College may be the most optimal time in life to gain beneficial learning experiences, however, when it comes to studying overseas, the experience you gain from it is invaluable. More people are realizing this and are looking at a list of the top caribbean medical schools to see if they would be better off studying there rather than the US. This just shows that Pierce College should have more study abroad programs.
While college is the beginning of independence for early adults, most at Pierce College have lived in the valley their whole lives and still live with their parents. This takes a tad bit away from the independence factor.
Studying overseas gives community college students the rare opportunity of gaining brief independence.
As we get older our window of opportunity starts to dwindle. In a couple of years some may have their careers set with no time to spare. A chance to live in another country may never present itself again.
At Pierce, our choices are limited. We have three study abroad programs: French, Spanish, and most recently Art in Italy. While a European expedition sounds exciting, there are many different types of studies in various countries for people to consider.
We could have a business program where students could study in China or Japan, or an economics program in Qatar, the richest country in the world according to Forbes. There, students could study what makes the Middle-Eastern country the wealthiest. Also we could have a Veterinary Science program in Africa, where students can study the animals that roam the savannah.
According to Mary M. Dwyer and Courtney K. Peters at iesabroad.org, 70 percent of intern respondents reported that studying abroad ignited interest in a career direction pursued after the experience. In addition, 83 percent said that it allowed them to acquire skill sets that influenced their career path, compared to 75 percent who did not intern.
Expenses, may be the biggest factor in why students cannot study abroad. If there was a financing plan where students pay a certain amount of money a month, it would make the decision to study abroad easier.
Failure to pay the mandatory fees can be similar to tuition negligence, where you cannot see your grades, register for classes or graduate and transfer.
Young college students are in the prime of their lives. With the addition of more overseas studies, it will allow students to take full advantage of their youth. Ultimately, it will be an everlasting memory of a adventurous college ride.