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

Whether some foreign stay would produce a benefitial effect is dependent upon one’s goals, values, and of course, background. Since these qualities are different for everyone, it is not true that “all college students” would benefit.

The first and foremost reason for attending a study abroad program is undoubtedly done for the cultural exposure. Stepping out of ones comfort zone, and living in another country could lead to new ways of looking at things and possible gain new knowledge that is otherwise inaccessible. Yet some college students, such as the international students, might already have that degree of cultural exposure. In fact, they might have came to an American university precisely because they are seeking the American experience. Forcing this population to visit another country could ironically produce the opposite effect.

In addition, not everyone is in desperate search of new cultural insights. Many science and engineering majors, who are desperate for going to graduate school, might not have the time to take a semester off somewhere else. Perhaps they are trying to double major, or have been doing research concurrently with a professor in their university. While it is not impossible, taking technical classes and doing research in a foreign country is considerably more difficult than doing so in the United States, not to mention the generally superior quality of research done in some top-tier universities. Hence forcing this group of people who are only concerned with their academics, may also produce a undesirable outcome.

Hence, whether studying abroad can lead to a desirable outcome depends on an individual’s goals, values, and background. There are people who came to the United States precisely because it is to them a foreign country, and so they may not want to go to another one. Those particularly busy with school work or research simply may not have the time to go through all the troubles. Therefore, not “everyone” could benefit from spending a semester in a foreign country.