The best 5 months of my life! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I had an amazing experience studying at Sciences Po in Paris. I had the opportunity to be immersed in a completely different education system, and had to find a way to adapt and succeed in a new environment. I think this experience will definitely be useful in the future.

On-site administration of your program

France works much differently that the US, so at first it was difficult, and sometimes frustrating, to adapt to the different administrative system. Registration was not as smooth as I would have liked, but I managed to be enrolled in courses I needed for my degree program. Not much exchange student advising was provided aside from that given in the Welcome Program, which I believe was overpriced.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Finding housing in Paris is difficult and it is definitely expensive, but it's not impossible. I found a studio apartment through Craigslist and was able to find a roommate on the Facebook group for incoming Sciences Po exchange students. I paid around 760 USD for a very small studio straddling the 5th and 13th arrondissements and it was a great location and it included a small kitchen and washer/dryer so it was livable.

It's Paris. Food is amazing, but can be expensive sometimes. The Sciences Po main class buildings both have small cafeterias that offer really good, really cheap sandwiches which is a good alternative to surrounding cafes (Sciences Po is in a notoriously expensive neighborhood) for cheap lunch.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There's a lot of culture shock to face in the first month, but after you get your bearings you can start really taking in some of the culture. I made a few Parisian friends, but for the most part the French students didn't want to make friends with exchange students, understandably, because exchanges are always coming in and out of the country. That said, I met students from all over the world at Sciences Po that I am still in contact with. I am very glad I chose an exchange program rather than an affiliate program, and that I went by myself rather than with a group or a friend, because I was able to get out of my comfort zone and now I have friends I met in Paris from all over the world.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues, but I avoided doctors and clinics because of the paperwork it seemed would be required to be reimbursed for medical charges. France should really be famous for its massive amounts of paperwork.

For the most part, I felt safe in the city. As long as you have normal street smarts and understand the cultural differences (don't make eye contact, no smiling or nodding on the sidewalks, etc.), you're unlikely to get yourself into trouble. Paris is known for pickpocketers, but I never had anything stolen. As long as you're street smart, you should be alright.

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

Paris is very expensive, but there are some ways to keep costs down.

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• SciencesPo's extremely diverse student body (I met students from all corners of the world.)
• Exchange program forced me to adapt without the crutch of having students from home with me. I learned a lot about myself and am a lot more adaptable now, which I think will be important in the future.
• The study abroad team at UT was amazing at every step.

• Communication with SciencesPo was difficult. It was often hard to get a reply to a question.
• I wish Welcome Program had been more useful or cheaper. I paid a lot, and I am glad I went because I met many of my friends there, but it simply wasn't worth the price.