With the current economic environment, every dollar counts. What better way to spend your money than by investing in your future? Here are a few of the many reasons why participating in an AFS program makes financial “cents”:
You do the Math
If you look at our most expensive program ($10,900), the daily cost ends up being about $40 a day. Now, compare this to what your family spends each year on your transportation, food, extracurricular activities and school supplies.
The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that a middle-income family spends an average of $10,930 – $12,030 per year to feed, house, clothe, and entertain a child from birth until age 18, with the preteen and teenage years taking the heaviest toll. For the same cost of staying home, you can study abroad, learn another language, gain invaluable life experience, create long-lasting international connections, and bolster your college applications. If AFS tuition prices roughly equal the cost of raising a teenager in the U.S., then why not invest this money into a life-changing intercultural experience?
Set for Success: The College Advantage
Colleges recommend high school study abroad experiences as these programs provide the opportunity to develop confidence and self-reliance before pursuing higher education. In addition, after exploring the world you may have a clearer vision of what you’d like to study in college. As a result, you may spend less time switching majors, which means you’ll save time and money. An exchange program also boosts college applications and gives you an immediate advantage when applying for scholarships.
Plus, the language skills you develop on an AFS program might exempt you from required language courses, thus enabling you to finish college sooner. Some students have received as much as 18 hours language credit—almost enough to provide a minor in language and a huge financial savings when you figure the cost of credits.
Career Path Possibilities
Your decision to study abroad will undoubtedly spruce up your resume when applying for jobs. Through life experience such as AFS, future employers will recognize your ability to work through difficulty in order to achieve successful results.
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