<p>I was never impressed with semester abroad or year abroad programs. I heard about kids at an elite school in the US (non-Ivy) spending a year living in a university-owned castle in the Loire Valley of France. Sounded like a great (and expensive) vacation. At McGill, as an American I was already “abroad”! Unless the experience abroad somehow directly fits into your academic program, I don’t see the value of it. Short term intense programs like the one described in the article above however have a lot of value.</p>
<p>That’s just my opinion though.</p>