DO IT, you wont regret it Past Review
By Ana Sofia T (International Business, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 08/24/2015 to 12/11/2015 with
Sciences Po: Paris - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Studying Abroad is an amazing experience! I had already studied abroad before but this was a completely different experience. If I could I would’ve chosen a different program but that is just personal preference. You will meet people from all over the world, even from places you’ve never heard off. I can happily say that I now have a place to stay in 10 different countries.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
- The academic system is really different. We had less schedules class hours but attendance was mandatory. - Since Science Po is a small university the resources were below average. There was no room for students to study in the library or any other areas. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
- Sciences Po is extremely bureaucratic (all of Paris is) and if you have a problem it will be really hard to fix. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
- My home university did not provide any help with housing but thankfuly Sciences Po had a portal where students could look for housing. - DO IT EARLY. There are very few options available and Paris is expensive |
| * Food: |
Sciences Po cafeteria was great and Paris has tons of options! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
- There is a large gap between the exchange students and the French students. There are over 13,000 exchange students (25,000 French) so it is easy to get by with only English. Most of the French students resent the study abroad students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Never had any problems |
| * Safety: |
Sciences Po is in a super nice area of Paris! It is one of the richest neighborhoods. |
| 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 extremely expensive! I probably spent about 400 euros a month but that was mainly spent on food |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Get a baby sitting job! I worked at BabyLangues and they found me a family where I worked 6hrs each week and paid 12euros/hr |
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 |
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| 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? | Only had 6hrs of french before I left but if I was patient and nice people were willing to help me out and be patient with me |
| 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 as much language classes as you can before you leave. You will have a much better time if you are able to completely immerse yourself in the culture |
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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| 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? | The welcome program is expensive but that is where I meet most of my best friends (the people who I constantly traveled with). Know that it will be expensive but it is really easy to get a job as an English speaking babysitter (even for guys). Also, learn French ( or host language) before you go to a foreign country. It will make the experience better |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
