As seniors at HSE look ahead to the future and set their post-graduate plans in place, some may visualize themselves attending college, the workforce, taking on military roles or even traveling from country to country on missionary trips. While hearing the clock ticking toward the end of the school year, those students who decide to go to a university may find themselves asking the anticipating question, “Should I stay or should I go?”
According to the office of admissions for each of these Indiana colleges, 55.1 percent of the 2017 freshman class at Indiana University in Bloomington were residents of Indiana, 53 percent at Purdue University, 78.4 percent at Ball State University and 47.4 percent at Butler University. Although many students across our region choose to remain in the Hoosier state, others want to explore the possibility of going out of state – or even internationally. One individual among our school wanted to be among the small percentage to attend a college beyond the borders of America.
Senior Sara Spieth has dreamed of living in Canada ever since she was in sixth grade, which prompted her into looking at Canadian universities as a possible choice in bettering her education. After experiencing some of her greatest moments in Canada, Spieth came to the conclusion that that is where she belonged. She finally decided she would be attending Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke Quebec.
“I like Bishop’s [University] over American universities mainly because it has the advantage of the French-speaking city surrounding it, as well as a large French-speaking population on campus, ” Spieth said. “Some who attend the university are Quebecois, making it really easy to learn French.”
Not only does Bishop’s University differentiate in the large French-speaking population, but so does the structure of choosing what someone potentially wants to study. In Quebec, you cannot declare a major until your sophomore year. Spieth has been accepted into the liberal arts school and claims she will see where that takes her.
“I am really excited for the college experience in general, [but] I think the hardest thing for me will be being so far away from most of my family and friends,” Spieth said. “The Canadian breaks (such as for Thanksgiving and Christmas) are not at the same times and it would be hard to go back and forth from Indiana to Canada [to see my family.]”
According to Spieth, Bishop’s University fits her necessities due to its small class size, beautiful landscapes, friendly community and goal of student satisfaction.
“In Canada, there’s just a feeling of goodwill in the air, ” Spieth said. ” Just as America is my home now, Canada is my home in the future.”
