The Big Five (Reasons for Studying Abroad)

There are many reasons why one would want to study abroad. Do any of the following reasons appeal to you?

1) Experience a New (or Different) Culture
Studying abroad through CUNY is an affordable option to see a new culture. In an ever changing world, having experience with other cultures is always a benefit. You may be surprised to see what you learn overseas about other cultures can apply in your daily life and future career.

2) Boost Language Skills
Studying overseas puts a student in a very unique situation to learn another language or perfect one that in which you already have some familiarity. While I was in Venice, the locals loved to converse with me in Italian. The experience propelled my understanding and proficiency in Italian in a very short amount of time.

3) Foster Leadership Skills
While overseas, you may experience situations that require you to be a bit more flexible or tolerant. After all, you will interact with people from a different country that may hold different values and belief systems than those you hold. It is in these situations where you will develop leadership skills. Not everyone is born with natural leadership skills, but fortunately, these skills can be learned and perfected. Why not develop your leadership skills overseas?

4) Progress towards Career Goals
Whether you hope to advance your academic or professional career, studying abroad is one way you can achieve such a goal. At CUNY, many colleges offer a number of study abroad programs. Today, there are over 50 wonderful programs to choose from – there are sure to be at least a few that cater to your specific goals and needs.

5) Nurture Personal Growth
If you have been stuck in one place for too long, you may have noticed that you are constantly limited to a repetitive range of choices. Your personal growth may be stunted as a result. Studying abroad will allow you to be more independent and responsible.

If one or more of the above reasons appeals to you – studying abroad is an opportunity you should definitely look into. Why not check out some of the links below to get started?

Baruch Study Abroad
CUNY Overseas Study Programs Directory
Baruch Study Abroad – Fact Sheet

Stay tuned next week, where I will discuss safety practices for studying overseas.

Did you miss one of the articles from this series? Check them out below:
Part I: My Study Abroad Experience in Venice
Part II: Financing Your Study Abroad Experience

A presto!