Study abroad in college?

Question

I'm going to attend a Cal State in August and have always wanted to study abroad in Barcelona.

Does anyone know how the whole process for studying abroad works?

Answer 1

Depends on your major. I just went to Madrid this summer. Usually, you will do either a study abroad for a few weeks with a group, probably during your school break or during summer, or you can do a semester abroad probably as an individual.

For study abroad: The schools usually go through a travel company so you get  better deal. You will pay for tuition  plus travel plus personal expenses. You will get college credit in exchange...you may have to do some course work such as a paper when you return. I will give you a little bit of my personal experience and insight:

If your not going to, say, graduate early because of the study abroad (the reason I did it)....I suggest you take a different route- GO ON YOUR OWN! Save up the money and take a few friends, backpack over Europe and meet some scholars on your own. I spent $4500 to earn six college credits in the visual arts. I was stuck with a group, on some days we went on monotonous boring tours that we were rushed through and on other days we were on our own in a small town with no excitement. If I went on my own, I would have traveled at my own pace, saw what I WANTED to see, and would not have been annoyed for two weeks by whiny fellow classmates.

If you choose to do a semester abroad, however, you might be in a better boat because you would be on your own. People in other countries, or at least in Spain from my experience, are not fond of American's ESP large groups of loud students. I fared better walking around the cities on my own rather than sticking with my group.

Just a little insight from my experience. Everyone is different. Everyone has different experiences. You can check some of our pictures and comments at www.usavab.blogspot.com

Answer 2

They should have a study abroad office on campus. Go ask them. That way, if it's different from other schools you won't be lead astray.