A story about an increasing number of college kids studying abroad started out innocent enough. The increasing demand was being chalked up to cheaper tuition rates, aggressive international recruiting, and the desire to see more of the world. But then there was this gratuitous jab at President Bush.

Gunnar Olson, Schell's guidance counselor at Indian Springs School near Birmingham, said some of his students who initially expressed interest this fall in going abroad -- prompted by disappointment with the results of the U.S. presidential election -- have since reconsidered.