Studying Abroad or in Home Country - Essay Example

Studying Abroad or In Home Country? Although it makes you far from family and friends for a long time, studying abroad is better than studying at home country because it enables a student to experience new cultures and to make friends on a global stage. Studying abroad also helps to develop skills such as independence and adaptability that are key to the job market. Statistics show that it is easier to get jobs sooner after graduation that have higher salaries if you studied abroad compared to those who studied in the home country despite the fact that no particular study validates excellent job performance for those who study abroad. Studying abroad someone is in a position to take advantage of multiple programs such as scholarships and to become better members of society as they are able to relate better with the different ethnic and cultural worldviews. Students studying abroad are able to experience new cultures. There is no better way of finding out about another culture than immersing oneself in it and studying in another country offers students that opportunity. Once one is working, holidays and experiences overseas may be limited to a short time but school offers a long enough period to gain different cultural experiences while acquiring new skills. Students studying in their home country only get to experience that of their own and miss out on how different experiences broaden one’s mind. Students studying abroad are able to make friends from different parts of the world and this gives them international connections to get jobs and funds in case they are interested in starting charitable organizations back in their home countries. There is likelihood that the universities chosen have students from the localities as well as others from all over the globe. A student who takes this to their advantage can graduate having established many lasting friendships with people from different backgrounds that can be great for networking and even future trips. The feeling of being internationally connected is a dream of many people around the globe and the best way possible to achieve this is through studying abroad. Being a part of an internationally diverse community even academic wise can enhance the quality of learning by providing a wide spectrum of opinions and expertise. Key job skills such as adaptability, global understanding and opinions, tolerance and leadership as well as independence are directly learnt by learning and living abroad. The job market today is highly competitive and it is likely to continue to so be and so students have to make a choice on how to gain competitive advantage that is strategic and that may as well be studying abroad. IES abroad studies of the abroad alumni show that employers recognize the benefits of international education and the skills it helps build. Students studying abroad are able to get jobs sooner after graduation than those others and even at higher salaries. This is according to a study that was done by the IES consortium in the year 2012 that showed that 90% students studying abroad were able to get jobs within the first 6 months after graduation. This is way higher as compared to their counterparts in a survey that was carried out by the general college graduation population that found out that only 49% of them were able to get jobs within a year of graduation. Students studying abroad are able to take advantage of multiple opportunities that present themselves. The IES abroad has committed itself to increasing diversity among college students who study abroad every year. It has partnered with different colleges in this endeavor. For instance, through partnering with non-profit Chicago scholars, it is providing scholarships of $4000 per student for tuition fee and $1000 transportation and living stipend for up to 20 scholars per academic year. Populations in American Schools are becoming increasingly representative of different ethnic groups and cultures. According to the US census bureau in 2010, approximately 30% of the US population is made up of ethnic minorities and this trend is on the rise. Developing the awareness of students and their understanding of different worldviews is important in order to prepare them with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the demands of the todays globally connected world. One area of promoting this awareness can be found in engaging in study abroad programs. Students who study abroad according to a research carried out on the cognitive advantages of studying abroad are shown to be able to generate more original ideas on both a culture specific and a general domain creativity level, as opposed to students who have not studied abroad. This experiment presented creative thinking as a function of studying abroad. Cultural experiences from living abroad present thus wide reaching benefits on the creativity of the student including the facilitation of complex cognitive processes which promote creative thinking. According to a research that surveyed 6391 people form 22 higher education institutions who had studied abroad in the last 50 years, high level of global engagement was found among them. They defined this engagement as civic, philanthropy, production of knowledge, social entrepreneurship and voluntary simplicity. They also observed generational differences with more recent graduates showing higher levels of volunteerism while the graduates of the 60’s and 70’s showed philanthropism due to their financial positions. They attributed these behaviors to studying abroad which affected their attitudes and ways of thinking. This showed that studying abroad does not just produce momentary results but its effects go as far as years into the future. Regardless of how one looks at it, studying abroad presents advantages that do not just influence the students but also reaches to the society. It would be wise therefore to consider being distanced from ones loved ones for a period of time for the overriding benefits. It is also clear that these benefits are not just cultural; they are also cognitive and even financial. Obtaining a scholarship for instance reduces the costs of studies on the student’s part. Studying abroad also brings more maturity to an individual because of the different characters they have been exposed to and parents should encourage their children to study abroad. Works cited IES Abroad (2014), international education benefits and opportunities. www.IESAbroad.org Lee Christine S., David Therriault, Tracy Linderholm. Cognitive benefits of cultural experience; exploring the relationship between studying abroad and creative thinking Tonn, Jessica L. "Studying Abroad Can Delay Students Education Attainment." Education Week 25.14 (2005): 17. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. Read More