Not great- go somewhere else for cheaper and better art/language education Past Review
By A student (Wheaton College) - abroad from 08/28/0013 to 12/15/0013 with
Paris College of Art: Paris - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Learn how to be independent, fend for myself. It was definitely worthwhile- now I feel like I can pick up and move to any city by myself.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Overall good education- great professors and decent course options considering the size of the school |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Pretty poor administration- the school had just moved buildings and the first few weeks were a disaster. Orientation was chaos, there a schedule but it was rarely adhered to. Financial aid office was a pain, and so was my "advising" for choosing classes. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I found my own housing, despite the school's promise to help me out. I arrived without a living situation because it's nearly impossible to secure housing without being in Paris first. I eventually got an admissions officer to help me, after a few days of worrying and emailing the school. |
| * Food: |
The school has no cafeteria or even an area to eat- except for a few jenky vending machines and a microwave that may or may not work. The neighborhood does have decent options to grab lunch, including a few grocery stores in walking distance. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was very difficult for me to meet people- I was one of very few Americans studying abroad. I went through orientation with all the freshman, which was not a pleasant experience. I had to meet people in my classes, which only met a few times a week. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Easy enough- paid the few fees (around $200) during my first week of orientation |
| * Safety: |
Paris is great, you just learn which areas to avoid (especially at night). I lived with a host family, which ended up being a great experience, but it was annoying to have to walk home by myself at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* 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) |
Paris is definitely NOT a cheap city to survive in. Food prices add up, especially because I wanted to try authentic food while I was there. But totally worth it, wine and food there are amazing |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-$150 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
I took classes in French, and they did offer free tutoring outside class. But it was really my responsibility to put in the effort |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300-level college course |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Take more classes in French and take advantage of the free tutoring. Talk to people as much as you can in French even if it's daunting. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | there are not many french students at the school- I heard a lot of German, Swiss, Russian, etc being spoken rather than French. I could have pushed myself to have done a french program where all the my classes would have been in French to actually improve my language skills. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
