Fall in Paris Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Some courses were pretty easy to follow, but other courses were very challenging and even difficult. I learned a lot though, probably more than I would have at my home university, and I am glad that I challenged myself. A lot more school work than I expected though, but nothing unmanageable if you are practical and responsible.

On-site administration of your program

I had very little contact with the administration at Sciences Po, but when I did, it was less than ideal. No major problems though.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Since I was direct exchange, I had to find housing on my own, but the housing locator services with Sciences Po did very little to help. Finding housing in Paris was a hassle, and was probably the most stressful part of the whole experience. I didn't find housing until I had already arrived in Paris and started looking on location with my roommate. We found ours with the listings at the American Church, with a lot of luck. It worked out fine, but I wouldn't want to risk it again.

The food is Paris is very expensive, so eating out a lot like in the USA is not really an option. Even groceries are somewhat more expensive, so you have to be smart. Drinking in Paris with friends is also very expensive. Generally, Paris is an expensive city, but if you're smart, you can manage.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated with the other international students at my university. I had friends from Spain, Australia, USA, Israel etc, but I felt very disconnected from French culture. I lived in an apartment with a French landlady and even still, felt separated. I didn't mind though, I was still able to have a somewhat European experience and I did feel like a part of the city's culture, vibe, etc.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Had no health problems.

I felt relatively safe all the time in Paris. Never felt scared, even walking in the dark, using subway at night etc. Some of the homeless individuals etc can be a bit intimidating but if you have lived in a city with a similar situation, you can handle yourself fine.

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

I would say that it was about $100-150 for me to survive. Sometimes more, sometimes way less. It depended what I was doing. It isn't cheap though. The conversion rates are the worst part though, just even to wrap your head around the fact that 1 euro doesn't equal 1 dollar.

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

I felt that most Parisians didn't want me to speak French and would always respond in English.

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• Apartment

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• International Students

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• Other

• Meeting New People from around the World
• Traveling
• Classes

• Administration
• Housing Location Services

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer