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Mentor Advice

Question

How can I make sure that I will graduate from college on time if I study abroad?

4 Replies from Mentors

  • mentor picture Peter
     
    Peter
    Junior Year Student
    Fairfield University
    Meet with your academic advisor and inform them of your plans immediately. Then seek information...
    Meet with your academic advisor and inform them of your plans immediately. Then seek information from other students who’ve done the same thing that you are trying to.
  • mentor picture Michael
     
    Michael
    Junior Year Student
    Loyola Marymount University
    Be sure to check with your academic advisor and registrar’s office before signing up for classes...
    Be sure to check with your academic advisor and registrar’s office before signing up for classes to make sure that your classes will transfer over to your school. Be sure to take any classes available that will count for your major. Your semester abroad can also be an opportunity to take more fun classes that you wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to take, and will count as upper division electives. As long as you are taking a full load of classes while abroad and are prepared to take full loads once you return home, studying abroad should not keep you from graduating on time.
  • mentor picture Irene
     
    Irene
    Junior Year Film Production Major
    Loyola Marymount University
    This is something to be discussed with your academic advisor. If your major is extremely intensive...
    This is something to be discussed with your academic advisor. If your major is extremely intensive then maybe there is a study abroad program specifically for students with your major. If not then look for a program that offers a lot of core classes so that you can still meet your school requirements. Summer study abroad programs are also great because it allows you to only take one or two classes and really focus more on your new environment.
  • mentor picture Kimberly
     
    Kimberly
    Senior Year Student
    Loyola Marymount University
    First you need to get informational materials either from your universities’ study abroad office...
    First you need to get informational materials either from your universities’ study abroad office or from the program/university where you wish to take classes. Once you acquire that, see whether the program offers classes you need to fulfill your major, minor, or general education courses. If you find that the classes will count, you can start planning what year and semester you want to study abroad. My advice is to be very careful in making sure that the classes count. Go to both your academic advisor and the study abroad advisor to make sure that you will graduate on time.