Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Bad Management, Independent Learning Past Review

By (Art History, Criticism and Conservation., Scripps College) - abroad from 01/07/2013 to 05/10/2013 with

Sarah Lawrence College: Paris - Sarah Lawrence College in Paris

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I have been studying French for many years, so I was expecting to have a better grasp on French than I actually did. I learned the value of perfecting an accent. In addition, one of my goals was to see a lot of art. The way my classes were structured, especially with the half -hour tutorats, and having to use the library’s during opening hours, I did not see nearly as much art as I would have liked or originally planned. This was a logistical thing, but I still wish there were more hours in the day. I got to see and experience a wide variety of art and culture and feel out which sector I fee I am most interested in.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Very good professors who are willing to help you.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

Made my own food, going out is very expensive.

* 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? No

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)

Paris is by nature a very expensive city.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 30 euro

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? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Film course only taught in French/all work in French
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* 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?
  • The teachers on the Sarah Lawrence program are really wonderful.
  • In addition, the three women who run the program are very willing to find you and contact you and help you.
  • I learned a lot more French.
* What could be improved?
  • Trying to take a class at a French University is near to impossible due to logistics.
  • The administration at Sarah Lawrence is very poorly run,
  • We were never in any sort of orientation or group hello with the students from Sarah Lawrence College, who study there for a year.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? A foreign bank account gives you a credit card with a chip in it, which they advertise as useful, I think is unnecessary. The only times I needed one was buying movie tickets from an automated machine and buying a single-use public bike rental ticket.

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.