After the university entrance exams, there are a few weeks of uncertainty about which path to choose: Vocational Training, Professional Certificates or University degree . In many cases, young people want to leave home to continue their education and, in addition, live the experience of being independent.
A study by the consultancy firm Círculo Formación revealed a striking fact: 3 out of 4 high school students were not sure which degree they would study . However, despite these doubts, what they are quite clear about is that their future is at university.
According to the data from this study, carried out among the 17,300 students who attended the Unitour University Orientation Fair, 24% of students are clear about the degree they are going to study, but 76% are undecided between several options.
When you think about whether to leave home to pursue higher education, the aspects you should consider are the following:
Budget: this is the main point. Studying abroad in Spain will cost you at least 6,000 euros per course. This amount will increase depending on the city chosen, whether you are going to study in a public or private centre and the type of accommodation (residence, shared flat, etc.). To this you have to add the common expenses of any university student: registration, school supplies, meals, etc.
Responsibilities: managing money, food and housekeeping are some of the commitments you take on when you go abroad to study. Some of you get carried away by leisure, which ends up costing you the course, a good amount of money and even the abandonment of your degree.
Adaptation : Most of you cope well with moving and adapt quickly to new circumstances. However, there is a small percentage that does not adapt at all or takes longer and ends up missing their family and friends. It is important that you at least control your environment so that this adaptation is as quick and easy as possible. The first step is to organize the room. If you live in a shared apartment, you should establish rules with your roommates for common areas. Then you should explore the neighborhood to see where the supermarket, the doctor or public transportation is.
Ok, you have already weighed up the pros and cons of this decision and you want to become part of that percentage that leaves home to continue studying. So...
Although beginnings are never easy, the benefits of changing cities and/or countries can be summarized in 9 points:
1. Learn a language easily and almost naturally: if you go to a country where brazil mobile phone numbers database another language is spoken, you will be forced to apply it. Even if you don't have a previous knowledge, with a little effort you can maintain basic conversations with natives in a short time. In addition, you will take the subjects in that language and you will also take exams, which will reinforce the written, oral and reading level.
2. Expand your network of friends: at university and/or residence hall/college you will meet many young people in the same situation as you, something that will bring you closer together. Not only will you make friends, but you also never know which of those friends, due to the twists and turns of life, will end up being partners, clients or important contacts for your future professional development.
3. Manage your time efficiently: you will have to be more productive and you will learn to work under pressure . By leaving your comfort zone, you become a more independent person, with a much more strategic way of thinking. In addition, you learn to work as a team.
4. Interact with different teaching methods : you will benefit from attending classes at a prestigious university with professors and researchers of recognized quality. You will be able to compare the advantages and disadvantages of different educational systems, which have different criteria and ways of thinking.
5. Learn about other cultures firsthand: Knowing how another place thinks, eats, acts, speaks and works creates a broader spectrum of how the globalized world works. Interacting with members of that culture will help you truly understand their customs and thoughts.
6. Changing your paradigm : learning about other lifestyle habits will change your preconceived ideas and concepts. Being in a world very different from your own will allow you to rethink your beliefs, values and points of view. You will gain a long-term perspective and work in a way you were not used to.
7. Grow as a person: Enjoying a unique personal experience will help you mature and improve your self-confidence. You have to learn to fend for yourself in a strange environment, and that is worth a lot of credits in the university of life.
8. Broaden your career horizons: Having experience of this nature will add a plus to your CV , as it shows a proficiency in the foreign language (if you studied in another country) and added maturity. All of this opens up opportunities for you to work in other countries, or to find better job alternatives when you return to your place of origin.
9. Advance in your specialty: you will broaden the geographical perspective of your studies and your teaching methods, especially if you are a philologist or have opted for business. An international experience teaches you many basic skills such as the ability to summarize, communicate an idea or sell yourself.
university survival kit
A priori, going to another city to study is a very attractive offer for any student. However, it has its dangers:
Time to adapt to the customs of the new home. It will not be easy to assume some of them.
Periods in which you will miss your city, home, family and friends.
Studying abroad requires several requirements and bureaucratic procedures, such as filling out the corresponding applications, obtaining visas to enter and stay in the destination country, passing certain language or subject tests. In addition, you must be well informed about the procedures for homologation or validation of qualifications in your country of origin.
Studying abroad can be quite expensive, but don't be discouraged if you don't have all the resources. There are other options such as scholarships, grants, discounts, loans, or work-study programs.