Studying Abroad Can Be an Expensive Waste of Time - Room for Debate

I got a little inflamed by this “study abroad waste of time” business. So inflamed I wrote a long response to this article… and sent that response to the NYT…
Here it is:

While I agree with some of the opinions stated by Chin, I think the association of his opinions to study abroad is misguided and I have apportioned my responses to counter his main arguments with my own.

“Study abroad is not essential to a good education or to helping one better understand the changing world we live in.” I agree that study abroad is not essential to a good education however I disagree that that it is not essential to helping understand the changing world. Yes one may study the history of foreign countries, observe their cultures by film, and learn the current events of the world, but one cannot fully understand a culture or a place by studying it remotely. Nothing compares to the amount you learn about a foreign country and yourself when you study there. Later Chin says that “education is about instilling knowledge, increasing opportunities, and opening the eyes of young people.” Study abroad accomplishes these goals and while an education in the United States can accomplish them as well, study abroad makes these goals, and the entire world, so much more accessible to students.

“It can also be a waste of time, or simply a good time, for an unfocused - and privileged - high school or university student” and later he adds: “even the best programs will do little for an unmotivated student”
This is also true however it is also accurate that even the best high school and collegiate programs in the United States will do little for an unmotivated student, so this is an inconsequential argument against study abroad. By that same argument, an unmotivated and unfocused student shouldn’t bother applying to college either. Perhaps a study abroad program could cause an “unmotivated” student to have more excitement for knowledge and life experience, because it is education presented in an exciting new way from that to which he or she is accustomed.

“We should focus on improving the US education system for all instead of widening a gap between those with the means to study abroad and those without”
Of course we should focus on improving the US education system, and making good education more accessible for all. As things stand now, if you have the means to be enrolled in college, you have the means to be enrolled in a study abroad program. I know many students for whom, study abroad was equal or even less than the cost of university tuition. Furthermore, there are countless scholarships and financial aid options and the type of “focused,” “motivated” student that Chin exalts, and the vast majority of students will be able to find a solution.

“the value of the experience comes down to motivation, attitude, and a given program’s quality”
Personally, during my time studying abroad I gained priceless and incomparable life experience, that I do not believe I could ever have gained in smalltown Massachusetts, or at my home university. This is not to undermine my university and the value it has in my life in any way, but comparing my education in the US to my education in France is truly comparing apples to oranges. I went abroad with Academic Programs International, and I believe whole-heartedly in the excellent quality of the program that made study abroad an indescribably significant time in my life that was so unique it could never be recreated in the United States. Therefore, I concede this point to Chin; however as I stated before, the case is no different for the academic experience in the United States.

“A business school student once asked me, “Which language should I study?” My answer: English.[…] I would rather that American students, including those with English as their first and only language, mastered English, including how to write a resume and a business letter and give a presentation”
Of course, it is imperative that students, especially university students, master the english language and perfect these skills, but again, a motivated student can master these skills as well as learn a different language. Why should a student be so limited as to only consider one language? A student benefits the most from having many skills, not merely one. Multilingualism is perhaps not necessary for success, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. That isn’t to say necessarily that learning a language will put you on the fast track to a six figure salary, but it does lead to a richer intelligence and understanding of the world. This statement suggests that learning a second language would be a waste of time, but if we, as a nation want our students to benefit the most from their education, a second language is an extremely valuable way to do that.

My core values of education align quite a bit with Chin’s, however while he believes that study abroad is irrelevant to these values, I earnestly disagree because I myself benefited immensely from Study Abroad and I believe that all other students will also benefit in some way.