Dispelling the Myths of Going Abroad
1. In the U.S. jobs are better and I can make more money here than elsewhere, so going abroad
while in college is not worth it.
While focus is often placed on the "romantic" experience of visiting another culture in
discussions about the benefits of study abroad, there has been some research that shows that
study abroad experience has a quantitatively positive net effect on students. A study conducted
from 2006-2010 showed that--during a period when only 49% of the average population of
college graduates found a job within one year of graduation--98% of students with study abroad
experience had found employment within one year. Students with study abroad experience
reported starting salaries 25% higher than the general student population.[31]
http://www.professionalintern.com/bottleneck-effect-looking-study-abroad-job-competitiveness
http://markmanson.net/work-overseas
World Bank (2005–2012)[3] [hide]
Rank
Country
Intl. $ Year
1
Luxembourg
91,388 2012
—
87,765 2012
Macau
2
3
4
5
6
—
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Qatar
83,460
65,640
Norway
61,803
Singapore
53,367
Switzerland
Brunei
53,348
51,946
Hong Kong
United States
49,965
Kuwait
45,455
Australia
44,598
44,208
Austria
Ireland
43,592
43,198
Netherlands
Sweden
43,180
Canada
42,533
42,086
Denmark
United Arab Emirates 42,080
Germany
40,901
39,788
Belgium
Finland
38,655
37,852
Iceland
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2011
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2. It’s not safe to go abroad. (Data from nationmaster.com)
Crime Statistics > Total crime victims (most recent) by country
DEFINITION: People victimized by crime (as a % of the total population). Data refer to people victimized by one or more of 11
crimes recorded in the survey: robbery, burglary, attempted burglary, car theft, car vandalism, bicycle theft, sexual assault, theft
from car, theft of personal property, assault and threats. Crime statistics are often better indicators of prevalence of law enforcement
and willingness to report crime, than actual prevalence.
VIEW DATA: Totals
Definition Source
Bar Graph
Showing latest available data.
Rank
Countries
Amount
#1
Australia:
30.1%
#2
New Zealand:
29.4%
#3
United Kingdom:
26.4%
#4
Netherlands:
25.2%
#5
Sweden:
24.7%
#6
Italy:
24.6%
#7
Canada:
23.8%
#8
Saint Kitts and Nevis:
23.2%
#9
Malta:
23.1%
# 10
Denmark:
# 11
Poland:
22.7%
= 12
Belgium:
21.4%
23%
Map
Printable version
Correlations
Rank
Countries
Amount
= 12
France:
21.4%
# 14
Slovenia:
21.2%
# 15
United States:
21.1%
# 16
Finland:
19.1%
# 17
Austria:
18.8%
# 18
Switzerland:
18.2%
# 19
Portugal:
15.5%
# 20
Japan:
15.2%
Weighted average:
22.4%
Crime Statistics > Prisoners > Per capita (most recent) by country
DEFINITION: Data for 2003. Number of prisoners held per 100,000 population.
VIEW DATA: Totals
Definition Source
Bar Graph
Showing latest available data.
Rank
Countries
Amount
#1
United States:
715 per 100,000 people
#2
Russia:
584 per 100,000 people
#3
Belarus:
554 per 100,000 people
#4
Palau:
523 per 100,000 people
#5
Belize:
459 per 100,000 people
#6
Suriname:
437 per 100,000 people
#7
Dominica:
420 per 100,000 people
#8
Ukraine:
416 per 100,000 people
#9
Bahamas, The:
410 per 100,000 people
# 10
South Africa:
402 per 100,000 people
# 11
Kyrgyzstan:
390 per 100,000 people
# 12
Singapore:
388 per 100,000 people
# 13
Kazakhstan:
386 per 100,000 people
Map
Printable version
Correlations
Rank
Countries
Amount
# 14
Barbados:
367 per 100,000 people
# 15
Panama:
354 per 100,000 people
# 16
Trinidad and Tobago:
351 per 100,000 people
# 17
Thailand:
340 per 100,000 people
= 18
Latvia:
339 per 100,000 people
= 18
Estonia:
339 per 100,000 people
3. It costs too much to go abroad while in school. SEMESTER ABROAD OPTION
http://www.bemidjistate.edu/academics/affairs/articulation_agreements.cfm
(Click on semester abroad grid)
Sample TOTAL costs above the cost of staying at BSU for one semester abroad at various
locations where we have agreements for exchanges:
($551.00)
($3,996.00)
a.
b.
c.
d.
($579.00)
($1,204.00)
($551.00)
($858.00)
($226.00)
($690.00)
($226.00)
($3,709.00)
($4,437.00)
($4,107.00)
($4,302.00)
Must take one prep course to go abroad offered in international studies
Must take two ‘face courses’ at site…for BSU general education credit
Must take at least 6 credits (your choice) online from BSU while there
When on semester abroad, you are a full-time BSU student/financial aid eligible
4. It costs too much to go abroad while in school. WORK ABROAD OPTION
http://blogs.bemidjistate.edu/academicaffairs/2013/08/05/working-in-china-opportunities-forour-students/
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
One semester
Air, visa, apartment, utilities paid
Must have own insurance
$500 U.S./month stipend
Teach English for CIBT
May take two courses each semester on site or via online at BSU while teaching (half
time BSU student status is possible)
5. It’s too complicated
Contact: Sanjeev Phukan, sphukan@bemidjistate.edu (professor of business) for
semester abroad information; Amna Al-Arfaj aalarfaj@bemidjistate.edu (international
recruiter) for study abroad and international program center assistance/information.