Anyone's teen done a semester or year abroad in high school?

[Anonymous]

I have an 8th grader who is interested in studying abroad for a semester after hearing their cousin talk about their college study abroad experience. I studied abroad in Spain in college and it was a fantastic experience. I never hear anyone who has sent their child. Anyone have any info?

[Anonymous]

DS experience: last summer (between 5th and 6th grade), a three week academic program in London. Certainly not a semester but DS loved it and we talked about doing something similar again this summer but then, Corona. It was a really great experience and he made friends who live in different countries that he still has contact with.

[Anonymous]

Not in high school OP. Don't do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not in high school OP. Don't do this.

Why not in high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not in high school OP. Don't do this.

Why not in high school?

the GPA etc - not a parallel learning experience unless you attend the "American school" in London / Paris / etc

[Anonymous]

My son is in 8th and had been planning on doing this for 10th grade in Costa Rica or other Latin American country (his preference). We had just started researching the options but I’ve heard of lots of positive experiences. With Covid, I’m not sure it’s going to happen for him in high school but we remain hopeful.

We talked with our public HS school guidance counselor and they had said “go for it - we will make it work credit-wise”. I’d heard others say their school gave them a harder time so it might be something to look into.

I heard good things about AFS and YFU so those were the programs we are looking into now.

If money is tight I’ve also heard you can go through the Rotary club study abroad programs.

The state department also has very prestigious, highly competitive placements in language-demand countries (Arabic, Hindi, the Balkans etc) for high schoolers. NLSI is one of them ; there may be more.

[Anonymous]

I myself did it actually, for 2 years in 2 different European countries. One year with Rotary, the second with AFS. Great experiences all around, though I have a slight preference for Rotary as you live with 3 families and have a broader support group through the local club. I did have to do some summer school before my first year for classes I couldn't find equivalents of to take overseas (American history, health, etc.) and get buy in from my high school to transfer the credits. I also sat for state level exams a year early where that was allowed. I took the ACT and SAT at the American schools both junior and senior year and applied to colleges from there. I think I toured colleges with my family the summer in between junior and senior years. Would definitely recommend at least a summer or semester!

[Anonymous]

My DD’s school has abroad programs but they aren’t great. I did a sophomore year in France in college and it was life changing.

High school in my opinion is just too young.

[Anonymous]

I did a one year program with YFU back in the mid-80’s to Australia. It was a great program, but it really did screw up the academics b/c of different standards and being there 1/2 of 10th and 1/2 of 11th due to the school year being opposite. If you’re on the same school calendar, it may be fine. Just make sure your current high school signs off on what you take and will give you credit. Otherwise it was a great experience.

[Anonymous]

My high school (in the US) had foreign exchange students each year. They seemed to really enjoy it

[Anonymous]

My daughter did it in Germany for a year as a junior and it was life changing for her. We did have to do some major legwork with research, working with guidance counselors, etc. to find a program that would work credit wise and that lined up with the US school schedule calendar.

She is now a freshman in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did a one year program with YFU back in the mid-80’s to Australia. It was a great program, but it really did screw up the academics b/c of different standards and being there 1/2 of 10th and 1/2 of 11th due to the school year being opposite. If you’re on the same school calendar, it may be fine. Just make sure your current high school signs off on what you take and will give you credit. Otherwise it was a great experience.

OP here. My son would love to go to New Zealand or Latin America both places where the school year starts in Feb.
it sounds like it was still worth it though. Would it have been better half of 9th then first hlaf of 10th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did a one year program with YFU back in the mid-80’s to Australia. It was a great program, but it really did screw up the academics b/c of different standards and being there 1/2 of 10th and 1/2 of 11th due to the school year being opposite. If you’re on the same school calendar, it may be fine. Just make sure your current high school signs off on what you take and will give you credit. Otherwise it was a great experience.

OP here. My son would love to go to New Zealand or Latin America both places where the school year starts in Feb.
it sounds like it was still worth it though. Would it have been better half of 9th then first hlaf of 10th?

When do they start school there? July right? Maybe he could do July and August abroad for the summer and then go back to school on time.

[Anonymous]

Our high school here has a yearlong study abroad program to 4 different countries for juniors and seniors. There are always a handful of kids who do it every year and all of them have said it’s been a great experience.

[Anonymous]

I know this sounds crazy. But I don't want to give away 5-12 months of HS time with them- they will be leaving for college soon enough. Happy to pay for it then!