Wellesley College Aix en Provence for the Spring Past Review
By A student (Psychology And French, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/03/2012 to 05/29/2012 with
Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix
I learned alot of life lessons from my experience abroad, met life-long friends in the program, and improved my French skills tremendously. For these reasons, not for academic reasons, it was very worthwhile.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Université Aix-Marseille |
| 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 academic environment at the Faculté de Lettres in Aix is abysmal: the building is not only falling apart, but it is also very unsanitary. The bathrooms are particularly horrific. The majority of students there are unmotivated and apparently not there to learn, and the majority of teachers are not supportive, not nurturing in the least, obviously don't want to be there, and at times are hostile and seemingly prejudice against non-French students (they have no qualms about making fun of someone in class, usually a foreigner, and making them cry). Affiliations with this university does not reflect well on Wellesley, and I strongly recommend that the Wellesley program explore other options for universities in Aix. Academically, I learned nothing at this university despite spending the semester there and paying Wellesley's tuition. My experience was not a positive one. |
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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? |
housing provided by my host family, a perfect match for me. |
| * Food: |
Food provided by my host family |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
N/A |
| * Safety: |
Felt very safe with my host family and in Aix |
| 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) |
Not a problem, as most was provided by my host family. The stipend was very welcome, though |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50 euro |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | cook at home |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | A french 300 course |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | don't cheat, speak the language |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | dont expect much from French universities and administration, paticularly this one. |
