Going to college is a big decision that requires a lot of thought, especially when someone is considering a college outside of the country. There are many options for students who wish to go to a college outside of the country. The benefits of going to a college outside of the country are all the new experiences that a person can come across. It allows for students to understand how people live in different areas.

“By attending college in another country, you would see a whole new part of the world as well as experience incredible new outlooks, customs, cultures and activities,” says Gear UP advisor, Lisa Hamrick. “Other benefits include being introduced to different styles of education and the possibility of learning a foreign language.”

   The benefits of going to a college in the United States are that a U.S. citizen is already used to the society and culture of the U.S. making it easier for them to adapt.

   Going to a college in a foreign country can cause anxiety and culture shock, which may be too stressful for some people to handle. Another benefit of going to a U.S. college is that a us citizen already knows the school system such as the grading scale, the curriculum and the expectations.

   Although countries outside of the country can allow for new experiences and encounters, it can be dangerous in many ways. When people go to a foreign country, it is easy to get lost because they don’t fully know the area around them. It is also dangerous if the person does not speak the language, complicating a lot of things such as directions.

   Lisa Hamrick says, “Depending on where a student studies, there is always the danger of disease, crime, terrorism, and discrimination.”

   While U.S and U.K countries have similar teachings, things such as assignments, breaks and the length of courses can vary. For example, U.S. colleges tend to last about a year longer than U.K colleges, according to  (Internationalstudent.com). U.S. colleges also give more assignments than U.K. colleges. In the U.S., students are required to do major research papers, oral presentations and other forms of assignments throughout the semester while the U.K. relies more on lectures with only a few assignments and most of the grade depending on the final.

   Regardless of whether a person goes to college in the U.S. or another country, the costs still run high. In the U.S., the average cost of a state college for a resident is $9,139  while it’s $22,958 for anyone else (topuniversities.com). Meanwhile, the average cost of a U.K. college is £6,000, which is about $8,338, but can be up to £9,000  which is about $12,577.

   Going to college is a big decision that requires a lot of thought, especially when someone is considering a college outside of the country. There are many options for students who wish to go to a college outside of the country, these options can be viewed from (Internationalstudent.com) or the Gear UP office.