Cyndi Loza

A high school student’s trip abroad could be a deciding factor in his or her admittance into a private or out-of-state college, a University of Nevada, Reno official said on Wednesday.

“For (UNR), that’s not a criteria for admissions,” said Jeri Russell, the Transfer Center coordinator. “But when they’re looking at out-of-state and private colleges, that could be a deciding factor for them.”

Russell said a trip overseas gives students a broader educational background.

“It makes them different from the student right next to them,” she said.

Some Wooster High School students hope their recent trip to France can help them stand out to college recruiters.

“It’s just to show that you’re really well-rounded and that you understand other cultures besides your own,” said Diana Vaden, 18, of Sparks, after she returned Monday with her fellow Wooster classmates from a 16-day tour of France. “I think that probably appeals to a college admissions office.”

Theo Meek, 16, a junior at Wooster, said the trip will definitely help him when he leaves high school and enters the real world.

“I’m going to look up colleges in Paris because when I went to Paris, I just fell in love with it,” Meek said. “I’m hoping (the trip) will show I’m well-rounded.”

Vaden also fell in love with France.

“It was just amazing,” Vaden said. “It had the historical value of Washington, D.C., mixed with the transit system of New York and the flashiness of Los Angeles.”

Kelly Corrigan, marketing and university relations director for the University Studies Aboard Consortium, said she hopes students like Vaden continue their overseas endeavours through college-level study abroad programs.

“When students graduate, a lot of them look the same on paper, but something like this helps them stand out,” Corrigan said.