American College of Norway: Semester or Year Study

I can say I enjoyed my time at the American College of Norway. I have lived in Norway for a few years, so I did not choose this college to experience Norwegian culture. I always dreamed about studying in the U.S, so I was hoping that ACN would be a good transition to an American college. We had certain "American" events at the school, such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Superbowl. It was interesting and exciting to experience those for the first time however, the lack of enthusiasm and participation of other students ruined the fun. Despite the overall lack of student participation, I was able to meet interesting people from different countries and learn about various cultures, which really pleased me. I was able to learn more about the U.S and what to expect when I go there. Academics at the American College of Norway are okay, and some classes were more challenging than others. I was hoping to improve my English language skills before going to the U.S, and I have improved thanks to this school. I cannot think of anything that is exceptionally great at this school, but also I cannot think of anything that is completely awful. This experience depends on the amount of money you have to spend on travel around Norway and the effort you put into schoolwork and social life. Unfortunately, COVID-19 ruined some of the experience, and we had to take online classes and cancel events, which is disappointing. Overall, the American College of Norway has the potential to become a great school for Norwegians and international students, and I recommend trying this study abroad opportunity.

ACN offers a program that is really unique for a country like Norway.

The program offered interesting academic courses, encouraged international travel as well as social interactions between not only the students with themselves but with the local culture and area, and in general had a sense of community that made being somewhere different not as scary as it might have been. I found the staff to be nice and very helpful, so I felt like I could apprach them with any issue. ACN created an environment where I could focus on my future and what I wanted to do with my life, as well as one where I could enjoy the moment and have fun the way everyone wants too when they have a study abroad experience.

This program was more than worth it for me!

I am absolutely infatuated with the literature of the early 20th Century. Reading the great works of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Stein, Pound, and others, I fell in love with the robust lifestyle and metropolis bustle of Europe. Walking along the cobblestone, book in hand, searching for a café while people watching was my idyllic pastime. It is not quite like that here. It is hard to immerse oneself into Norwegian culture and customs in the same way as the Americans of the past because the Americans attending only have an interest in American customs. You speak English and learn Norwegian in a joking bypass. Those Americans really wanting to learn about Norway will have to push hard for it to a point that it is more of a struggle than anything else. If you have no interest in learning about another country and want America outside America then this is the place. Language is no issue as people will understand you, there are other Americans and those that want to be exposed to American culture, and the food is nothing crazy, you can make burgers and hot dogs all the time. If you are looking for cultural diversity and immersion then it may be a bit disappointing, but they are trying their best to make it so. Each year may vary, and it of course depends on the student.

I had studied abroad in high school and had an awesome time but studying abroad to Norway and attending ACN blew that experience out of the water. ACN covers all bases, whether it's travel tips, homesickness tips, advice on studying, help with housing, anything. The staff and faculty at ACN were super accommodating to every student and the small class sizes were a treat. The staff especially, go above and beyond in every aspect to make sure that students are comfortable and enjoying their time in Moss.
The on-campus housing was very nice, 2-bedroom apartments with a kitchen and a bathroom (that has a heated floor! Amazing during the winter months), and can supply almost anything you need, from dishes to bed sheets to drying racks. And as a bonus, the apartments are just up the street from the school, less than a 5 minute walk!
ACN also only has classes Monday-Thursday, meaning you get a three-day weekend every weekend. This makes it really easy to travel and see Europe. While in Norway I was able to travel to the western part of Norway, France, England, and Wales. The staff also help you find the cheapest airline/train/bus tickets!

I would highly recommend to anyone (whether you are a freshman or a senior in college) to study abroad to the American College of Norway. I had an amazing experience and am kinda bummed I only went for one semester.

Studying at ACN has been more than I thought it would be. I thought I would study abroad and I would go back home the same person. I was completely wrong. Being at ACN has made me become more confident in myself and more spontaneous when before I was shy and didn't do many things outside of my comfort zone. ACN gave me the opportunity to meet many new friends and the staff at the school were our close advisers for anything we needed. Being at ACN also made it possible for me to make trips to other parts of Norway like Svalbard or Stavanger. I was also able to travel to places like London and Paris for prices that were in my range! Before going to ACN I was scared traveling places because it was different and new. I was a person of habit but now I love the unknown parts of trips because it makes it more of an adventure!

To me, this school represents a great opportunity for both American students who wish to study abroad, and Norwegians looking to study in the US.

Although I myself is one of the later, I have made a lot of American friends here, my room mate being one of them, and I hear nothing but praise coming from them. In fact, most of the ones I've asked said they wished they could stay for a little longer, despite missing their families at home. With ACN being such a small school compared to most American universities, we naturally have a tight and welcoming student environment. Whether we're studying, partying, traveling or killing time, we've always had the option of doing it in solidarity.

The small classes also seem to spark the teachers. Going from a school where they host lectures for hundreds of people at a time to classes where they have 20-40 people seem to bring them back to their teaching roots, allowing them to create a real student-teacher relationship. And although there will be new teachers every semester, I can honestly say that the teaching staff at ACN that I've encountered represents the best educators I have ever had the privilege of learning from.

To summarize: If you're curious about studying abroad and think that Norway might be the place for you, come to ACN! In my experience it was the best choice I could have made, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

When I decided to I wanted to study abroad, I never thought it would be this beneficial for not only now but for years to come. The American College of Norway was what made this whole experience possible. ACN has given me opportunities that I would not received at any large scale university. The American College of Norway will forever have a piece of my heart, and it has become a place I would call home.