Freshman Center
First-Year Insight
Spring 2000
A Global Education
Just when you’ve adjusted to your son or daughter being at Berry, he or she may be planning to venture even farther from home. No longer the sole domain of a few foreign language majors, Berry’s Study Abroad program is open to all students with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Although the best time to study abroad is after first semester sophomore year and before second semester senior year, freshman year is the ideal time to begin planning an international academic experience.
Berry students may enroll in courses for a semester or for a year at nine different universities located in England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain. In addition, Berry offers opportunities for travel and study led by Berry professors in Costa Rica and Belize. Fewer than half of the programs require fluency in a foreign language, although many offer students an opportunity to learn a new language or improve shaky skills.
Who should think about studying abroad? "Everyone," according to Dr. Kay Gardner, director of Berry’s study abroad program. "College shouldn’t just open up a classroom to students; it should open the world." While much of a college education takes place in classrooms or the library, studying in a foreign country offers students a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about the customs, politics, and history of another culture. As the world economy becomes increasingly interconnected, that global perspective becomes more and more valuable to prospective employers.
Perhaps the greatest reward for parents of study abroad students is the increased sense of responsibility and self-reliance they see their students gain, according to Dr. Gardner. The changes that students undergo when studying abroad are similar in many ways to the changes they go through when they first arrive at college. Living on their own in a foreign country can make even routine tasks like going to the store or taking the bus to school seem like major challenges, and their early letters and phone calls may reflect their frustration and even fear. As each challenge is met, however, students gain confidence and self-reliance. Senior Tammi Dzubak, who spent last year in France, said that her parents worried initially. "They thought that I would be homesick and cry to come home. Instead, I begged to stay longer (and did).
"Any student interested in studying abroad should inform his or her advisor so that both parties can begin planning as early as possible. After a student has chosen a major, he or she should look ahead at the sequence of required courses to determine the most opportune time for study abroad. Most majors will accommodate a semester or year of foreign study; however, students with very full academic schedules may find it preferable to participate in an intensive summer study or a shorter travel and study opportunity that falls during one of the breaks.
Many students have the misconception that study abroad is prohibitively expensive. Not so, according to Dr. Gardner. Regular Berry tuition is applied to the cost of enrolling in a foreign college and any financial aid the student is receiving can be used to cover study abroad. Students also need to pay for their own airfare and housing and, of course, supply their own spending money. As a general rule, a semester abroad costs about as much as a semester at Berry.
As a parent, you can help your student prepare to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to learn and grow. If your student expresses an interest in the program, encourage him or her to seek out more information. The Study Abroad Program will be represented at the Majors Fair on Feb. 17, and there will be an informative panel discussion among past participants on Wednesday evening, Feb. 16. Additional information can be found at the program’s website: http://www.berry.edu/academic/services/study/ or by contacting Dr. Kay Gardner by phone (706-233-4065) or e-mail (kgardner@berry.edu).
Saying good-bye for a year or even a semester can be difficult for both students and their families, but the students and parents who participate in the program agree the gains outweigh the losses. As Tammie Dzubak observes: "There is a whole world out there waiting to be discovered. Why spend Friday night at Applebee's when you can be walking through Monet's gardens or eating crepes outside the Eiffel Tower?"
Writing Competency Exam
In keeping with Berry’s commitment to writing as an essential skill for lifelong learning, all Berry students must pass a writing competency exam in order to graduate. Although some freshmen took the exam during fall semester, most will be taking it this semester on April 12. The Writing Competency Exam is often a source of anxiety for freshmen; however, students who have worked hard and maintained passing grades in Rhetoric and Writing 102 should have little difficulty passing the exam if they prepare properly. If your son or daughter is anxious about the exam, here are a few helpful suggestions you can offer:
- Prepare early. Students will receive the exam questions and readings at least two weeks prior to the test. They should read the background material carefully, select the question about which they will write, and plan their essay carefully.
- Get feedback. Although composition instructors are not permitted to help students prepare for the exam, students are free to discuss the essay with each other and to seek help in the Writing Center.
- Stay calm. Occasionally, even a very good writer can panic and do poorly on the exam. The best way for a student to prepare for the writing competency exam is to participate fully in RHW 102. A student who has paid attention to class lectures and discussion, heeded the comments and suggestions his or her instructor has made on work, and spent some time preparing for the exam has every reason to feel confident of success.