Study Away The Unauthorized Guide to College Abroad

Chapter 1 Welcome To STUDY AWAY: The Independent Guide to College Abroad This book was written by and for people like yourself. How do we know what you're like? Well, the very fact that you're reading this introduction proves that you're curious, the sort of person who might seek out new and challenging experiences. It also means that you're looking for information about colleges off the beaten path, and that's exactly what you'll find here. Study Awaywill tell you the whats, whys, wheres, and hows of going to college outside of the United States-whether you're looking to get your degree abroad, or just to visit for a semester or two. This book was independently written. We are not affiliated with any larger interest; we have not been paid by anyone to say nice things about universities. We haven't sold any ad space, we've written this book solely for students, and we've tried to be as objective as possible. You may be wondering why we have written such a book. It was Jenny's idea. After making the decision to leave the States to pursue her university education, she was frustrated to discover that there was a serious lack of college guidebooks on universities in other countries. Since she was lucky enough to know a little bit about where she wanted to go, it was easier for her to look (mainly on-line) for information. But what about the students who aren't even aware of what their options are? This book will show you the many colleges and universities outside of the U.S. that teach entirely in English, many of which follow a liberal arts curriculum and offer American degrees. There are also lots of universities in English-speaking countries that welcome American and other international students. We've highlighted the best of these universities, ones that are well established and generally much cheaper than their American counterparts. We found them through exhaustive on-line searches, by poring through hundreds of web sites and catalogs, interviewing students and administrators, and even attending a conference for study abroad counselors. We've done all the legwork so you don't have to. All you have to do is go to the bookstore and pick up a copy of our book. Call us trailblazers if you want to (although that seems a bit dramatic), or better yet, read our book and be one yourself. Happy hunting! -Mariah Balaban and Jennifer Shields WHY STUDY ABROAD? In a survey sent out to students, we posed the question, "What was your favorite aspect of going abroad?" One girl responded, "Living in Madrid, I discovered a home that was not introduced to me by my heritage, my parents, or my birth. It was solely mine. I believe that these experiences truly reflect who I am." To us, the most important aspect of living in another country is the sense of independence that it allows you. Far from home and way past the boundaries of familiarity, you can grow in ways you may have never thought possible. As one alumnus of United States International University in Nairobi put it, "The greatest benefit of multicultural exposure is the confidence one gets to mix freely with people without shying away. It helped me to start a bank at only twenty-five." So whether you've always dreamed of packing up and shipping out, or are even just the least bit curious about studying abroad, you should consider the following benefits of going to college in another country: You'll learn more. No matter what subject you're looking to get your degree in, you can benefit invaluably from an international education. Having the opportunity to live and study with students and professors from all around the world allows you to gain a truly global perspective and understanding. This is important on a personal level, but will also be very impressive to future employers or graduate scShields, Jennifer is the author of 'Study Away The Unauthorized Guide to College Abroad', published 2003 under ISBN 9781400031894 and ISBN 1400031893.