Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Spring 2023 in Paris September 11, 2023

By (History of Art, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/01/2023 to 05/27/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Paris

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot of independence and problem solving skills from being abroad!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 300 level

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Location
  • Activities offered through Middlebury
  • Travel
* What could be improved?
  • Academic Support
  • Housing Process
  • Community Integration
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew a lot more about how the university system in France worked and what I should be expecting from my classes as well as a better idea of how the political situation would have been affecting daily life!

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

European Union
Course Department: Poli Sci/History
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments: I loved this class and greatly appreciated the field trip to the European parliament! I think it was a similar workload/level of participation to my home university. We were assessed through projects, presentations, and in-class written exams.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issue but it was offered through my home university.
Course Name/Rating:

Advanced French
Course Department: French
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments: This class was challenging, however, the instructor did a great job! I improved a lot on grammatical and vocabulary concepts. We were assessed through in-class written exams.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issue - offered through home institution
Course Name/Rating:

Painting in Europe 1650-1750
Course Department: History of Art
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments: This class was challenging because of the size of the lecture and the expectations of the professors, but the material was straightforward enough that it wasn't too difficult to prepare successfully. We were assessed through one oral presentation and an in-class written exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issue
Course Name/Rating:

Ancient Near-Eastern Art
Course Department: History of Art
Instructor:
Instruction Language: French
Comments: This class was challenging because the material is more difficult to find online since a lot of the art is unnamed/not well known so it was harder to fill in blanks from class. However, the assessment was an independent research paper and presentation so it was not impossible to succeed even when I didn't understand what was being taught in the lecture. The professor is incredibly kind and understanding of the complexities of being an international student.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issue