Cost of Study Abroad

According to a recent Hatchet Opinion:

article, paying the home tuition price (aka GW's tuition for a semester) when studying abroad, you may be paying more than you need to.

"The cheapest place to study abroad is Latin America, where the average academic year program cost (including tuition, room and board) is $20,755, based on a random sample of 30 programs in the region. And not surprisingly, the most expensive is Europe with an average academic year program cost (including tuition, room and board) of $28,122. With GW's own enormous price tag well known, therein lies the seed of discontent. Students do the math and suspect their own university is taking advantage of them."

At first glance this just seems like anothe way that GW has found to get money from its students. However when examined more closely (as the article states) this policy has done alot to help improve the office of study abroad and its abiltity to provide the best programs. But with differeces in tuition ranging in the 30,000's in many cases. GW should at least try to make-up some of the difference by purchasing a student's plane tickets, or providing a study stipend to deserving students when the tuition difference is so large. Or at the very least provide top quality service to students and make sure all paperwork is up to date and all credits transfer. However there are many cases where that doesnt even happen. If we are going to have to pay full price for abroad programs that cost less than that, we should at least demand the best service and benefits possible.