It’s true, CEA Study Abroad Advisors are extremely knowledgeable about our programs and offerings. But they also can help you in other ways. Here's a very smart tip from our advisors to keep in mind while preparing to do any international travel... Store it in 'The Cloud'.

If you're traveling abroad, you'll probably hear that you should make photo copies of your important information and documents like your passport, visa, and emergency contact information to save you any hassle should they become lost or stolen. And while this is sound advice, you can take it one step further by utilizing technology.

Scan your documents, visa and passort and then email them to a public email address (like gmail or yahoo) or enter the information into an online service that allows you to securly stores files. It's called cloud computing, because all the data is stored over the internet and not tied to your individual computer. This is much smarter that storing all of this information on your laptop, which can be a target for theft. To make sure that all of your information is totally secure, I'd also suggest a service like Passpack.com to store all of your passwords for secured sites. It makes hacking into your email and other password protected sites virtually impossible, even if your computer is stolen.

Of course, the best scenario is to never need your back-ups, so it's always a good idea to follow our advisors many helpful tips to have the best and safest experiences abroad.

Ok, maybe Top 10 lists are so "1995", but the fact is, people like to read them. So here goes hopefully an informative and not too lame Top 10. Read it. You know you want to...

10.	Applying now increases your chances of getting your first choice of housing.
9.	Get the courses you really need or want before they fill up.
8.	You need to have your program selected and your application submitted to be eligible for scholarships. The summer deadline is March 1st, fall's deadline is April 15.
7.	Dealing with visas can suck. The more time you have, the easier you will make it for yourself.
6.	Study abroad planning and midterms/finals don't mix well. You can't move the big test, but you can take care of almost all of your study abroad planning now.
5.	Make your plans and have your friends join you. For every friend that you refer, you get $100.
4.	More time to buy airfare, means you'll have a better chance of saving some dough.
3.	Give your parents plenty of time to let the idea of study abroad sink in - especially if you're planning on asking them to help you pay for it.
2.	Studying abroad is loads of fun, but a big part of why you are going is to get credit for graduation. Apply now so you have plenty of time to talk to your professors and advisors to make sure that the credits you earn will transfer back to your school.
1.	Dude, you're going to study abroad! Get excited!