Three Reasons why Graduates Travel Abroad Before College

After 12 years of school, most students are ready for a break, they want to try something new, but they can’t afford to lose momentum if they want to get into their desired university or get a competitive spot in the workforce. There is a way to be able to have everything and make the resume look better than it did before you graduated but without having to stay in a classroom. It requires stepping outside the comfort zone, traveling somewhere new and even learning a new language while living with strangers who want to help and encourage your endeavors.

The solution is the gap travel program, specifically designed for recent high school graduates who want to take a year-long break but don’t want to fall behind their peers. Through this program, participants are given the opportunity to live with a host family where they see and learn culture and the language from a first-hand perspective. Activities are integrated with the program to keep students busy through the day by helping the community in various ways and scheduling time to see the sights where they gain historical knowledge and visibility about what makes the country unique. The volunteer aspect of the program looks great on a resume as well as the international travel and new skill with a foreign language.

For individuals who don’t want to wait until they graduate to gain this level of experience or enhancement to their resume, the high school foreign exchange programs are the perfect opportunity. These are year-long programs which place students with vetted host families throughout their stay and provide a way for them to attend the local school. Through this, students receive a quality education while learning from a different perspective that allows them to have more than just a single point of view about the world, political issues and cultural traditions. When applying to colleges, teens and graduates are able to list their bi-lingual skills, international travel experience and provide thoughtful answers to essays and global questions. These are critical items that can make their application more competitive than others which is important when the margin is tight between applicants.

High school graduates also travel abroad in their gap year because it gives them a chance to find out what they really want to do with their future and learn about the personal skills they have when they get a chance to apply these in different situations. Whether you are feeling burnt out, need a break or need to find clarification before moving forward, participating in study abroad programs are a great way to accomplish multiple things in a single trip. Take time to research the top agencies that specialize in this type of program and start your application as soon as possible so you can travel on the time table that works for you. Not all learning takes place in the classroom and some of the best lessons are those found in real-world situations surrounded by peers and engaged in unique activities.

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