Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Semester in Paris with APA Past Review

By (DePauw University) - abroad from 01/06/2018 to 05/06/2018 with

Academic Programs Abroad (APA): Paris - Immersion for Intermediate & Advanced French Speakers

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My French improved drastically and it was fun to explore a major city on my own. I learned a lot about myself and other cultures.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Claire, Blandine and Sophie were amazing and so helpful!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I chose to stay in a student foyer, I thought the living arrangements would be dealt with through the program like was advertised but they were not completely. With that being said, APA was helpful through the process.

* Food:

The cuisine in Paris is amazing but it was n/a through the rogram

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health problems while abroad but APA helped some of my friends who did.

* Safety:

I always felt safe in Paris, but I have heard a lot of scary stories from friends.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 150-200
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Paris is an expensive city, so I really didn't have enough to travel a ton. If you take APA's in-house courses there are out of the country excursions included in program cost, which was nice!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Language support
  • Ability to choose what university I wanted to attend
  • Museum passes/ culture package
* What could be improved?
  • Better communication about what is to be expected before you arrive in Paris
  • Introduction to how French homework and tests are different from what we have in America
  • Communication about housing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I had more information about Diderot and the other Universities before. Maybe reviews on them from American students would be helpful.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.