France was amazing! Past Review
By masch1 (University of Maryland - Baltimore County) for
ICN Business School Nancy-Metz: Nancy - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
It broadened my cultural horizons while also helping me actually use a language I'd been studying for almost a decade, and eventually encouraged me to get a minor in French.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The fact that French credits are only worth half the value of American credits is a big difference. Otherwise, there's little in the way of homework, just one final test per class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Things are less organized administration-wise in France, but it gets sorted out within a few weeks. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
A friendly dorm environment, although all the foreigners were segregated to one hallway. |
| * Food: |
Dining hall food was terrible. I just cooked for myself. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I had a great time going to St. Malo, Nice, and Mont St. Michel. The cathedral in Metz was breathtaking as well. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The city seemed relatively safe, and health was not an issue. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced with teachers and students. Most people did not speak much English, so I used French everyday. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Any student wishing to improve their French could really do well in Nancy. It is much more likely that they will be able to speak French there then in Paris, for instance. I had a wonderful time, and the most important thing was challenging myself to meet new French people all the time and in different contexts. |
