Study Abroad or Locally?

     Some people believe that studying in overseas universities is better than studying in local ones. The first reason they give is that degrees from foreign universities are recognized all over the world while local degrees are not. For example, they say that it is better to get an engineering or medical degree from overseas because the standards in foreign universities are higher. It will be easier for these graduates to get jobs at the more reputable institutions and to ask for higher pay. They also claim that degrees from foreign universities are more prestigious and holders of foreign degrees are highly respected. People who prefer studying overseas also say that foreign universities have a much longer tradition than local universities. They have existed for a long, long time. Who has not heard of Oxford and Cambrige in Britain or the Ivy League universities in the eastern United States such as Cornell, Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, Brown, the Massahussetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pensylvannia? They all have a reputation for high academic standards and social prestige. Some prefer to study overseas because they are allowed to take courses which they are not allowed to take locally. Another reason they prefer to study overseas is that they will be uisng English in study and this will help them later in their jobs.

     For those who prefer studying locally, the main attraction is the low cost. Studying in Malaysia is much, much cheaper than studying overseas. If one studies locally, one needs to spend only about thirty to forty tousand ringgit whereas one needs to spend a few hundred thousand ringgit if one studies overseas. With the present economic downturn and the drop in the value of the Malaysian ringgit, things are going to be worse. Another advantage is that one need not leave one's country so one can still be close with one's family. Therefore, one would not suffer from homesickness or feel out of place in a strange environment. Degrees from local universities are also recognized worldwide. One would not have any problems when one wants to take an advanced degree or when one wants to work in another country.

     After considering the pros and cons, I think that studying at a local university would be a better choice for me. In the first place, my parents are not rich. They can never afford to sed me to a foreign university. As to finding employment after getting my degree, I think a local degree would suffice as I am never going to work overseas. Since local degrees are also recognized for advanced degrees courses, it is not necessary for me to get an expensive foreign degree. Most importantly, I love my family very much and cannot bear the thought of being far away from them. If I study in a local university, I can be near them.