6 Reasons Why High School Study Abroad Is Worth It
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Studying abroad in high school is a significant undertaking that involves financial, safety, and emotional risks. However, alongside risk lies valuable rewards that extend beyond the student participant to their school community and family.
Let's explore the reasons to study abroad and why high school study abroad programs are worth it.
1. Discover That Travel Is the Best Teacher
Mark Twain once wrote:
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
You don’t have to be a beloved American author to understand the benefits of travel. Certainly, many of us who have been lucky enough to visit other countries can reach into our memories and find that the most meaningful ones often include our travels.
When we are in a new place, we step out of our comfort zones, meet challenges and overcome them, make new friendships with people whose lives are different from our own, and frequently find ourselves in awe and wonder.
Twain's quote reminds us that opening our perspective through travel erases prejudices and makes us more accepting and charitable. Not only will high school study abroad participants gain these fantastic benefits, but they will also echo them in their home community.
2. Make Real Connections with a Global Community
Many CIEE high school study abroad programs include a homestay, where the participant is immersed in the local lifestyle—living with a local family and attending classes with local instructors. These experiences allow the student to form deep—and often lifelong—relationships with locals. It is not uncommon for students to return to their host country to visit these friends or for the student and their local community to become hosts to them!
Watch how high school study abroad positively impacted a rural high school in Maine, from expanding global perspectives to broadening graduates' career paths.
3. Join a Cohort of Top-Performing U.S. High School Students
CIEE has a selective process for enrolling high school students in its programs. Each cohort comprises top-performing high schoolers from around the country. Together, these cohorts form close relationships as they experience life in a new culture far from home.
The high school graduation rate and college attendance rate of CIEE participants is 100%. High school study abroad leads to measurable results that elevate families and school communities.
4. Achieve Language Fluency Faster
Growth in CIEE's high school summer abroad language & culture programs is measured before and after the participants embark on their trip, and the results are remarkable. Just one month of immersion-based learning is equivalent to one year of traditional high school language class experience.
Participating in a high school study abroad program also provides an intimate understanding of the rhythm of daily life, family dynamics, local customs, and traditions. By celebrating local holidays alongside locals and having guided excursions to important sites, students get to appreciate their host country’s heritage, which also assists in their language learning.
5. Gain Access to Service-Learning Opportunities
Service-learning is a large part of the CIEE mission of aligning with high school learning goals. Not only do charitable acts benefit the foreign community where students serve, but most CIEE students who participate in our service-learning abroad programs return home more motivated to get involved in their local communities.
Check out what service-learning with CIEE is like.
6. Learn Applicable Skills for a Future Career
Our high school study abroad topic programs allow students to live in a country known for the industry they seek to learn more about. For example, studying abroad in Costa Rica means that during their program, a participant can focus on sustainability as Costa Rica is a country famous for pioneering policies and practices that prioritize environmental conservation.
Studying abroad in high school creates deep roots in a foreign country that can lead to future opportunities. Learning a foreign language, understanding the culture, and having local connections widen participants' opportunities in that country when they are ready to enter the workforce.
Watch how one CIEE student went from a semester abroad in Japan to living and working there!
Bonus: Secure Your Spot in Top Colleges
High school study abroad graduates also enroll in top colleges. Their unique international experience gives them a leg up against other candidates with impressive communication skills, fluency in a second language, and a unique global perspective among their peers. CIEE graduates have been admitted to Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, NYU, and UC Berkeley, among other prestigious institutions.
Discover All the High School Study Abroad Options Available
Next time you ask yourself “Is study abroad worth it?” when thinking about your teen’s travel plans next year, we hope you keep the above potential benefits in mind!
Learn more about all CIEE high school study abroad programs.