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Program Description
API at the Cours de Civilisation Francaise de la Sorbonne, Paris
Ratings and Reviews
1 of 4 people found this review helpful
A Semester in Paris
90%Overall
Rating
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
A Fantastic Experience
90%Overall
Rating
Studying abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris through API was quite honestly one of the best choices I've ever made in my life. It was fulfilling on both an intellectual and personal level, and I would absolutely go again. The staff were always available and extremely supportive, the courses transformed my ability to speak French, and the excursions and food were wonderful. I lived with a host family, which I would encourage everyone to do because it allows you to have much more insight into French culture, as well as to really challenge yourself to improve your language skills. I felt very safe and integrated into the local community, and I loved the sense of independence and constant curiosity that I felt when I was there. Everyday was a learning experience, and dull moments never existed. There were endless places to explore, things to do, and experiences to be had. I'd recommend this program to anyone looking to enhance their sense of independence and learn more about the French language and culture.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
C'est la vie!
90%Overall
Rating
Paris is one of the most rewarding and intriguing places to study abroad,and taking that journey with API was a choice I'll never regret. Throughout the journey that is adapting to a new culture the API Paris staff on-site was always there to make sure everything was taken care of. My housing was wonderfully centered in the 10e arrondissment and within reach of several historic chapels and train stations. The best part about choosing this program was being able to have such a great experience because I had to deal with less stress about all the little intricacies involved with going to a foreign university. API includes housing with many great options for this program with a great variety to choose from.
As far as academics go, la Sorbonne, is a great choice for those seeking to have a total French immersion setting that still focuses on grammar and is oriented for those learning French as a second or other language. The classes are small and are only with other international students. It was great; I made a lot of new friends and acquaintances with people I may have never gotten the chance to meet otherwise. I would definitely say that the classes taught at the Sorbonne were on target.
Overall, studying abroad was a great experience with a rewarding outcome, and I would recommend this program to anyone seeking a fun, educational alternative to foreign language education.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
API And You
90%Overall
Rating
It is important to know the living arrangements that are best for you. If you need people around you, you don't want to live in an apartment alone. I was in an apartment and very lonely. I would have braved the public showers to live in the dorm if I had known how lonely it could be.
The only thing I didn't like in my program was that we were separated from the French students. API has different versions in Paris, so you want to verify ahead of time which program will be best for you. At my level, I wanted to be integrated in with other native french students, but it was mostly other foreigners who were advancing in their language skills. I also would have liked some conversation classes. I know that some programs did offer that, but I didn't find out until too late that mine did not.
The lectures were great and the grammar courses and phonetics were challenging and extremely useful. Overall, the program was amazing. The people who run the API office in Paris are fantastic and always their for you if you need them or just want to talk. The excursions were beyond words fantastic. I wish I could go back knowing now what I didn't know then.
I spent four months in Paris at Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne with API, and I wholly enjoyed myself the entire time. I lived in an apartment in the 10th arrondissement with three other girls, all strangers. We got along sometimes, and didn't some other times, but that's expected. The location of the apartment was both advantageous and inconvenient for different reasons: it was helpful in that it was located squarely between two of the largest, busiest metro stations in the city that could take us almost anywhere. It was a little far from our classes, however. We had a 30 minute commute by metro, but this was manageable compared to some of the homestays that were located outside of Paris proper. We were also located in a neighborhood that I would not recommend to many female students as I occasionally felt unsafe.
Otherwise, the API staff were friendly and effective in solving most problems. The office was small but located in the very heart of the city, and featured computers for student use. This was helpful (and unfortunately necessary) for times when we could not use the public hotspots we relied on in our apartment.
The actual schoolwork was exactly at my level because the Sorbonne was effective in testing then assigning me an appropriate course level. Homework was always very light; I hardly had to spend more than an hour a day on it. Despite stereotypes, my teachers were all friendly and obliging.
The lack of outside school work provided ample opportunity to explore a very busy and fascinating city. Within the first week, API had toured many famous landmarks with us, so that left me to explore the sites more popular with the locals. I frequented every museum I could possibly get into, and enjoyed many of Paris' well-kept parks like native students. A note to students considering studying here: with a student long-stay visa, a student under 25 years of age can get into most museums for free, and many landmarks for a discounted price. This significantly cut down on my living expenses and provided entertainment after school every day.
Overall, this was an incredible experience considerably facilitated by a helpful program that I would recommend to anyone.