Thinking About Study Abroad as a Freshman
Most students who study abroad go during their junior year, but the best time to start thinking about study abroad is when you’re a freshman.
PLANNING
It leaves plenty of time for dreaming about where you want to go, why you want to go, and to start planning your next few years to figure out when you should go. It also leaves you time to apply for scholarships and come up with a savings plan.
POTENTIAL BARRIERS
You can start thinking about what you feel might hold you back too, and talk to us about some strategies to eliminate these road blocks. You might worry about getting your parents on board with the idea. You might worry about how study abroad can fit in with your major or with sports commitments. You might worry about the money.
MONEY
Money can be a big barrier. We know that. Study abroad is a financial commitment not to be taken lightly. We also believe that study abroad should be accessible. We keep our prices as low as possible, offer scholarships, and accept financial aid.
SCHOLARSHIPS & INCLUSION
We also have Peter. He’s our Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Specialist, and he’s building a hub of resources specifically for you if you’re a first-generation student, have high financial needs, have a disability, have mental health concerns, are a minority students, are a student of color, are part of the LGBTQ+ community, or if religion is something to take into account in your decision to go abroad.
SUPPORT & INFORMATION
If study abroad is on your mind, you’ll want to talk to a few people: your family, and your school’s study abroad office. You can also always talk to us. You’ll want to gather information to understand the application process and requirements. And you’ll want to get your family on your side so they can help support you in any way they can, whether that is emotionally, financially, practically, or otherwise.
PASSPORTS
Something else you can act on during freshmen year: Get a passport! You’ll need one. And if you have one, check the expiry date because you’ll need it to be valid for six months after you return. Apply now and it will last you 10 years.
DREAMS
Now, put your dreaming hat on. Visualize yourself twirling your fork in a fresh heap of pasta in Rome, looking out the window of your classroom in Sorrento to see the sea, tapping your foot to live music in Dublin, heading down to Patagonia for break week from Buenos Aries… Find out what excites you. Head over to Instagram for some inspiration. Or ask us to put you in touch with our alumni to hear about their first-hand experience.
CONSIDERATIONS
You’ll want to consider cost of living, whether classes will count toward your major, any volunteer or internship opportunities, the size of the city or town you’re considering, ways you can explore your interests there, the type of accommodation, language differences, where else you can travel, how diverse or inclusive it will be, the weather, and anything else that is important to you.
CAREER PERKS
Did you know that 90% of students who studied abroad find a job within a year of graduation compared to 49% of graduates who don’t study abroad? And their salaries are also $7,000 higher.
Study abroad helps differentiate you. You’ll be one of less than 2% of Americans who take on this grand adventure. And in a globalized world like ours, you’ll stand out to employers who value international experience and the skills it will help you develop.
WHY ASA?
We might not be the best match for you. There are a lot of study abroad providers to choose from. But then again, maybe we are.
We’re a small company to leave room for individual attention and flexibility. We’re family-owned and a genuinely passionate bunch when it comes to travel. We’ve been sending students abroad for 24 years. We believe study abroad should be accessible. We offer courses in English because, as much as we love watching you learn a new language, we don’t think a barrier should hold you back. We support you from the time you start considering going abroad to the time you return and beyond.
We’ve all studied abroad and/or traveled extensively, and we know just how life-changing it can be. That’s why we work in this field! And our goal is to see you return home feeling like you’ve had the best experience of your life.