Past Review
By Philip E (HISTORY., The College of William and Mary) for
American Business School - Paris: Paris - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
It was the best year of my life.
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Full-Year 2008 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Both locations worked well. The university suggested housing was a quieter neighborhood, but very French, which the room I rented was a cooler, but more touristy area. |
| * Food: |
French food is excellent, and even when I made my own food the quality of the ingredients made a big difference. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
ABS Paris sponsors parties throughout the year, often renting out clubs or boats, and treating the students to some night life. The international and French students are also very nice, and through some effort are easy to make friends with. |
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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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Paris is really expensive. Even though spending money may be tough, don't miss out on any incredible experiences because you don't want to drop the dough. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
The program put me in a setting in which I was surrounded by French students, and while the courses were in English, outside of the classroom the language most spoken was French. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This is a great program for students who want to experience the French university culture. It would be perfect if paired with a language course at the Alliance Francais. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Impressionism |
| Course Department: | Art History |
| Instructor: | Jenner |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was a great course, especially because so much of what we studied happened in Paris, and so much of the Impressionist works are displayed there. Field trips were to famous museums to see some of the finest examples of this style of painting in the world, and the professor was very knowledgeable. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | My business credits transferred easily through my home business school. |
