So how do you actually go about becoming an exchange student?

It's quite easy!  

Visit www.afsusa.org and select "study abroad."  This will take you to a page that asks you whether you are interested in a summer program, a semester or a year program.  If you don't know, that's ok too.  Just hit the "Apply now" button in the top right corner and it will take you to a one page pre-application that asks for your GPA and a little information about you and your family.  That goes to AFS and then you will receive, via email, a link to the much longer, full application.  In the meantime, you can explore the web site and learn all about all the different countries you could go to and learn which countries accept summer students vs. full year students etc.  You can also call 1-800-AFS-INFO and talk to one of the very helpful student service advisors to help you decide which program is right for you.

What you may not realize is that AFS Intercultural is a nonprofit organization and there are many many scholarships they can refer you to - some underwritten by the Department of State and some that AFS offers directly.  They also have a robust needs-based financial aid program for those that qualify.  HINT:  The more flexible you are on where you study abroad, the higher the award package typically is.
 
Why study abroad anyway?  Why not wait until college?  I will tell you why.  It's because the experience will be totally different.  When you are a high school exchange student, it is what's called an "immersion program."  What this means is that you do NOT need to have any prior language experience in order to go abroad.  You do not need to have studied the language AT ALL.  Yet within 3-6 months, you will be fluent in that language.  

How is that possible?  With an immersion program, the language is all around you.  You literally absorb it like a sponge, much the same way you learned your first language.  It starts out as noise.  You can't identify anything.  But slowly, you start to hear repetitive words;  these are the high frequency words used in that language.  Slowly, you'll recognize phrases and after awhile, sentences.  It's rather magical how the brain works.  But when you stop using English, I promise you, you will start learning the language of your host country.

In addition to picking up the language, you will have an experience of a lifetime.  There is absolutely no other way to gain the perspective you will come home with than through this type of study abroad experience.  You will learn things about yourself, what you are capable of and you will gain a new appreciation on the similarities of our collective humanity.

HINT:  If you attend one of the online info sessions, AFS will knock $50 off the application fee of $75.  What do you have to lose?  Start dreaming!  Oh the places you'll go!  If you'd like to hear from students who have already gone, you can learn why they decided to study abroad and what it has meant to them.