Letter to the Editor: Studying abroad is affordable


opinion

TO THE EDITOR:

As a Central Michigan University and study abroad alumnus who first went to the study abroad office seeking low-cost options relevant to my major, found one, and then completed a semester in South Korea the first half of my senior year, I disagree with many of the claims made in your recent editorial "Mission Improbable."

The program I completed in South Korea would have been cheaper than a semester at CMU even without the generous scholarships I received from study abroad, my department, the Honors Program and my college. These included scholarships offered through CMU but funded by private benefactors, such as the G. William Quine Scholarship and the Dennis Thavenet Study Abroad Scholarship.

The figure your editorial board cited concerning the cost of an average semester abroad came from IIE, not CMU, and when I considered my options I remember that figure being high-end rather than median. In fact, one of the first questions my study adviser asked was whether I was concerned about the price tag. Generally speaking, CMU serves a student population of more modest means for many of whom a $17,000 semester abroad is no small expense. I can attest from my own experience that the study abroad office is nothing if not aware of this.

Further, the board writes that "specific, upper level classes needed for some majors will not be offered by many undergraduate programs." This statement is true but misleading. Even in my junior and senior years, I had degree and University Requirements requirements to fulfill, as do many others. As an English and history major, I found a plenitude of programs giving appropriate courses. I took a British drama course in Korea which was its own strange and interesting experience.

One problem your board correctly identified, I think, but failed to dwell upon was that many students might not consider studying abroad until their junior or senior years. It is not wise, easy or advisable to study abroad on a whim. Students who consider studying abroad as freshmen and sophomores and plan to study abroad as juniors and seniors can work early with university advisers to stack their schedules and prepare financially. The office campaigns tirelessly to get people in the door to talk, but editorials of this tone and attitude don't help the cause.

I'll finish by saying that I would not be where I am now, which is exactly where I want to be in my life, if I hadn't studied abroad. And I probably wouldn't have been able to study abroad had it not been for a little luck and a lot of support.

BEN HARRIS

Fulbright Grantee

Allen Park

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