Can someone grade this essay?

[jtong]

Issue topic:

All college and university students would benefit from spending at least one semester studying in a foreign country.

 

Write a response in which you discuss the extent in which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

 

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Being well rounded is an important quality to have as an individual and as a student. Gaining knowledge in different areas and understanding situations that happened or are happening in the world may give you a unique approach to your studies. Spending one semester studying in a foreign country may open you up to new experiences that will enhance your studies, and expand your knowledge past your cultural boundaries.

 

As a student, traveling and stepping out of your comfort zone may help expand your knowledge and enhance your point of view in many aspects. Diversifying your experiences can shape who you are as a person and as a student. For example, a student studying architecture will find that experiencing the built environment in a country rich in culture and history will deepen their appreciation towards the field. Being able to see how the history and culture has shaped the city is a complete different and more enriching experience than just learning it from a textbook.

 

Traveling opens up your mind to problems and solutions that a different country has experienced and perhaps overcame.  With the same example, an architecture student studying in Canada may find that studying in Spain will teach them how to design and find solutions to problems that are different than their own country. Having to design for a different climate may be a major obstacle for a student who has never been exposed to this situation before. A student who has more experience in problem solving in different areas may benefit later in the working field.

 

However, traveling and living in a foreign country for a semester can be expensive. It would become an added expensive to the existing high costs for post secondary education. As beneficial as the experience may seem, the student only maximizes these benefits if they travel to a country that has relevance to their field of study. In return, the knowledge and experience the student gains may arguably outweigh the extra cost, especially if it will further them in their career.

 

Whether it is for a personal or educational gain, studying in a foreign country will provide students with a different perspective on the world and how they can apply it to their careers.