As America Enters Era of Uncertainty, Seniors Opt to Study Abroad

Several students and faculty members have noticed an odd trend in this year’s college admissions cycle: an uptick in the number of seniors planning on leaving the country to continue their education next year. Whether it's a short trip north to Canada or a flight across the Atlantic, a significant number of Walls students are choosing to attend college internationally. And, as the US enters uncharted political and economic waters and academics begin talking of leaving the country, the decision seems particularly striking. 

Indeed, most recently, Yale history professors and spouses Marci Shore and Timothy Snyder transferred to posts at the University of Toronto, citing concerns over the rise of fascist rhetoric in the United States. 

Current Walls seniors, however, attributed their decisions to go to international schools to a variety of factors. Since most seniors submitted their applications before the 2025 presidential election, their reasons for going international do not all revolve around a change in political and economic scenery. 

Rafi Fox (‘25) will be attending the University of Toronto next year. He plans to major in life sciences. Regarding his decision to move north, Fox explained, “I’ve been planning on going to Canada for years now–before the election, before everything.” Though he acknowledged that he did consider the election after being accepted, it ultimately didn’t make or break his decision. The University of Toronto is ranked 13th worldwide for its life sciences department.

Like Fox, Irene Wiegand-Vera (‘25) is attending college outside of the U.S, however her reasons differ slightly. She will be attending University College Dublin. She expressed, “There were a lot of factors. One big reason was that I have family in Europe and another was the political state of the U.S.” 

Going international for education can provide a plethora of opportunities for students in academics, culture, and global studies. Another factor of decisions can be the cost. While traveling internationally is often considered an elite and financially prohibitive activity, the cost of college in countries outside of America can be far lower than those in the U.S. In many countries, tuition is a fraction of the cost of U.S. colleges, if not free, and scholarships are offered as well, to increase incentive for international students to attend.

Hugo Bonelli (‘26) is pretty set in his decision to stay in the U.S. for college. However, he addresses the possibility that later in his years at college, complications could arise. “I could see it, maybe in the future, causing problems with grant funding and scholarship funding, but I’m not gonna go abroad and I’m gonna stay within the country.”

Even within the US, however, political climate shapes decisions for students like Bonelli who said he plans on mostly avoiding schools in the Southern United States. Bonelli does not know what he is majoring in yet, but says he has considered aerospace. 

The school year at Walls is winding down, and juniors find themselves the ones who must make a decision next. The seniors will soon say their teary goodbyes, and make the trip across the state, country, or world. It is clear that international colleges not only provide a difference in cultures, they also provide alleviation from the instability of America during this time, with academic opportunities, freedom for financial accessibility, and new customs to learn from.

With pressure and excitement in the near future for the Class of 2026, it’s time to begin narrowing down their lists and writing applications, with the first steps toward the future, and their next four years.