It is important to draw justification for a study abroad program from the college/university mission statement. Look for excerpts from mission statements and senior level administration for internationalizing the curriculum, developing students with a global perspective, preparing students for a global workforce, etc.

Write a mission statement for study abroad that makes it a priority to integrate international education services into the foundation of the college/university mission. A study abroad office mission includes an academic enhancement role and student support services. It is essential to include with your mission statement, some measurable intended outcomes for study abroad. Your statements of intended outcomes will guide your policies and practice.

It is also important to understand that every institution invests dollars and staff in endeavors that support and enhance the institutional mission and outcomes. Just as we see different levels of support for campus housing on various campuses, we also see different levels of support for international education.

Study abroad has long been considered an elective or “luxury” experience and thus has not been tied to the core values (and therefore finances) of most institutions. The closer you correlate study abroad with institutional priorities, the more leverage you will have in gaining support for your endeavors.

An example of a campus mission statement that is easily identifiable with education abroad.

Mission Statement:

We educate students to put the liberal arts into action as citizens in a global society.

And they go on to describe their core values as:

Academic Excellence, Diversity, Equity, and Shared Governance, Education of the Entire Person, Adherence to Common Ethical and Moral Standards Community Service and Global Citizenship, Environmental Stewardship.

This makes it easy to integrate study abroad into the core values of the institution.

Another example of a university mission statement is:

Our mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world.

However, some university mission statements require a little more work to integrate international education into the core values. For example consider the following mission statement

Our mission is to discover, create, transmit, and apply knowledge to address the needs of individuals and society. This mission is accomplished through instruction, which communicates the knowledge and values and imparts the skills necessary for individuals to lead responsible, productive, and personally satisfying lives; through research, scholarship, and creative activities, which advance knowledge and enhance the educational process; and through public service, which contributes to the solution of societal problems and enriches the quality of life in the State.

And yet other university mission statements do not lend themselves easily to integrating international education as a core value.

Our mission as a multipurpose public institution is to develop educated persons of inquiring, creative, and disciplined intelligence to be competent in careers that are fulfilling and to be socially responsible contributors to society. This University strives, therefore, to graduate people on the bachelor’s and master’s level who have had sound education in the arts and sciences and relevant specialized training built upon that base.

A study abroad office mission statement can also come in many diverse forms and visions. The following mission statement is an example of a diverse vision:

The Office for Study Abroad promotes opportunities for global education to all eligible students in order for them to gain an understanding of other countries, regions, languages, and cultures through direct overseas experience.

Some universities have taken the approach of being very explicit about their connection to the institution’s core values:

In support of the University’s mission to “promote the process of lifelong learning from both global and integrative perspectives,” the Office for Study Abroad offers international education opportunities to students through the University’s overseas study centers, international exchange partners, and affiliated organizations. As an extension of the University’s academic program, we promote academic excellence and provide access to high quality international education programs in expanding geographic destinations to serve a diverse student population representing a wide array of academic disciplines. As educators, we facilitate the academic, personal, professional, and intercultural development of students through the programs and services we provide.

And one more example of a carefully crafted mission statement that not only integrates international education into the university core value, but also sets criteria and objectives for policy:

We are a world leader in research, teaching, and public engagement. Many hands – at home and abroad – make it so, and many benefit. Study abroad is one of the ways in which our students and others build and benefit from our University’s international engagement.

Our mission is to provide and facilitate a range of study and education opportunities abroad consonant in breadth and quality with on-campus curricula, offered for short or long duration according to curricular objectives and in consideration of students’ obligations, at a range of costs and with opportunities for scholarship or subvention such that study abroad opportunity is available to all students in good standing. Attention to students’ health, safety, and well-being abroad underlies all other considerations.

Our intention is that through study abroad we and our partners prepare students for global citizenship, guiding them to a greater understanding of world and domestic cultures and encouraging them to share that understanding with their hosts abroad and communities at home; that students gain or enhance area, linguistic, subject, and cultural knowledge and competence; that students contribute to their host communities; and that students emerge wiser and more engaged citizens

About the Author:
Study Abroad Europe – Global Learning Semesters offers study abroad programs for American and Canadian students in Europe. Our study abroad programs include courses in Belize, Cyprus, UK, France, Spain, Europe, Mexico, Argentina, India & China.

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Think About Location

One of the quickest and easiest ways to narrow down the schools you want to apply to involves thinking about location. If you already live in the U.S., you can start by deciding whether you want to attend an in-state out-of-state college.

School Reputation

School reputation is an important consideration for any student, but it is especially important for fields like business, medicine, and law. When searching for a college, it is a good idea to find out what the school’s reputation is in your field of interest. This will increase your chance of getting a good job after college.

Campus Life

Because you will be attending college for some time, it is a good idea to find out what type of life you will have outside the classroom. In other words, what kind of activities and facilities will be available to you? If you can’t network or take part in the world around you, the time you spend at college will seem very long indeed.

Cost

Tuition. It’s what keeps many people from attending or even applying to college. Still, you shouldn’t be too quick to write off a particular school because you think it is too expensive. Some schools offer generous financial aid packages to their students. As a result, you might end up spending less out of pocket at a school with high tuition than you would at a school with more reasonable tuition.

Try to Find a Good Match

Finally, when searching for a college, it is essential that you find a school that is a good match for you. For example, if you have low SAT scores or questionable transcripts, you may not want to apply for a college that only accepts applicants with above average SAT scores and 3.5 grade point averages.

Visit gradwise.org for a list of Recommended University & College Search Sites. We maintain a list of reputable college and university search websites online.

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The time comes when every parent has to assist their child in making the right choice of university or college. This all important decision should not be left until the last moment but requires considerable time, thought, and research. When you consider the fact that three to four years of your child’s life plus an investment of thousands of dollars into his/her education is required, it is prudent to get involved as a parent.

So how do you ensure that you’re making the right decision?

The first thing that parents need to do is know your child. You should know what his interests and gifting are. If your child loves the Arts, then you cannot be, or should not be forcing him to pursue the Sciences. You should also know whether or not your teen works best independently or in a group setting; or whether he learns better in a small classroom setting. Is your teen easily distracted and lacks self-discipline or is he focused and disciplined? All these factors will play a major part in your choice of college or university.

Secondly, much research has to be done on the programs that your child is interested in and compare and contrast each college/university’s offering of that program. Which ones are best geared towards his career goals and which subjects are a better fit for what he’s interested in.

Thirdly, cost is usually a significant factor in coming to a decision. Therefore, after narrowing the choices down based on the first two factors, you must compare the cost of your child studying at one particular college as against another. In addition to tuition, your finances will determine whether or not your child can attend a local college/university or one away from home. Can he attend the more expensive Ivy League university or will it be more affordable for him to attend an equally reputable but less expensive one?

Fourthly, it is also a good thing to consider campus spirit as you’d want your teen to enjoy campus life. What clubs does each university/college offer and what opportunities are there for self-development or for community service?

Lastly, it is good to visit the various campuses and get a feel of the environment in which your teen will be. On campus tours, you’ll meet professors and lecturers and hear directly from them on their accessibility.

This is indeed one of the most exciting times in a parents and teens life and after all the research is done, both parties should feel comfortable and happy with the decision made.

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Education is the greatest gift that parents can give to their children. This is the best gift that children should treasured for the rest of their lives. While there are educational opportunities all around us, some of them come at a bigger price than others. An education in a college university might need a heavy investment of time and funds upfront but the payoff is a lot much better more than time than if you used your life experiences to be able to achieve the very same amount of education that you simply can pack into 2, 4, or 5 years of an undergraduate training on the higher education level.

For continuing education, everyone must precede college with their chosen course. This is important to complete a college graduate degree. One might think that a college degree costs a high-quality amount of money, but that is just in the beginning. After completing the college, with a degree in hand, one can easily find a good job. If you will be able to have a good job, absolutely the pay will also be great. Apparently you will be experiencing a lot of sacrifices along the way but it isn’t an all at once or nothing attempt. You are able to work for your diploma by attending on the internet classes, night classes, and Saturday classes. The detailed period has produced it easier than ever before to achieve the learning goals you need to assemble so that you can assure your dreams for your future.

Upon entering college, SAT test is given to assess your knowledge in every specific subject. This is a standard aptitude test in every college universities. Math, english, history and some reading and writing comprehension are the subjects involve in SAT. This is not necessary for some university but they require a special test for the student. You should be focused on SAT subject test preparation because this is very stressful and this will involve your critical and logical thinking. Be serious in the test preparation because this will cause you different temptations while in the process. Avoid being distracted to stressful stimuli. Always think positive in you day to day activities, in this way you could gain self confidence and trust in yourself.

Talking about the LSAT change, you will then find satisfactory evaluation from the college universities as this offers a standard test in every student. The college universities will then find a guide to work on new facts from the changes of their admission tests.

There is no wrong reason to have an education and learning. You should take each opportunity which is available to you. Being in a college university is very important. In this way, you can continue to pursue your goals and achieve for it. You could gain a more knowledge and acquire more skills. Just do focused on SAT subject test preparation and be aware of the LSAT change. Your scope of preparation will determine how you strive for your excellence. Remember that money is not hindrance to your success as long as you have the determination to follow your dreams.

Nancy D. Smith enjoys writing educational materials like SAT subject test prep and LSAT change and other related fields.

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