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Study Abroad in Arch School

eastcoast

This might not be the right place for this. But i'm curious if people studied abroad as arch students and the costs. While im not personally studying abroad, a new program was created at my school for study abroad that would be in Rome. The cost of tuition alone is double that of normal school tuition. Its the same professor and teachers from my uni and it will be with the same classmates i currently go to school with.  The estimated cost of the trip is 13,000 as a base price and certainly doesn't include the extras of being a tourist in europe. (Traveling around, alcohol, ect.) I've been to europe almost 12 times now so I know it can be done inexpensively but also not. Anyways, the admins in charge of the program keep telling everyone how great of a deal it is. Most people in my class are like gung-ho to go so they believe it. They are fine taking out the 13,000+ loan to do so. My argument is why not just take 4 months of your life off before you get a job and just go. Your not working anyways. Then you save the extra 6000+ of school related costs and get double the time to just be in the city rather than focus on studio and school classes. You have more opportunities to travel around as opposed to limited weekend travel. People think im crazy for not wanting to take out the loan but then again half my class gets huge  financial aid checks. Anybody think this is crazy or is it just me? Tuition wise a regular study abroad at my school is the same as regular tuition $3,500 which means the architecture school one is almost double!! So the same teacher can teach me via in ROME, i just can't wrap my head around it...

 
Jul 12, 18 3:29 pm
JLC-1

yes, welcome to unhinged capitalism, 13K for a trip to europe? I would be staying in the ritz?


Jul 12, 18 3:45 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

How do you go to Europe almost 12 times?  Like, you've been 11 times but once had to bail on a flight or accidentally flew to Paris, Ontario?

Plenty of arch programs here in Canada spend a full term abroad; Waterloo even has a permanent studio in Rome for example.  I've had quite a few colleagues take full terms abroad in undergrad unrelated to any official connection.  It typically set them back one term do to non-transferable core courses.  

As for your particular situation, you're willing to spend a boat load of cash/loan to continue your courses abroad?  I'd take that money and save it for a personal trip without and academic leashes.

Jul 12, 18 3:59 pm  · 
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eastcoast

I'm not that's the point of the post. I'm not willing to spend that much (or rather say take out a loan) especially when the majority of time will be spent in classes. I was just curious how this costs compares to other study abroad excursions. 

I said almost 12 times because i've had 11 planned trips to europe and one 24 hour layover which i don't think counts as a separate trip...

Jul 12, 18 4:32 pm  · 
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thatsthat

You're not crazy.  I did study abroad twice - once in undergrad and once in grad.  The first one was 1 summer session in Paris with 4 or so included day trips and a 5 day excursion to London.  I took out a loan for $14,000 total.  That covered my entire study abroad expenses (flight, tuition, room and board, extra hotel nights for before and after the course, studio supplies, all excursions, fun nights out) AND all expenses for a month-long backpacking around Europe trip after my course was over.  The course was organized like the one you're talking about with faculty from my uni leading the course with all students from my program.  My second study abroad was much more expensive ($23k-ish) but academically, it was a different type of scenario.  (Classes at the university, working with English professors, didn't know any of the other students, etc.,)  At the time it was cheaper than what I was paying for tuition had I stayed in the US that semester so I actually saved some money!

For me, it was really worth the money at the time for what I gained from those experiences both personally and academically.  But if you've been a lot of times, I can see how it wouldn't be worth it.  Is there an option to do that studio at your normal campus and not take the study abroad?  

Jul 12, 18 4:58 pm  · 
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eastcoast

Yes I can't deny that it would be an awesome experience to be there especially for that amount of time since the most i've stayed has been about six weeks at a time but how long did it take you to pay back the loan? The trip at my school is also actually cheaper for the out of state students so for them its a no-brainer but for me its double what I would pay. (My college has been paid for so without the study abroad, ill come out debt free) Despite not having a similar opportunity once you get a real job, I just can't seem to justify that much to be so limited when I get there having to focus so much on school when most study abroads are the pass/fail barely any work to do scenario. I mean people are going to have to take out an additional 1-2 thousand dollars if they plan on traveling around which I know they will and should really. How much did you travel around? Thanks for the reply, i'm just curious about it because I always save money in advance for any of my past travel opportunities. (This on the other hand would take me years to save up given my student intern salary.lol)

Jul 12, 18 5:30 pm  · 
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thatsthat

For the Paris study abroad, we had planned excursions to architectural sites near Paris at least once a week and the trip to London so no time to really travel independently until after the studio ended. After that, I did a month.

Jul 12, 18 6:40 pm  · 
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thatsthat

I would think from what you described, it’s probably not worth going if it’s going to put you in a place where you’re financially uncomfortable. Save your money to do a big trip later on if you
want.

Jul 12, 18 6:44 pm  · 
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