On Thursday, one of my former college basketball teammates stopped by to say hello to me. I had not seen him in 15 years. In addition to catching up on old times, we actually talked about things that we wished we had done. Now that leads me to giving all prospective and current students some advice: you may not have another chance so take advantage of what you have before you!
Along these lines, UNH offers a very unique opportunity for our incoming freshmen. The title of this blog is FSA time. FSA stands for Freshman Semester Abroad. Okay, I am sure some of you are thinking "Why would a freshman want to study abroad?" True, for some, it is hard enough to start their college experience here in the United States, but for others, this is an opporunity of a lifetime!
In a recent survey of high school seniors, nearly 75% of them indicated they would like to study abroad in college. In reality, only about 10-12% of college students actually do it. The reasons for not going are many: boyfriends, girlfriends, jobs, athletics, internships, research, academics, etc. Our FSA program guarantees that a student will get Study Abroad on his or her resume. In fact, UNH is only one of about 8 U.S. colleges to offer such a unique opportunity.
You spend your first semester of college at Roehampton University in London, England. We only send 20 students each fall and the program is quite competitive. Last year, 90 students were selected for interviews out of 210 that expressed an interest. This year, we just sent out our brochures to top students who have been accepted to UNH and already nearly 100 responded. They obviously know that the more you have on your resume, the better it is for them after graduation.
The best part of this program is that a student's scholarships and financial aid follow them to Roehampton (unlike traditional study abroad programs). Airfare from JFK airport is also included - as are a few perks like a tube pass (London's version of the U.S. subway system) a cell phone, and excursions to places like Stonhenge and Windsor Castle. Many students who participated this past semester also were able to go to Disneyland in Paris, Amsterdam, and Rome.
And of course, don't forget why they are really there - to study and begin their college education. The students return to UNH for the spring semester with guaranteed housing and a lifetime of memories. Students must be 18 years of age by mid-September in order to go .... they also must be selected. If you are a senior that has already been accepted and you have an interest, fill out our FSA interest form at www.newhaven.edu/FSA. Students in forensic science, dental hygiene, marine biology, and engineering cannot go becasue of course requirments. Students in all other majors are eligible.
If this doesn't work out, UNH is also one of the nation's top providers of study abroad education. We offer two-week intensive options in January and the summer as well as traditional semester long programs after a student's freshman year. We are also the university of record for Cultural Experiences Abroad (CEA) which provides our students with even more opportunities. Click here for more information on our study abroad programs and to hear from some of our students who have studied abroad.
So GET OUT - global education is critical for tomorrow's job market! Start getting ready today - it's time for FSA at UNH!!
