Program Reviews

Prague is a beautiful European city, and I am incredibly grateful that I got to spend four months studying at one of the oldest film schools in the country. CET provided me with an amazing apartment that was close in proximity to a lot of places. In all, I can honestly say that I enjoyed my time here, and learned many things about myself and international filmmaking.

However, there were some things that left me feeling out of sorts. There were times where communication was lacking from the advisors to the students, and it left the majority of us feeling lost. It was very disorganized, and students did not feel as though they were being listened to, and it was unsettling. Better communication and organization would have helped.

While I would ultimately recommend this program to others looking for international filmmaking experience, I think it's important for them to understand what they are getting themselves into.

CET Beijing and CET Beijing Janterm were experiences I did not know I needed until after I experienced them. CET Beijing Intensive Language Program could not be a more appropriate name for this program. From 8:20 a.m. to 3 p.m. I was challenged in the classroom, and the challenges continued beyond class hours as the language pledge really pushed me out of my comfort zone.

As I mention above, CET Beijing has a language pledge which made the first few weeks extremely challenging as we pledged to speak no language other than Chinese throughout our time in Beijing. It was challenging at first, because it was hard to communicate with each other as a lot of us did not have the Chinese speaking skills to have a full conversation. As time went by, it became easier to communicate with teachers, classmates, and even local people as our Chinese improved every single day (I am not being sarcastic here). At first, I thought the language pledge would prohibit me from making new friends, but in reality it brought us all closer together. The struggle that we were all going through, regardless of Chinese speaking level, made the bond even stronger.

I participated in both the semester long program in the Fall and the Janterm program (1 month). In terms of academics, they focused on different things. The Fall semester focused more on improving your reading and writing skills, while the Janterm focused more on your speaking skills. I recommend students interested in studying abroad in Beijing to participate in both the semester program and Janterm.

Overall, CET pushed me to become more independent. It helped me reach a lot of my goals, and I hope in can do the same or even more for others in the future.

I have been to several pre-college academic college programs in the US and this study abroad program blew them all away. The dorms were great and the dorm food was incredible. There was a full four story cafeteria that served fresh made Chinese food everyday. I had a steaming bowl of fresh wonton soup almost every morning for breakfast, along with a steamed soy milk drink (which is better than it sounds!). There was a grocery store around the corner that had all the necessities and some great Chinese snacks like pineapple cakes. There were many restaurants right in the few blocks around us. My favorite was a fresh bao shop just across the street with meat and red bean buns, perfect for a quick breakfast or snack. My class had only three people and was personalized so I could focus on my own career aspirations. We practiced interviews, made resumes and cover letters, and met professionals who had made their careers in China. There were excursions to great sites almost everyday and the destination trip to Xi’an was definitely a highlight.

My overall experience with CET Shanghai was extremely positive. The program provides a variety of opportunities to engage with Chinese language and culture and the staff is very supportive and helpful to student needs. Jeremy and Nova are always able and willing to lend their help and support. The program is academically rigorous compared to some other study abroad programs, so it's important to be prepared to put in the work. Daily Chinese classes are especially time consuming and require a good deal of preparation outside the classroom, but if you put in the effort you will be able to significantly improve your Chinese language skills. The professors are all extremely knowledgable and personable. Weekend trips and excursions provide ample opportunity for students to experience Chinese culture. There are also two breaks (one 5 days and another 10 days) where students can do independent travel.

It's tough to describe this experience on a 1-10 scale. While there were many aspects of this program that I really loved, there were many parts of the program that were very frustrating. Overall, I'm glad that I chose this program and I hope that one day I can return to Prague. I also think that the program has a lot of room for improvement, but compared to other study abroad programs I think that they are the best option for those interested in practical film production.

FAMU is a very unique film school and the professors are very talented filmmakers. I don't think the general core classes were the most productive way to learn with these professors, but I felt that they all made time to meet with us individually several times throughout the semester and those meetings were when I learned the most. I enjoyed my FAMU electives a lot and the general arts community in Prague. I also really enjoyed the optional Kutna Hora trip, and found some personal time to explore Cesky Raj (which I really recommend!).

I wouldn't recommend this program to everybody, but I am glad that I did it and I think that some people could really enjoy what this program has to offer. I also think it was a very valuable character-building experience that I don't think I would've gotten anywhere else. I personally chose to study abroad not just for the cultural experience but also because I wanted to learn film production. While there are many other programs that offer a much more consistent experience (particularly with academics and scheduling) this is the only program I know that provides an accurate experience of what film school and the filmmaking process can look like.

If you are looking for a challenging and immersive study abroad experience please consider CET Japan.

One of the most beneficial things about CET Japan is the language pledge: which forces you to speak Japanese inside and outside of the classroom. This can seem quite intimidating, but it was so helpful for my Japanese. In addition, it strengthens camaraderie with the other CET students who also took the pledge.

The CET program staff were also very supportive and always available to help. They pick you up at the airport, help you fill out important documents, and even take you to the hospital if need be. I always felt extremely comforted knowing that I could talk to them if I had a problem.

The CET academics were very high quality. Class sizes ranged from 2-5 students, which really helped me to participate in class and develop a strong relationship with my teachers. The teachers were extremely knowledgeable and skilled.

There were many social opportunities and it was easy to take advantage of them to fit your own lifestyle.

My building was somewhat old and things occasionally broke. That being said, the landlord always responded promptly. You should be advised that you may have to pay extra for utility cost.

Studying abroad with CET Japan was one of the best experiences in my life and I am extremely glad I chose it. I highly recommend CET Japan!

CET really understands the value of cultural and linguistic immersion, and I felt that the program tried to immerse students as much as possible into the Jordanian community. Each student has a Jordanian roommate, and my roommate became one of my lifelong friends very quickly, taking me to visit her family every weekend outside of Amman - they were all welcoming, and didn't speak English, so it was a wonderful way to begin practicing Arabic rather quickly. Additionally, it is very easy to make friends with other roommates living in the building - I found that almost all roommates were happy to spend time with CET students, for tea, to help with homework, or just to talk. I entered the program with a fairly low level of Arabic, but the learning curve was very steep thanks to constant practice.

CET provides many other opportunities for conversational practice: students meet with language partners regularly, and there are also teacher's assistants in every class. There are often days when students are paired up with assistants to practice speaking on a certain topic. The class sizes are small, so the student-teacher ratio is very good, and the student-teacher's assistant ratio was almost 1:1 in my class. Furthermore, teacher's assistants are usually students at the University of Jordan, so it is a great way to make friends and learn more about the community. The classes themselves were interactive, and used a diverse range of methods to develop listening, speaking, and reading skills.

Most of the blocks for linguistic progress and cultural immersion came from CET students themselves. Often, they didn't stick to the language pledge, and stuck together rather than branching out to get to know Jordanians. CET's summer program was an incredibly meaningful experience for me, and after just two months I felt completely comfortable and able to take a taxi in Arabic, talk about myself/my life, talk about culture and women's rights, and banter in the fun and sassy Arab way : ) However, I rarely spent time with other students on the program - most of my time was spent with my roommate, her family, other CET roommates, language partners, or teacher's assistants. While this takes a lot of energy (and a fair amount of courage in the beginning, depending on your Arabic level), it made my experience so worthwhile, and I am still in touch with many of the friends I made during my time abroad.

If I were to return to study with CET again, I would study under the intensive language program rather than the internship program. While the internships may provide a good introduction to a specific field, it can be a gamble, because you won't necessarily be placed into the field you want to explore, and not all internships have a lot of work for internship students to do. Meanwhile, my classes were intensive and fast-paced, and my Arabic level probably would have sky-rocketed even more if I would have had an extra two days of classes per. week. That being said, I entered the program with more excitement for the language aspect than the internship aspect - I chose the internship program, only because my university provides funding for internships and it would have been impossible for me to enroll in the program without it. Some people had really meaningful experiences in their internships, one student even conducting their own research in hospitals, etc.

CET Beijing was great. I went into the program hoping to improve my Chinese language ability, make new friends, and learn more about Chinese culture. However, I believe I accomplished all of this, and much more.

The program was very challenging at first, but as the weeks passed I got more acclimated to the work load and culture, and they became easier to manage and understand. The workload was heavy, but the hardest part was the language pledge. The students in my program had different backgrounds with Chinese study - some had studied it for years, and others not at all - and after knowing each other for only a few days we were left with very sparse conversational tools. However, this created a perfect environment for not only drastically improving my Chinese language ability, but also for forming incredible friendships with my classmates, who were facing the new challenges with me. Additionally, thanks to the subjects we learned in class, the trips we took with CET, and living in the capital city, I gained incredible knowledge and perspective on Chinese culture.

Finally, the program led to immense personal growth. Being thrown into a completely culturally and linguistically foreign environment allowed me to learn better how to care for myself and live in the real world.

After completing CET, I feel confident I can tackle whatever new challenges come my way, and I can't wait to continue my Chinese language learning, and hopefully gain complete fluency in the future.

CET Beijing Intensive Language is truly the program for you if you are looking to make serious progress in your Chinese ability across all spheres -- speaking, writing, listening, etc. Without a doubt, CET pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but in a way that I am extremely grateful for. I have gained a confidence in speaking Chinese that did not before exist. The teachers all are extremely hardworking and do not hesitate to help students in any capacity possible, whether that be language help or simply adjusting to the Chinese lifestyle. Additionally, the program directors do everything in their power to make your semester smooth and successful. While abroad with CET, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the Chinese culture by visiting several different cities and various historical sites -- some of which was with (and paid for) by CET, whereas other times it was own my individual trips. I would highly recommend looking at CET if you are looking for a program that focuses on language learning while also emphasizing the other various aspects that comes with living abroad, such as culture, history, etc .

As I waived goodbye to my mother for the sixth time through security, I found myself wondering if I made the right choice to study abroad in Shanghai, China the fall semester of my Senior year. Reflecting back on my last semester and the cities I explored with friends that I will never forget, I know China was the best place for me to grow and mature.

Throughout my time I wandered to over nine cities, met endless individuals from various countries around the globe and attended seven Christmas Markets. While I could go on and on about my adventures in China to the Great Wall, Terra-cotta Warriors or talking to the locals, I want to focus on the adaptability of China to ones unique needs and desires.

Shanghai is home to over 25 million citizens. Thus, whatever you are looking for you can find. You will find a plethora of entertainment, both local and global artist, ranges of cuisines (except their Mexican food could use some work) and more stores to purchase gifts and clothes at then you can visit. The trip is 100% customizable to fit your needs. If you want to travel to Tibet, you can. If you want to experience a range of temples, you can! If you want to stuff your face with as many (strange) foods as you can find, you can.

Moving forward I have made plans with my roommate to visit the United States next year, I have applied to jobs throughout China, and am planning a trip for my family to Chengdu to experience the Sichuan Opera and the Sichuan spicy peppercorn. Many of these plans will take many months to complete, so for now I am sharing my experiences with those who are curious and debuting all myths people hold of China.