’t test driving a study abroad experience worth it in the long run if you’re not sure that you want to study abroad?
Here are our five major benefits to going abroad in high school:
1. Make New Friends
We all know that many students go to college unsure and undeclared about what to study in college or do with the rest of their lives, and an experience abroad gives an opportunity to step out and explore an unfamiliar place with friends and fellow classmates. The chance to solidify friendships and create new ones means that there is the best of both worlds. In addition to friendship, a new country means a variety of foods, locals, another language and sense for how you feel traveling abroad.
2. Gain A Fresh Perspective
The best way to learn is to go beyond your textbooks and explore, and there’s no better to do that to have an adventure with experienced educators and travelers. We understand that students learn the most and enjoy the process when they’re out and taking an active role embracing a new culture and society. We facilitate that experience through interactive activities in some of the world’s most famous public spaces (parks, plazas, etc) to have a student-centered focus toward learning language, culture and history within the country and the city.
3. Invest In Your Study Abroad Now
A trip abroad in high school gives a taste of culture shock and gives an authentic snapshot of a new country that will help you give more context for travel and study abroad in order to prioritize it before diving into college academics. When you get to college, we understand that your focus will surround classes, sports, extracurricular activities, and enjoying your experience!
The majority of college students study abroad toward the end of their college experience, and we know that finances and graduation requirements can limit opportunities to study abroad later on in college. If you go abroad in high school, you’ll have an idea of what study abroad could look like for you at less than half the price of a semester of college in most cases. We don’t want you to miss out on a potentially life-changing experience!
4. Test Your Language Skills
High school language classes do a great job of giving you a foundation for the language, but you’ll have to take those tools out of the toolbox at some point! When you take a trip abroad, you’re interacting with the language and seeing the language come to life. You’ll probably realize the value of those conjugation charts and vocabulary lists as you test your skills.
Whether you’re beginner or more advanced in the foreign language, you’ll see first hand that you can use what you know and find creative ways to communicate your ideas. Additionally, you’ll gain a true sense of how the language lives and breathes through people and cultures, and there’s no better way than to get a taste and feel for that language than in person.
When you get to college, you still might not have the clearest idea about what you want from an experience abroad, but you’ll have an idea of how it feels to explore another country. The best part is that you’ll have more confidence and more excitement as you hopefully look to make another leap!
5. Differentiate Yourself
College applications require a letter usually surrounding a topic regarding how individual high students have stood out from their peers, learned a life lesson, or challenged themselves. We know that the college application process continues to get more and more competitive with millions of high school graduates from around the US boasting high GPAs, a multitude of extracurriculars, and a variety of clubs.
How many of those same high school students can boast about taking an immersion trip abroad?
An immersion experience abroad shows a willingness to step out and to take on new challenges. Furthermore, the power of travel and new experiences can create life-long memories and an impact as you take that step after high school as you continue your adventure into adulthood.
Are you ready to start planning an immersion trip abroad? Please Start Planning Your Trip with us so we can get you on your way toward a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
