Students looked into possible educational trips around the country and the world Wednesday.Nearly 940 students attended the Study Abroad Fair, an amount comparable to previous years, said Jill Clemmons, summer programs coordinator, although past years have never had as accurate of a count. Overall participation in programs has increased during the last several years despite harder economic conditions, said Harald Leder, director of Academic Programs Abroad. Participation in overseas programs has dropped, but Academic Programs Abroad has been able to attract more students by offering new and non-abroad programs, Leder said. Still, only 2 percent of undergraduate students participate in APA programs, he said. “To be competitive in the marketplace, it’s really an advantage,” Leder said.Clemmons said she noticed more parents in attendance than in previous years, likely because students are bringing their parents to ask questions directly of the program  coordinators. Common questions range from packing to currency exchange to general safety concerns.APA started conducting parent orientations for students participating in abroad programs two years ago, and those seemed to relieve much of parents’ anxiety, she said. “They seem to trust us more,” Clemmons said. Summer, intercession, international and national exchange programs were represented at the fair. Rachel Daroca, international exchange programs coordinator, said the University has exchange agreements with nearly 50 countries. Semester programs require more responsibility on the students’ part, Daroca said. They’re appealing because students pay about the same amount they would pay at LSU and are able to be immersed in another culture, Daroca said.More students choose to participate in a single-semester exchange rather than staying abroad the entire year, Leder said. But most students choose to go during the spring because many European university fall semesters extend into the University’s spring semester. More than five times as many students are participating in spring semester programs versus year-long programs this year, he said. “That suits our football fans just fine,” Leder said. Tyler Daniel, political science sophomore, said he’s interested in participating in a Spanish summer program to complete his minor. “I don’t know about missing a semester at LSU,” he said about participating in an exchange program. A summer trip would feel more like a vacation than learning, said Caitlin Costinett, kinesiology freshman. Cost and language barriers are her primary concerns about going on an abroad program, said Sophia Graves, early childhood education freshman.Programs fees average $3,500 but some are as much as $4,700; programs fees do not include tuition, university fees or airfare. Max O’Krepki, computer engineering junior, traveled to Germany last summer and is interested in doing another trip. “I just had the travel bug,” O’Krepki said.New summer programs being offered this year include an engineering-targeted German program, a kinesiology-geared New Zealand program and a Russian language and history program. March 1, 2010 is the application deadline for most programs. – – – -Contact Olga Kourilova at [email protected]