Senior Yianna Spirakis went to the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver two years ago for a softball tournament. She was struck by its beauty and the vitality of the area.
Now she has committed to go to school there next fall.
“Vancouver is an amazing city and the campus is gorgeous. Our tour guides really sounded like they loved the school,” Spirakis said. “The campus was my favorite of all the schools I've visited, and studying in a different country became really interesting to me once I realized that it could be an option.”
Spirakis hadn't thought of UBC initially, but she realized it was the right fit for her after visiting the campus.
“I actually didn't really think about college in a different country until I visited UBC for the first time,” Spirakis said. “After that I was seriously considering UBC specifically, but it was the only school I applied to out of the country.”
Though she loves the campus, Vancouver’s urban culture is another deciding factor that led to her decision.
Spirakis loved the location of UBC as well. However, she admits that if the school had been located elsewhere she would still attend.
Though Spirakis has never lived outside of the United States, she believes the transition to Canada won't be as hard as most people might think it would be.
“Honestly I don't think it's going to be dramatically different from studying in the U.S. As far as the school and the city, everything is culturally pretty similar to the U.S.,” Spirakis said.
In terms of visiting her family on breaks, Vancouver is actually closer to California than East Coast schools, making traveling home even easier.
Spirakis is excited to see what is outside of the United States and experience a different culture in Canada, while receiving a high-quality education that will cost about $40,000 annually, a bargain compared to many elite U.S. school.
She also likes the international nature of the school since it attracts students from all over the world.
Another student going to school outside of the country is senior Anya Herne, who will be studying History and International Relations at King’s College in London next fall.
“Location was probably the primary factor for me in deciding to apply to King's,” Herne said. “I had an amazing time in London last summer and could see myself living there; I honestly didn't want to leave when the trip was over.”
Herne also decided on King’s because it is a well-known, respected school. Although she has never visited it, Herne chose the school because of its central location in the city.
When Herne applied, the college was not at the top of her list However, as she started getting acceptance offers, she learned that she preferred it the schools in the U.K.
“I want to study history, and Britain is in many respects the ideal place in which to do so;” Herne said. “It has such a rich history and in many cases is the centerpiece for much of European and world history as a whole.”
The program that Herne will be attending is only three years, one year shorter than a conventional U.S. undergrad program, and is only $25,000 a year.
“It seems fairly daunting, but it is in a subject that intrigues me, so I'm hoping I'll enjoy most of the work I'll have to do,” Herne said.