Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I had a decent amount of daily work to do at home and a lot of independent studying to do as well. My professors were not as available as they are in America as they did not have office hours or give out email addresses. They also did not speak any English so that was of course a challenge too. The grading system is entirely different from the American system as you are graded on a scale of 20, but a 10/20 is passing, and a 14/20 is considered in the "A" range on an American scale.

On-site administration of your program

My program directors were always available for me was very comforting. Two of them were French so they were very knowledgeable of France and the my one American director had lived in Paris for awhile and was incredibly knowledgable of Paris.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a small apartment the 17th arrondissment of Paris in a lovely "non-touristy" neighborhood. My neighbors were all locals and I felt that I got a great cultural immersion living where I did. However, my location my program. however was far away from my school as well as far away from the majority of my peers from The closest metro stop to my apartment was over a half mile walk and then it took about 45 minutes on 2 trains to get to my classes.

All of the food was amazing. I didn't really have an negative experiences with food while in Paris, except for the fact that it was a little pricey.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My program organized many wonderful excursions and events. We took 2 weekend trips to La Loire Valley and the south of France. We took day trips to Normandy and Champagne. There were also events such as a group outing to the ballet at the Opera House that were fun as well.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally felt safe during my time in Paris and had no health problems. I do know that the healthcare system was very accessible and affordable for those who did need to use it. The one major safety concern that was a problem for a number of students was mugging. Some students in the program reported being mugged when walking home alone late at night (usually after a few drinks).

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

I practiced my French 5 days a week in the classroom, and I was in class up to 5 hours a day. I also needed to use French in most of my daily interactions, going to the grocery store, interacting with my neighbors in my apartment building, getting my haircut, and whatnot all involved using my French. I did not find that many people in my neighborhood spoke English, although when I was in "touristy" areas of the city they did.

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• Apartment

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• Americans