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The irony that you can study abroad for about $12,000-$20,000 a year (including rent and other cost of living) in some countries (notably Germany) that do provi
by ascar 6y ago
The irony that you can study abroad for about $12,000-$20,000 a year (including rent and other cost of living) in some countries (notably Germany) that do provide equal or better education than the state school and most importantly also provide life experience local education would not.
I wonder why not many Americans go study abroad, if studying in their own country is so incredibly expensive and studying abroad can be cheaper and a richer experience. Especially comp sci is taught in English in many non-english speaking countries.
Did you consider going abroad when you were evaluating costs back then?
- owenmarshall 6y agoWhile the education is likely equal or better, college is also about starting your network, especially for those of us not going to traditionally elite schools. Thinking about my personal career trajectory, my first job came from an internship set up by my university. A coworker from that job left and pulled me to my second, and when I left there it was because an old classmate referred me to a third. Had I studied abroad and returned home I would have lacked that network, and that feels like a risk.
- vmception 6y agoYou would have a different network if you had studied abroad. Nothing you did in your university was guaranteed and was just as much of a risk. I don't think non-elite schools offer a noteworthy network, especially for computer science or IT. There is elite, and then there is everywhere else that's accredited where you just need a sheet of paper with the correct degree name on it.
- vmception 6y agoNo, I didn't consider studying abroad back then and ultimately I was able to graduate without any student debt, much like my European peers do without thinking about it. But yes I've become a fan of what Germany and some other countries offer. I've seen something that made me even more envious: a friend in neighboring Austria was in University there (for free) and it turned out the school was like a sister school to NYU and she wanted to go there and was able to go to NYU for free. We are really getting the short end of the stick in America right now, amongst developed nations.
- GlennS 6y agoMoving abroad is pretty scary for most people I think. Even moving to somewhere that speaks the same language as you. How many people stay more or less their whole life in their home town?