France: INDEPENDENCE Past Review
By Sarah W (French Language and Literature., Presbyterian College) for
Paul Valery University, Montpellier III: Montpellier - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
yes, improved my language skills and gave me a greater sense of independence!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
grading system not clear, french education system was extremely confusing. Signing up and registering for classes was a nightmare. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were helpful some times, very difficult to get in touch with some days though. Knowledgeable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was not explained to me very well before i left. I had a great host family but it was very expensive. I was not aware that there were large differences in prices. Also my host family lived far away from downtown and the bus/public transportation ended at 9 pm so it was difficult in the evenings to get to and from my house. I enjoyed the meal plan though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
traveling around was great! save money for travel!! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | at least 60 euros a week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring way more money than you think you will need! Many administrative fees that I was not aware of! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300 level |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Host family, yes the foreign language was crucial. No, not really. |
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?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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