Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

If you want to go to France, go here Past Review

By (Economics., Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/22/2014 to 01/15/2015 with

Wellesley College: Aix-en-Provence - Wellesley-in-Aix

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Improved my French skills, met lots of cool people, learned a ton, traveled a ton, had a great time

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I learned a lot by nature of being immersed and directly enrolling at French universities. The academic expectations at the French universities were not as high as I am used to at my school in the US, but I was challenged in other ways. The resources at the universities were lacking, which is to be expected. The resources provided by the Wellesley-in-Aix program were outstanding. Tutors, library, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

You're not going to get a better program administration in the South of France. I'm not just saying that. So many study abroad programs eat up your tuition money. Here, I felt like I got my tuition money's worth with the support and the staff of the program.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There's a cheap local clinic that helped me out. I also went to a dentist in Aix. Even without French insurance, it was all cheap and easily taken care of. I'd rather get sick in Aix than at home.

* Safety:

Men can be creepy in the street. That is not idiosyncratic to Aix.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Just live like a student and you'll be fine!

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $120, but it's possible to live on less.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Book any weekend trips well in advance to take advantage of cheap airfare. Don't get bottle service at clubs! It screams tourist, anyway. Save money and have fun for cheap -- neighborhood dive bars, etc.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? intermediate French writing
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? make friends!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • bang for its buck
  • emphasis on immersion
  • supportive staff and resources
* What could be improved?
  • update the program materials to be more computer accessible
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The program prepared me just fine.

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 Adventurer
The 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.