Op-Ed: Adrian Nardella on Study Abroad Applications

Auckland, NZ. | Photo by Joerg Mueller via Wikimedia Commons.

From Buenos Aires to Auckland, Istanbul to Hong Kong, BU students are offered opportunities to travel to distant lands while attending world-class universities.  All you have to do is apply… which isn’t so simple.

Many students – including myself – find that the application is void of the clear guidelines and deadlines needed to monitor and confirm what needs to be done.   The process does not incorporate questions that allow the applicant to differentiate himself or herself from hundreds of other applicants, and it is extremely redundant.  For example, the online questionnaire requires responses (up to 500 words) about everything that should be found on a resume, including work experience, honors, activities, and education.

The BU Study Abroad program does not provide sufficient assistance to students who struggle in acquiring the required documents (especially after being accepted) while, above all else, continuing to perform in the classroom.  The online application is faceless and lacks proper faculty advising.  The whole thing seemed as though no one really cared, and asking for help from the receptionist desk was like asking a bank teller for a free hundred-dollar bill.

Although I am fortunate enough to succeed in applying to the University of Auckland, I know many who were less fortunate.   If my mother didn’t work for the University, I would have felt that the whole process was way over my head.  I wouldn’t know where to get help.    From tricky insurance jargon and 30-page visa applications, the whole process is a lot harder and far more tedious then I had imagined.

The study abroad office needs an interactive workshop that provides assistance to students struggling to complete the application, especially because a lot of the requested information is not common knowledge for a student. The office also needs workshops, info sessions, and faculty expertise (similar to a writing center) to ensure that all students interested can complete the application by the deadline.  Needing to e-mail the program coordinator for an appointment deters students from asking help; it would be beneficial if there were designated times in which students can receive application help, similar to office hours.

Applying is separate from the educational process, and without proper guidance, the technicalities can disable students from being able to “realize their dreams to study and intern abroad.”

Adrian Nardella is a junior in COM. This article was originally titled, “Study Abroad Applications: Lacking faculty support, advice and expertise”.

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