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Q&As on Studying Abroad in Sophomore Spring

These questions and answers come from a session on studying abroad in sophomore spring hosted by Rockefeller College in fall 2009. Many thanks to Sheila Agiti ’11, Catherine Che ’11, Anca Chereches ’10, Tara Lewis ’11, Megan McPhee ’11, Rachel Nesbitt ’10, and Sara Shaw ’10 for participating in this session and reviewing this document. Many thanks also to Dr. Anne Caswell-Klein, director of studies at Rockefeller College, for organizing this event.


Why go abroad in sophomore spring rather than in the junior year?
If you know you want to study abroad already when you arrive at Princeton, it can be easier to plan to go earlier in your Princeton career. As one participant put it, "I knew that if I waited any longer, I may not go … " Quite a few participants noted that not having to complete junior departmental requirements abroad made things easier. [Students in the A.B. program are required to complete Junior Independent Work (JIW) and, in a number of departments, a junior seminar.] It was noted, however, that for someone planning on working on a particular country or region, doing the JIW abroad can be beneficial. In a number of cases studying in the spring (either of sophomore or junior year) is optimal due to a required Junior Seminar in the fall (though it is sometimes possible to take the seminar earlier if necessary). In the case of the Woodrow Wilson School, the options are limited to those universities in which the School organizes a formal task force (which acts as the JIW). If you know you want to be a WWS concentrator and to study abroad somewhere not accommodated by their program, going in the sophomore spring is your one chance.

Do you have to know you want to study abroad as a freshman in order to go as a sophomore?
No. There is still time to apply for spring programs in the fall of sophomore year. Some participants noted that they had entered Princeton thinking they would not study abroad during the semester. After an experience abroad during the summer, they changed their minds and decided to apply to study abroad once they returned to Princeton in the fall.

Do you have to do any advanced planning as far as taking basic courses required to enter a department as a junior?
There is generally more flexibility in choosing coursework abroad as a sophomore. A number of students went abroad unsure of what exactly they would major in once back [students must declare a major prior to enrolling for the fall term of junior year]. It certainly helps if you have a sense of what field or fields you’re interested in pursuing, since it is often possible to count course taken abroad towards departmental prerequisites. It is also possible to apply to the Woodrow Wilson School from abroad without being at a disadvantage.

OIP addendum: It is strongly recommended that students who are planning to study abroad in sophomore spring take five courses in sophomore fall or take a course for credit in the summer after freshman year. [The University expects that students will have completed 17 courses by the start of junior year; this is usually accomplished by taking a fifth course in one of the semesters of sophomore year.] It is not always possible or advisable to take an overload while abroad in order to bring back five Princeton course credits. Students who take only four courses in sophomore fall and study abroad sophomore spring will otherwise find themselves course deficient.

Are there academic benefits to going abroad in the sophomore spring?
Students who go abroad often come back with a greater sense of independence and with much more focused academic interests. For those who go abroad as sophomores, this means a longer period of time in which to pursue those interests and take advantage of what Princeton has to offer. If studying a foreign language or languages is important for your concentration, gaining greater fluency earlier in your Princeton career will have enormous benefits. One participant, a German concentrator, noted that she would not have been able to take advanced courses in her field in junior year without having studied abroad. Another, a Comparative Literature concentrator, noted that solidifying her Spanish by studying abroad allowed her to begin taking Portuguese in her junior year without having the two languages interfere too much with each other.

Did going abroad conflict with the bicker process?
One participant bickered Tower Club in the fall when she was back, another signed into Colonial Club before leaving, still another had her friends sign her in. There was agreement that you can stay connected to the eating clubs through your friends, and join later if you want. A number of students noted that studying abroad had broadened their horizons so much that the Street seemed a lot less central than before.

Does going abroad make it difficult to keep up your Princeton friendships?
Everyone felt that you can remain connected to Princeton friends even while abroad, and that in fact you can come to appreciate them more when away. It was noted that everyone comes back in junior fall having been away from each other for the summer, and so everyone is picking up where they left off. One benefit of going in sophomore spring: juniors who go abroad in the spring don’t get to say goodbye to their senior friends. (But there are always Reunions!)

Does going abroad conflict with leadership opportunities?
As one participant put it, going abroad does not mean that you disappear from the face of the earth. It is often still possible to stay connected to organizations and to contribute remotely. Usually you can plug right back in and take on--or resume--leadership roles.