Why Are They Better Students When They Come Back? Determinants of Academic Focusing Gains in the Study Abroad Experience

The purpose of this article is to explore the cluster of experiences that participants in study abroad go through — both during their sojourn abroad and immediately upon return — and how these experiences enhance shifts in their individual priorities. I will discuss to what extent, and why, some study abroad participants bring their academic endeavors to the forefront of their interests when they return to their home colleges. Since the experiences of study abroad program participants are many, eye-opening, and quite complex, this article will also explore the intricate and multiple determinations of the changes in the participants. With the help of multiple regression and path analyses, I will lay out a model that charts those changes, their consequences, and mutual determinations.