The Importance of Support While Studying Abroad
Beyond the thrill of becoming an international student is the need for care and support while away from one’s home country. At GSA we know that students who apply to high school abroad are capable, independent, and motivated to succeed. We also know that for most of our students, this is their first time away from home and without the support of family in their day-to-day lives. Overnight, their lives are radically different than anything they knew before; a new country, learning environment, host family or living accommodation (boarding school or house), food, cultural norms, rules and expectations, etc. It’s exciting and yet for most, quite daunting.
It’s imperative for any individual moving to a new country to have a network of support in place, a community, resources, and people to turn to when questions or challenges arise. We provide that and more for all of our students and their parents. When a family decides to work with us, we not only help them choose the best learning environment for their child, but also develop a close relationship with the entire family. We understand that it’s a big decision for everyone involved and that sending their child to a foreign country without them is a lot to prepare for both physically and emotionally.
When students arrive in their host country, they can expect to be greeted at the airport by their host family or boarding school staff member. They can also expect the support of their host family or boarding school staff as well as their school community (teachers, administrators, friends, counselors). In every city, we have Student Managers who visit students regularly at their host family home or boarding school, communicate with the students’ parents, provide monthly detailed reports (includes academic report with grades, school involvement, activities, host family or boarding school life, overall welfare), serve as a liaison to school administrators and/or teachers, and to GSA management. They are like big brothers and sisters and mentors to our students, and a safe person/place to go to when a student has concerns or needs someone to talk to. They understand the needs of our students as well as the cultural, social, and academic differences between where students are coming from and their host country. They also work closely with our Homestay Managers who have regular contact with our host families and ensure that the host families and students are both getting the nurture and support needed for a successful and positive homestay experience. This makes these changes as comfotable as possible because a student can save all their habits or daily routine (like, spending time with classmate or friends, whatching movies or playing video poker games for free) as it was before studying abroad.
What we tell our families is that GSA serves as an extended family to them and their children. We are here and available and no matter the question or concern, someone is always there. We are also here to celebrate the accomplishments of their children and help prepare them for the next steps such as applying to university and the preparation that comes with that (TOEFL and ACT courses, tutoring, individualized college planning, etc.).
Students are most successful when they have a solid educational foundation, strong and reliable network of support, and people surrounding them who have their best interests at heart. They say, “It takes a village,” and it does. GSA is the village for its families and students.
GSA MISSION STATEMENT
At Global School Access, our mission is to provide a dynamic growth experience—personally, academically, socially, and cross-culturally—for students, families, schools, and communities through exceptional care and strong partnerships, with the utmost integrity and respect, and with the goal of excellence. We aim to inspire young people to be happy, successful, and good global citizens, and to be viewed as the premier organization for international education by the families we work with, our partners, and our employees.
