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What may not have been popular a decade ago is now all the craze. With big name CEOs and fortune 500 companies telling publications like Entrepreneur and Forbes reasons why they would jump on the opportunity to hire a graduate that has studied and/or worked abroad. There is no better time like the present to jump on the band wagon to reap the advantages of studying abroad.
Top 8 Advantages of Studying Abroad
1. Forge An Adventure
Add a little color to your life. Get away from the same monotonous routine and chart a new path. Meet new people, explore new lands and venture where you have never been. That is where the stories take shape. When you return home, you will be the center of attention and the life of the party.
2. Now Is The Time: It Will Never Be Easier To Travel
Invest in your future self. Studying abroad offers tremendous benefits at an opportune time. Once you graduate college, you are likely to land your first job in the field you studied. Working up the ladder, it is not likely you will be allotted an extended period of time off to travel and explore. This is the moment to take advantage of your situation and get more out of travel than just a few pictures on your camera. Three months to a year, the programs differ, but the advantages of studying abroad are the same. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Soon enough the real world will come knocking and it will be tricky to scrounge up more than two weeks at any given time to go on holiday.
3. Network and Make New Friends
Nervous about what you will miss at home while you are away? Don’t be. With the conveniences of modern technologies like Skype, WhatsApp and Instagram, it is more likely than not that your friends and family will be living vicariously through your amazing experiences. Not to mention, those same friends you are afraid will move on with their lives without you will still be there. I assure you.
One of the great study abroad benefits is the incredible opportunity to meet other like-minded students in your program, instructors and businessmen alike. At GBSB Global Business School, students have numerous opportunities to connect with professionals working in the field of the students’ particular area of study. This helps expand potential job prospects after graduation.
With over 80+ nationalities represented at GBSB Global, everyone is in the same mix together. That is what makes our school so vastly unique and one of our biggest selling points, our diversity. Our graduates have testified over and over again that the amazing connections they have fostered across the world over the years have spurred on lifelong friendships and abundant colleagues motivated to help you succeed.
4. Experience A New Destination on the Map
Have you ever dreamed of studying abroad in Spain? Why not Barcelona or Madrid? Of course your studies come first, but why not take the weekend to explore and arrange trips to other cities and countries in and around Europe?
Your study abroad experience will allow you the opportunity to see a variety of new places. Never before has it been so easy to get up and go. With cheap airlines and train travel at your fingertips, why not get out there and go, fly to Paris and climb the Eiffel Tower or head to Florence and sip wine in Tuscany. The journey is yours to create.
5. Expand Your Global Perspective
What does study abroad mean? It means exactly this. Get out of your comfort zone and gain a new perspective on life by living in a foreign country, experiencing new customs, hearing and learning a different language and being inquisitive about the differences that might exist. Studying abroad provides you with the opportunity to gain an altered view, not only on academic subjects but also on the way of life. Whether you adjust to afternoon siestas in Spain or not, studying abroad lets you look at yourself, your world, and your studies from a different vantage point. Challenging your limitations and your worldview are a natural extension of long-term travel and living abroad.
6. Further Your Studies
We call it study abroad for a reason. It is not all about the live out loud adventures, but it also does require commitment to academia. One of the best reasons to study abroad is to further your academic studies and professional career opportunities in an incredible, immersive way. Pursue the field of your interest and get a global education. Our faculty at GBSB Global is as diverse as our students and is a huge asset to our student body. Not to mention, our professors are practicing professionals as well, bringing insight from the real world into the classroom. Nowhere else can you further your studies more productively than at GBSB Global for this reason. Learn the trends from the leaders in business and navigate your career with greater ease.
7. Get Ahead of the Pack
While this should not be the only reason you study abroad, it may factor in your decision making process. The study abroad experience does set you ahead of your peers in the eyes of graduate schools and prospective employers. The advantages of studying abroad demonstrate your sense of adventure, independence, cultural sensitivity and worldliness. Upon returning home, make sure to update your CV to reflect this momentous experience studying abroad.
A tidbit of interesting information... did you know study abroad students are more likely to land a job out of college? Research shows that "97% of study abroad students found employment within 12 months of graduation when only 49% of college graduates found employment in the same period." And, 90% of them got the job in 6 months! This isn't merely based on the findings in the US where jobs may be more abundant; a study done in the UK also supports these same conclusions.
It is not only the job but the salary that should turn your head. Students who have studied abroad have also been reported to earn 25% higher starting salaries compared to their cohorts. Salary aside, students who have experienced studying abroad reported that they were more comfortable adapting to a variety of work environments and handling diverse situations.
8. Challenge Yourself and Grow
Probably one of the best things about studying abroad -- even if it is not so often talked about, is the fact that the studying abroad experience forces you to push your boundaries and challenge yourself in ways you never thought possible. You will learn to adapt to your new surroundings, gain invaluable life skills and change and grow as a person. You will not be the same person you were when you left, and that’s terrific.
What’s holding you back? Do you have questions? Let one of our Admissions Representatives help you navigate your study abroad experience. Contact us today to get more information!
