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1. Name (optional)
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Julia Wang Krystina Nguyen Adam Rottenstein Alexandra Bumpas david Jason Poulsen Alex Orechoff Lina Chen Bryan Medlock vivian Karen Tsang Christie Lee Nadine Tan Sharon Niku Andrew Kwan Sheila Kim Stephanie Wijanarko Stephanie Diana Toma Loren Hinkson Nik sethi
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Total Responses 21 2. E-mail Address (optional)
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[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
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Total Responses 18 3. Location
# Answer Bar Respo nse %
39 Aalto University School of Economics 0 0% 4 Australian National University 0 0% 6 Chinese University of Hong Kong 0 0% 5 Copenhagen Business School 0 0% 3 Corvinus University of Budapest 0 0% 37 Chulalongkorn University 0 0% 2 ESADE Business School 0 0% 40 ESCEM 0 0% 38 ESCP-EAP 0 0% 65 Fudan University 0 0% 13 HEC School of Management 38 100% 7 Hong Kong UNiversity of Science and Technology 0 0% 58 ICHEC Brussels 0 0% 63 IE School of Business 0 0% 15 Korea University Business School 0 0%
16 National University of Singapore 0 0% 18 National Taiwan University 0 0% 27 Peking University 0 0% 14 Rotterdam School of Management 0 0% 61 Seoul National University 0 0% 19 Singapore Management University 0 0% 1 Thammasat University 0 0% 57 Universidade de Nova de Lisbon 0 0% 64 Universiidad de Carlos Madrid III 0 0% 11 Universita Commerciale Luigi Bocconi 0 0% 62 University of Hong Kong 0 0% 9 University of Manchester, Manchester Business School 0 0% 10 University of Melbourne 0 0% 12 University of Navarra 0 0% 17 University of St. Gallen 0 0% 59 Vienna University of Economics and Business 0 0% 8 WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management 0 0%
Total 38
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Min Value 13 Max Value 13 Mean 13.00 Variance 0.00 Standard Deviation 0.00 Total Responses 38 4. What is your academic status this semester?
# Answer Bar Respo nse %
1 Sophomore 0 0% 2 Junior 22 58% 3 Senior 16 42%
Total 38
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Min Value 2 Max Value 3 Mean 2.42 Variance 0.25 Standard Deviation 0.50 Total Responses 38 5. What is your expected date of graduation from USC (Semester and year, eg Fall 2009)?
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Spring 2010 May 2009 Spring 2009 May 2009 Fall 2009 Fall 2009 May 2010 Spring 2010 Spring 2010 Spring 2010 Spring 2010 May 2010 Spring 2011 May 2010 2011 May 2011 May 2011 spring 2011 Spring 2011 Spring 2010 May 2011 Spring 2012 May 2012 May 2012 December 2011 Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Spring 2012 December 2011 Spring 2012 2013 August 2012 Spring 2013 Spring 2013 for International Relations; Fall 2013 for Business Administration Summer 2012 December 2013 Fall 2012 May 2014
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Total Responses 38 6. What is your major?
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Business Administration Business Administration Double: Business Admn. and Cinema Production Business Admin, Cinema Production Business Business Business BUAD Business Administration BUAD Business Administration Accounting and Business Administration Business Administration BUAD & EALC Business
Business Administration Business Admin business and accounting Business-Cinematic Arts Business Administrations Business Administration, International Relations Business Business Business Administration (International Relations) Business Business Administration (International Relations) Business, Accounting, Sociology BUAD business administration BAIR Business Business Administration Business Administration International Relations and Business Administration Business Administration Business Administration and International Relations Business Administration & Accounting Business Administration
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Total Responses 38 7. What is your concentration (Business majors only)?
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International Business Finance/International Business Intl. Business Intl. Business Real Estate International Business International Business global marketing Cinematic Arts/International Business Real Estate Finance International Business International Business International Business and Finace International Business Marketing
Finance International Business international business International Business International Business International Business Global Marketing International Business International Business International Business International Business IB finance MOR International business International Business International Business Finance International Business International Business International Business
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Total Responses 36 8. Please indicate the term in which you were abroad (semester and year, eg Fall 2009).
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Fall 2008 Fall 2008 Fall 2008 Fall 2008 Fall 08 Fall 2008 Spring 2009 spring 2009 Spring 2009 Spring 2009 Fall 2009 Fall 2009 Fall 2009 Fall 2009 Fall 2009 Spring 2010 Spring 2010 spring 2010 Spring 2010 Spring 2009 Spring 2010 Fall 2010 Fall 2010 Spring 2011 Spring 2011 Spring 2011 Spring 2011 Spring 2011 fall 2011 Fall 2011 fall 2011 Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Fall 2012
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Total Responses 38 9. I. GENERAL PROGRAM EVALUATION Please rate the following items:
Very So mewhat Mo st ly Very T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean dissat isf ied dissat isf ied sat isf ied sat isf ied Respo nses
1. Your overall satisfaction with the 1 0 0 3 19 14 36 4.31 program.
St at ist ic 1. Yo ur o verall sat isf act io n wit h t he pro gram.
Min Value 3 Max Value 5 Mean 4.31 Variance 0.39 Standard Deviation 0.62 Total Responses 36 10.
No t at all So mewhat Mo st ly Very much T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean so so so so Respo nses
1 2. To what extent did the program meet your expectations? 0 4 2 21 9 36 3.97 3. To what extent was your participation in the program a valuable 2 0 1 2 15 18 36 4.39 learning experience?
2. T o what ext ent did t he pro gram meet yo ur 3. T o what ext ent was yo ur part icipat io n in t he pro gram a valuable learning St at ist ic expect at io ns? experience?
Min Value 2 2 Max Value 5 5 Mean 3.97 4.39 Variance 0.77 0.53 Standard 0.88 0.73 Deviation Total 36 36 Responses 11.
Wo uld no t Wo uld May reco mmend Wo uld surely T o t al # Quest io n reco mmend at Neut ral reco mmend Mean wit h reservat io ns reco mmend Respo nses all mo st st ro ngly
4. To what extent would you recommend 1 0 5 1 10 20 36 4.25 this program to other USC students?
St at ist ic 4. T o what ext ent wo uld yo u reco mmend t his pro gram t o o t her USC st udent s?
Min Value 2 Max Value 5 Mean 4.25 Variance 1.11 Standard Deviation 1.05 Total Responses 36 12. II. ACADEMIC PROGRAM
No t at So mewhat Mo st ly Very T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean all so so so much so Respo nses
1 5. To what extent were your courses intellectually challenging? 0 6 11 16 3 36 3.44 6. How comparable was the quality of instruction and academic demand of 2 1 14 8 10 3 36 3.00 classes to that of USC?
5. T o what ext ent were yo ur co urses int ellect ually 6. Ho w co mparable was t he qualit y o f inst ruct io n and academic demand o f St at ist ic challenging? classes t o t hat o f USC?
Min Value 2 1 Max Value 5 5 Mean 3.44 3.00 Variance 0.77 1.14 Standard 0.88 1.07 Deviation Total 36 36 Responses 13.
St ro ngly St ro ngly T o t al # Quest io n Disagree Neut ral Agree Mean disagree Agree Respo nses
7. The grading system used in the courses was 1 3 8 7 13 5 36 3.25 explained. 2 8. I was able to register for all the classes that I wanted. 1 9 6 10 10 36 3.53
St at ist ic 7. T he grading syst em used in t he co urses was explained. 8. I was able t o regist er f o r all t he classes t hat I want ed.
Min Value 1 1 Max Value 5 5 Mean 3.25 3.53 Variance 1.45 1.51 Standard Deviation 1.20 1.23 Total Responses 36 36 14.
No t at all So mewhat Mo st ly Very much T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean so so so so Respo nses
1 9. To what extent were you prepared for the coursework? 0 5 2 19 10 36 3.94 10. To what extent do you feel you were immersed in the culture of the 2 4 11 2 10 9 36 3.25 host country? 11. To what extent did you gain a better appreciation of the host 3 0 8 3 14 11 36 3.78 culture's perspectives?
9. T o what ext ent were yo u 10. T o what ext ent do yo u f eel yo u were 11. T o what ext ent did yo u gain a bet t er St at ist ic prepared f o r t he co ursewo rk? immersed in t he cult ure o f t he ho st co unt ry? appreciat io n o f t he ho st cult ure's perspect ives?
Min Value 2 1 2 Max Value 5 5 5 Mean 3.94 3.25 3.78 Variance 0.91 2.02 1.26 Standard 0.95 1.42 1.12 Deviation Total 36 36 36 Responses 15.
Very So mewhat Mo st ly Very T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean dissat isf ied dissat isf ied sat isf ied Sat isf ied Respo nses
12. Please rate your overall satisfaction with the content of 1 0 8 6 21 1 36 3.42 the courses you took. 13. Please rate your overall satisfaction with the quality of 2 0 8 7 20 1 36 3.39 instruction.
12. Please rat e yo ur o verall sat isf act io n wit h t he co nt ent o f t he 13. Please rat e yo ur o verall sat isf act io n wit h t he qualit y o f St at ist ic co urses yo u t o o k. inst ruct io n.
Min Value 2 2 Max Value 5 5 Mean 3.42 3.39 Variance 0.76 0.76 Standard 0.87 0.87 Deviation Total 36 36 Responses 16.
Very So mewhat Higher t han Very T o t al # Quest io n Average Mean lo w lo w average high Respo nses
14. Please rate the overall level of faculty interest in 1 0 7 22 7 0 36 3.00 students.
St at ist ic 14. Please rat e t he o verall level o f f acult y int erest in st udent s.
Min Value 2 Max Value 4 Mean 3.00 Variance 0.40 Standard Deviation 0.63 Total Responses 36 17.
Very So mewhat Mo st ly Very T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean dissat isf ied dissat isf ied sat isf ied sat isf ied Respo nses
15. Please rate your overall satisfaction with the 1 0 2 12 21 1 36 3.58 academic program.
St at ist ic 15. Please rat e yo ur o verall sat isf act io n wit h t he academic pro gram.
Min Value 2 Max Value 5 Mean 3.58 Variance 0.42 Standard Deviation 0.65 Total Responses 36 18. III. LANGUAGE PREPARATIONIf you did not take a foreign language class this semester, please choose "Not applicable" for each question.
No t Needs T o t al # Quest io n Po o r Fair Go o d Excellent Mean applicable impro vement Respo nses
16. How were your language skills before the 1 8 11 6 7 3 1 36 2.69 program? 2 17. How were your language skills after the program? 4 5 6 12 6 3 36 3.56 18. Your living situation aided your language 3 7 13 2 6 5 3 36 2.94 acquisition.
16. Ho w were yo ur language skills bef o re 17. Ho w were yo ur language skills af t er 18. Yo ur living sit uat io n aided yo ur language St at ist ic t he pro gram? t he pro gram? acquisit io n.
Min Value 1 1 1 Max Value 6 6 6 Mean 2.69 3.56 2.94 Variance 1.93 2.08 2.68 Standard 1.39 1.44 1.64 Deviation Total 36 36 36 Responses 19.
Very So mewhat Mo st ly Very T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean dissat isf ied dissat isf ied sat isf ied sat isf ied Respo nses
19. If you studied a foreign language on the program, please rate your 1 overall level of satisfaction with the language education component of 2 6 14 5 9 36 3.36 the program.
19. If yo u st udied a f o reign language o n t he pro gram, please rat e yo ur o verall level o f sat isf act io n wit h t he language educat io n St at ist ic co mpo nent o f t he pro gram.
Min Value 1 Max Value 5 Mean 3.36 Variance 1.44 Standard 1.20 Deviation Total 36 Responses 20. IV. SUPPORT SERVICESPlease rate your level of satisfaction with the following categories:
Very So mewhat Mo st ly Very T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean dissat isf ied dissat isf ied sat isf ied sat isf ied Respo nses
1 20. On-site academic advising 2 7 15 10 2 36 3.08 2 21. On-site orientation 2 5 10 12 7 36 3.47 22. On-site academic facilities (e.g. classrooms, libraries, 3 3 6 8 16 3 36 3.28 computer labs), excluding housing. 4 23. Communication with the USC Marshall office in Los Angeles 0 0 8 13 15 36 4.19 5 24. Overall impression of on-site support services 1 10 9 16 0 36 3.11
20. On-sit e 22. On-sit e academic f acilit ies (e.g. 23. Co mmunicat io n wit h t he 24. Overall impressio n 21. On-sit e St at ist ic academic classro o ms, libraries, co mput er labs), USC Marshall o f f ice in Lo s o f o n-sit e suppo rt o rient at io n advising excluding ho using. Angeles services
Min Value 1 1 1 3 1 Max Value 5 5 5 5 4 Mean 3.08 3.47 3.28 4.19 3.11 Variance 0.94 1.28 1.23 0.62 0.84 Standard 0.97 1.13 1.11 0.79 0.92 Deviation
Total 36 36 36 36 36 Responses 21. V. HOUSINGPlease rate your level of satisfaction with the following categories:
Very So mewhat Mo st ly Very T o t al # Quest io n Neut ral Mean dissat isf ied dissat isf ied sat isf ied sat isf ied Respo nses
1 25. Housing coordination 3 3 4 23 3 36 3.56 2 26. Location of student housing 2 5 2 16 11 36 3.81 27. Quality of housing 3 1 4 3 20 8 36 3.83 arrangements
St at ist ic 25. Ho using co o rdinat io n 26. Lo cat io n o f st udent ho using 27. Qualit y o f ho using arrangement s
Min Value 1 1 1 Max Value 5 5 5 Mean 3.56 3.81 3.83 Variance 1.11 1.42 1.00 Standard Deviation 1.05 1.19 1.00 Total Responses 36 36 36 22. VI. OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS 31. Why did you choose this program?
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Relative location, reputation of the business school, management concentration. I wanted to learn more about French culture and improve my French. HEC Paris is also the #1 business school in Europe. Plus, it's the closest thing to Paris one can get! Because I was obsessed with Paris and French culture. I have studied French for 8 years, so it seemed appropriate to go to Paris where I could practice my language skills while also studying business. HEC is in paris, and the best business school in europe. I happen to study business. I liked that it was in France and a good school. I wanted to be in Europe Paris baby, such a kickass city I chose a European destination because I already had experience with Asian and Australian cultures, and chose HEC both because of its academic reputation and because it was located near Paris and centrally located in Europe. The business school has an excellent reputation. I have also never been to Europe before so going to France would be a very new experience for me. I chose to go to HEC because not only did I want a European perspective on business after essentially a two year focus on Asia at USC, but because I wanted to solidify my French and learn about French culture. HEC Paris is the top-ranked business school in Europe, and I also like how it is very diverse with many international students. Second choice behind Barcelona, like most people. Thought it was closer to Paris than it actually was. One of the top schools in europe + french minor I chose this program because it was in Paris. Having taken french classes for many years and visited France many times, I knew I wanted to study abroad there. I wanted to go to Europe, and I learned that HEC has a high ranking in business schools in Europe. Wanted to go to France Wanted to improve my French skills, knew people from HEC from their study abroad at USC, interested in Management which is what HEC specializes in School had a good name. Wanted to practice French language, meet some French students, and hopefully learn more about their culture. I chose this program because I wanted to experience what it is like to go to college in another country. I also wanted to keep up my french language skills and going to Paris, I was able to practice and reinforce my fluency. I also chose this program because very familiar with the French culture and have a lot of friends in Paris. Being situated near Paris was an important factor, as I wanted to learn more about Parisian and French culture. Also, HEC`s prestigious reputation was very important to me. I also liked that it was a campus, as opposed to spread around a city. I chose this program mainly because it is located near Paris. HEC is also one of the top universities in Europe. I had never been to Europe and I wanted to be located somewhere where it would be easy to travel and where I can study at a good university. I wanted to go to France to better my French language skills; also very interested in their culture and seeing what the academic culture was like in the best business school in Europe N°1 Business School in Europe It was the only program offered in France, which was where I wanted to study. I chose it mostly for the academic focus of management and the school's prestige and ranking within European education I chose this program because not only is HEC the best business school in Europe, but because I wanted to study at a school in France so I could improve my French and learn more about my family's culture. I choose this program because I wanted to immerse myself in the French culture, understand their society's infrastructure and how their institutions function, while learning about their CSR and social enterprises. I would like to experience living with people from other culture/ background. I choose this program because i wanted to understand and internalize the French perspective and culture, experience French day-to-day life compared to my American upbringing, and learn about French social businesses and focus on corporate social responsibility.
I had been to Paris once before with family and loved it, and had always wanted to go back and learn more about the people and the culture, to learn the language I chose it for its reputation and its proximity to Paris. I was also more interested in getting a college experience rather than just touring around the surrounding area.
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Total Responses 32 23. 32. Please compare these aspects of your program with study at USC.
# Quest io n Equivalent USC/Abro ad Bet t er USC/in L.A. Bet t er T o t al Respo nses Mean
1 1) Quality of instruction 8 3 21 32 2.41 2 2) Content of courses 12 7 13 32 2.03 3 3) Intellectual challenge of courses 11 4 17 32 2.19 4 4) Faculty interest in/support of students 5 3 24 32 2.59 5 5) Individual assistance provided 6 1 25 32 2.59
1) Qualit y o f 2) Co nt ent o f 3) Int ellect ual challenge o f 4) Facult y int erest in/suppo rt o f 5) Individual assist ance St at ist ic inst ruct io n co urses co urses st udent s pro vided
Min Value 1 1 1 1 1 Max Value 3 3 3 3 3 Mean 2.41 2.03 2.19 2.59 2.59 Variance 0.77 0.81 0.87 0.57 0.64 Standard 0.87 0.90 0.93 0.76 0.80 Deviation Total 32 32 32 32 32 Responses 24. 33. How much study time per week do you recommend in order to keep up with classes?
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4 hours Up to a few hours, but it varies greatly. 2 hours Depends on the class- most classes require a lot of group work, 2 hrs a week. Regular work maybe 2 hours a week. 5-8 7 hours plus....depends how many classes being taken 15 - 20 less than a few hours, very easy--until finals. Beware of finals and final papers ~2-4 hours? 5 hours. It depends upon what courses you take, but my work load was no more than 8 to 12 hours a week (with group work). 4 hours per week with typical assignment and readings, but more if there's a big project. 1 to 2 hours 3 Hrs 2 hours 4-5 hours 10 5 2 hours depends on the week. usually around 5 - 10 hours 3 to 5 - not much studying involved, except during exam time. 5 hours 3-5 (depending on group project) 3-5 hours
5 hours per week 3-4 hours I recommend around 5 hours of study in terms of keeping on track with the readings and projects. 4-5 hours total I believe that 4-5 hours per week was sufficient in order to pass the courses. If you are taking core classes with the HEC students, study for an hour or so a day (or the crammer's equivalent on Sunday). If your classes will be primarily electives, if you do the readings and pay attention in class you'll be fine just doing a 2-4 day refresher before exams. 4
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Total Responses 32 25. 34. How, if at all, does the structure of the courses differ from those at USC? Did you like or dislike these differences?
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The structure differs by course. I like the more structured courses. MUCH less homework! Usually, just a couple tests and case studies/presentations. I liked it, but it made difficult concepts (Corporate Finance) harder to learn. Generally less work; it's only a 10 week semester! And there are 5-week courses. Overall it's much, much easier - like one presentation for the entire grade and that's it! I did like these differences. Bimestre scheduling- you have two series of 5 week 20 hour elective courses, and one 20 hour weekend course. More intensive, but you can complete more courses. Enjoyed this option. Loose structure. No feeling towards a different structure. pros and cons to both A lot of the grade depends on group projects and one final exam, I did not like these differences. Well the timing of the courses at HEC is something I have never before experienced. Courses run over one bimester period (5 weeks)or two bimesters (12 weeks) or maybe one and a half. Additionally, final examinations are pretty much at the discretion of the administration. I finished a course in Supply Chain Management the first week of May and won't be taking the final exam until June 10. The scheduling of classes and examinations are completely arbitrary and not conducive at all to my personal learning. No homework, very few quizzes, heavy emphasis on final and a final paper/project. Disliked this The courses at HEC rely much more on the final exam than courses at USC. They also tend to be significantly easier for various reasons. In general, professors don't give a lot of homework. It's mainly show up to lectures, learn the material, and either take a final exam or make a final presentation. The majority of the grade is based on that final. At HEC, there are very few quizzes, tests, projects, presentations, and things like that. However, it has a major downside. You will never have an idea on how well you are doing in the class until after your grade comes on your transcript. For some, it drives them crazy throughout the semester. For others, like me, it is just a lot of stress when you are doing projects that are worth 100% of your grade. Most courses are case based, so they are often more fluid and impromptu than those at USC. Here, it has seemed to me that the class interest determines the continued direction of the course. It can be frustrating at times searching for a reason why you are sitting through a class, but at the same time there is the potential for the class to get much better in the future this way. With exception to finance classes, there is no little quizzes or homework assignment to pace you in the class. Most classes have projects and only one final in the end of the semester; I actually prefer HEC's style since it allowed me to learn at my own pace (or cram at my own leisure so I can have time to travel). I feel I learned a lot from the projects, and I believe I did fairly well on the exams. Basically, if you attend all the courses, you should get an A even with minimal reading since you would have lecture notes from class. Although some may be scared by the fact that their entire grade is determined by basically one test at the end of the course, the final test students on conceptual knowledge that you would not be able to cram overnight because it is already ingrained in your mind through the length of the course. I like how there are not many multiple choice and T/F questions since you can explain your reasoning when you write in essay form. Yes, no homework, grading system seems pretty flexible. Courses at HEC based on case analyses more than based on learning from a textbook. Even accounting. Liked this difference. many of the classes were based on cases and i liked that better than at USC because i felt it was more practical and i could learn more from company cases as opposed to books Almost all my classes were case-based, which I preferred over reading theory out of a textbook. Courses were more discussion-based and less of powerpoint-based teaching abroad. The structure of the courses at USC and abroad both have its strengths and weaknesses. The only difference is that the whole grade comes from the final exam and maybe a final project. I preferred this system because it places more responsibility on the student and allows the student to decide what is important for them to learn at what is a waste of time. No busy work. Some of the classes have only one major assessment towards the end of the semester, several of them group projects. Professors don't give you an idea of where your grades stand. I don't mind having fewer assessments/projects, but I wish they would give you more of an idea of where you stand in terms of your grades. classes abroad were longer (3 hours) but only once a week. I would rather have it split into two classes because after 2 hours of class i start to get tired and not pay attention. It took some time to get used to the French system: fewer assignments, greater emphasis on a final exam or project, a flexible schedule (professors would add or change class times if they needed), and especially the allotment of grades (the standard between US and French grading - where hardly any A's are distributed at HEC). USC's courses are a lot more structured and require a lot more work. At HEC you are not given as many assignments and most of your grade is usually based on one or two assignments or just on the final. The courses at HEC are also more theoretical based rather than application. I prefer the USC method because I learn more by application rather than theory. I also like having assignments spread out because it gives perspective of how I'm doing in the class and there is room for improvement. Most classes were very theory heavy, which was different from USC's application basis. Also, midterms and finals were a larger percentage of your overall grade (if not your entire grade). There is a lot more emphasis on the final. Very little homework. The classes are also a lot more theoretical than they are at USC. The classes are longer but less frequent. Most of the classes aren't interactive and are mostly extremely boring lectures so you just have to make sure you turn your assignments in on time. Grading system is also much different. You can receive A, B, C, D, E, F, FX, or not pass. The students at the schools told me most people get lower than Cs, and a C is good. The French mindset is different, I guess? The classes are once a week in three hour blocks. They were not scheduled conveniently with the hours of the cafeteria and so sometimes dinner would have to be on your own. Classes at HEC usually meet for three hours, once a week (or rarely, for an hour and a half, twice a week). Because the classes are so long, you get a 10 to 15 break in the middle of the class which is just enough time to get coffee or snack. Although it was nice to have more free time during the week, as classes met less often, it was very difficult to stay focused for the duration of the three hours. Personally, I prefer the class structure at USC, yet for the sake of traveling, I think the structure of HEC is much more convenient. The other big difference is that the semester is divided in half. Because most classes exchange students take are electives, they only meet for half the semester or 6 class sessions.
The individual classes could last up to 3 hours with only a 5 minute break after 1.5 hours of learning. Also, the courses were structured in a way that was primarily lecture based dependent upon students initiating conversation based on the high percentage participation counted towards their grade. I liked the longer courses over a shorter period of time because it reduced our homework outside of class as well as allowed us to take 10 courses over the semester. However, I believe that students fail to gain the depth necessary to generate thought-provoking conversation because it is difficult to pay attention and retain 3 hours worth of information.
Some of the courses are very short (bisemester structure). For some of the bisemester classes, the learning process can be very fast. A lot of classes have a three-hour meeting. And that can be very boring and I don't think will add any value in learning.
I believe all of the quarter classes were 3 hours long, and divided into a lecture-based portion and a case study/group project portion where you had to apply the theory you learned. I enjoyed the fact that they incorporated case study analysis within the course; however, by lengthening the class time, it was easier to lose focus and concentration. They kept changing the classrooms where the professors taught, which was personally disorienting for me. Other than that, the classes tended to be more teamwork-based, which has it's pros and cons. Succeeding in classes are more about your own willpower and competitiveness than anything. They use almost a pure ranking system which basically means you can fail with a 90% if everyone/most people in the class gets above that. Participation points can help counter a bit of the negative effects of ranking, so raise your hand and volunteer a lot so the prof learns your face and name. Seriously, don't slack off too hard; it'll be tempting because some of the class work will seem ridiculously easy. Don't be fooled because some of those exams will DESTROY you if you let them. Classes feel more like a speaker series. Most electives don't use a standard book which makes it a lot harder to absorb information. I liked the speaker series for some classes because you got to hear from real experts.
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Total Responses 32 26. 35. Are there courses or professors that you would particular recommend? Please explain:
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Strategy - Marco Tortoriello. Mainly case studies done in class. Moderate pace. Highly interactive. Doing Business in Europe - Graham Brown. Good overview of European business. Globalization and Human Resources - Vesa Peltokorpi. Mix of case studies and readings (mix of business and IR) World Trade Organization, Doing Business in EU Today. Both are interesting courses with engaging professors and only once a week (though for four hours). You also can't get courses like these through Marshall. Strategy w/ Marco Tortoriello - The best business class I've ever taken. Doing Business in Europe Today w/ Graham Brown - Great "Europe" class. Globalization and HR w/ Peltokorpi - Another interesting, easy class. Strategy with Tortoriello. The best teacher I have ever had. Strategy course from HEC. Constant case analysis and case work in teams has taught me more than all of my USC courses put together. Legal management was extremely interesting along with my Professor I recommend taking French. The professors are very patient and supportive in your learning so that one feels free to practice and therefore learn more. STRATEGY with Kevin Boudreau! Take this class EU Law (Alberto Alemanno) - the best introduction to the EU one could get from a university-level course Conflicts and Negotations taught by Pat Delaney. This course was unlike any course I have ever taken at USC. It's completely interactive. The professor has students role play various scenarios in order to illustrate different negotiation strategies. I learned a tremendous amount from this course and thought it was a great learning experience. Also, the professor is one of the nicest and most personable professors I have ever had. She is also very knowledgeable and experienced in her field. European Union Law (Prof. Alemmano) Regulating Risk in Europe (Prof. Alemmano) These two courses, while their titles may make it sound like the most boring two courses ever conceived by a French institution of higher learning, they were probably the most interesting courses I have taken. Very few people walk into this room with prior knowledge of the European Union, but you come out with an exceptional knowledge of where the member states are going and how it effects business and American life. Doing Business in Europe Today (Prof. Brown) There is none a funnier and more cynical professor on this campus than Prof. Brown. His course is a strong, witty, interesting course on doing business in Europe, and is a perfect complement with the more optimistic perspectives provided by Alemanno. It was entertaining, and of course there was little work out of the classroom. Conflicts and Negotiations (Delaney) While it is on the weekend (and yes the French have weekend class, and chances you will have one is pretty high), it was a good way to spend the weekend. The course is really valuable in what life skills it teaches you. And of course, it is entertaining. I definitely recommend taking EU LAW and RISK MANAGEMENT by Prof Allemanno. He is an excellent professor, who is not only well-spoken but is also passionate about the material he teaches. He gets his students to be engaged in the class, and he really cares about them. Nils Plambeck for Strategy. Ken Bechmann for Corporate Finance. Bechmann is just a visiting professor from Copenhagen, but is a very good and enthusiastic professor. HR with Elie Matta. Strategy with Plambeck. Principled Negotiation from Harvard. Strategy with Phelps (best class), Legal Management with Lisann, STRATEGY with Nils Plambeck. FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN RESOURCES with Ellie Matta - some complain that he's harsh, but he's very knowledgeable and I learned a lot. Eli Matta (?)'s Globalization and Human Resources course: discussion led by the professor was very challenging. and you HAVE to read the cases to prepare. Teamwork was also necessary for assignments. Strategy class by an old French male professor who went to Northwestern (sorry can't remember the name). He had a lot of insightful perspectives and experiences to provide to us. Also a very, very nice and easy going man. Professor Berbain, who teaches in French, is an amazing professor. She really engages the students and makes even the dullest subjects entertaining to learn. Also she take the effort to help out students for whom French is not a native language. Professor Doherty teaches a weekend seminar class on negotiations. It's a very interesting subject and the instruction provided are very much based on self realization to help the students develop their own negotiating styles. Liked the subject matter of EU Law (great professor, lots of fun); Knowledge Management (interesting subject that you don't hear much about, teaching could be better); Strategic Mgmt of Innovation (again, interesting and highly applicable subject matter, class is run pretty much like an American class); and Strategy (pretty much a case class, don't take with Prof. Mindruta, but everyone else seems fine). Good to take classes in the language if possible, since it's a good way to practice without it feeling like practice, and they're usually more challenging/intensive. Globalization and HR with Vesa Peltokorpi: this class was awesome because of the teacher. he was my favorite teacher at HEC. also, the course content was interesting. It was mostly harvard cases which were all very interesting. For the final paper, your group is able to pick the company of your choice to analyze. Marketing du sport = for those who are able to take classes in french, take this one, especially if you are interested in sports. guest speakers come almost every class. Company Law (Lisann) - excellent American professor who explains concepts very thoroughly; although, I would recommend taking this course with Contracts & Torts since they are closely related. French language - you have to speak or learn some French if you live in France. No doubt about it! I learned a lot in my 3 month-long course and highly recommend every international student take French. A Study of French Society (Meyer) - very interesting course on the current state of affairs in France; you learn about the stereotypes, gender rules, laws, gastronomy, etc., that is very useful in trying to understand the country you'll be living in for four months. Negotiation with Pacheco- This course was really well structured and the professor was great. The class was interactive and interesting. Company Law with Lisann- Lisann was a great teacher and the class was discussion based. The entire course was also structured around American Law so it was applicable and interesting. Strategy was also one of the better courses offered at HEC but the professor was really boring. Negotiations (Goncalo Pacheco de Almeida) - Definitely the best class I took at HEC; very engaging and interactive class; the professor is amazing Psychology of Decision Making (Selin Atalay) - Similar in grading structure to USC; more like a basic marketing class The innovation and negotiation classes were very good. None... They're all mediocre at best. 1. Wine Marketing because you gain a better understanding of the French culture, learn about production and different types of wine and really understand current events in the wine industry. 2. Strategy with Professor Mani - basically the same class as BUAD497 so it's a good review/introduction depending on if you have taken the class at USC yet STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF NEGOTIATION GAMES with Gonçalo PACHECO DE ALMEIDA is probably one of the best classes I have ever taken. Not only is the class interesting, but every class you have an opportunity to practice and improve your negotiation skills as every lecture includes a different negotiation followed by a class debrief. Everyone in the class agreed that this class was simply amazing! If this class is offered, SIGN UP FOR IT! I promise you won't regret it!
I really enjoyed the social business: entreprise et pauvrete course because it is basically a preview of their entire social business master specialize and feel like it addresses an increasingly important aspect of business in terms of shifting towards a more society-oriented perspective. I would also recommend taking a seminar because the professors are engaging with the smaller classes, especially over such a short period of time.
I really enjoyed taking Strategic Negotiation and Games. It was really fun and helpful. I also liked "Understanding Industrial Development Strategies - Battle Plan from Growth". The professor worked at big consulting firm in Europe. You can learn a lot from his sample slides. It can be helpful if you want to work/ intern in consulting firms.
I would definately recommend taking a French-spoken course if you can converse in French because it's a very different dynamic when compared to an English-speaking course in terms of how the professor interacts with the students and vis versa. For French classes, I would suggest "Geopolitique des crises internationales" as well as "Social Business:; Societe et Pauvrete" (because this is a course catered to encouraging students to pursue the master specialize = well done). For English-speaking courses, I would have to admit that my only weekend seminar, Harvard Negotiations, was really well thought out and educational (so much so that it was worth sacrificing a weekend). However, I've also heard that "Analysis of Negotiation Games" during the week is a good substitute. 1) New Product Development! Such an interesting class, it's extremely fast paced but all of the assignments were interesting. 2) EU Law or any class with Alberto Alemano- -he's really passionate about his subjects but doesn't get so in depth that you're lost. Gets a little dry at times but overall a good class and he's not as awful as some of the other professors about not giving A's. 3) Wine marketing - you get a wine tasting in class, and do a presentation about wine in some part of the world so you learn a good bit about it. note: make sure you write down the kind of wine each area she mention "specializes" in, and characteristics of the wines she mentions (ex: dry, sweet, woodsy, etc) New Product Development, Managing Public and Private Interests. The second has a lot of homework but is extremely interesting. The first has a professor that will grab your attention within the first three minutes of speaking.
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Total Responses 32 27. 36. Are there courses or professors that you would advise against taking? Please explain:
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Supply Chain Management - Robotis (or just supply chain in general. I hear horror stories about the French professors as well) Lessons barely explained. Test questions are vague. Course is badly organized. Not enough depth for the subject. N/A. Corporate Finance w/ Thesmar - Maybe the worst business class I've ever taken. I'm not learning anything, it's a bunch of work, and it's awful. Intl. Business Development - Easy, but incredibly, incredibly boring. Corporate Finance with Thesmar. He is a famous financial researcher, but a terrible teacher, and his exams are very confusing. That is, the questions are not clear yet he will not explain them, you are supposed to understand the unspoken assumptions. stay away from electives at HEC Weekend classes are not too interesting, supply chain management, and management of information systems Supply Chain Management is far too difficult to succeed in. The course requires far too much from its students in the way of memorization. Psychology of Decision Making. very boring Principled Negotiation Harvard - the regular Negotiation class is much better Emerging Countries and Capital Markets taught by Tauzin. I learned mostly from the researching for my own presentation, not from his lectures as they cover completely unrelated topics. His lectures are incoherent and hard to follow. The professor also has very strong opinions and is not willing to listen to different ideas and perspectives. Emerging Capital Markets (Prof Tauzin) If you like upper level finance, yes take this course. However, beware. The professor can often times forget he is teaching undergraduates, and has strong biases during the final presentation. Export and Import Finance taught by Prof Tauzin was an absolute waste of time for me. Although the professor is nice, it is difficult to understand his scrambled powerpoint and to stay awake with his monotone voice. Decision Analysis. Professor is not good and the class is pointless. Corporate Finance. Badly structured course. Supply Chain Management - lots of work, Marketing Models for Practical Decision Making - same as BUAD 310 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF INNOVATION with Thomas Astebro - unless you are pursuing a career in technology, I wouldn't recommend it; very dry. EU Law class by Leila (forgot her last name) - she wasn't too prepared for classes. I felt like I didn't get as much out of it as I could have. The course would have been better taught by another professor. Theatre class.. I don't know why, but I understood this class as a possible credit towards business units. It wasn't. The class was somewhat interesting and amusing, but still it was a pain to be in class on two saturday afternoons, especially when it's almost at the end of the semester when everyone else is off traveling or in Paris. Management of Information Systems is definitely a class to avoid. It does not teach anything, the instruction comes right out of a poorly written textbook and the test are based on your ability to memorize the irrelevant minute details that the professor cannot even explain. Marketing Models is a class to avoid unless you like an understand statistics. It is entirely based on statistical methods. The class is fairly easy, but the professor does not explain anything, so be prepared to figure things out on your own. FYI - there is no textbook. Professor Mindruta for Strategy (but the class is still a good one); French language classes seem like a joke. Managing Public or Private interesting was just a really really boring class. Don't advise you to take it. Philanthropy: The Economics of Charity (Segalla) and Best in France (Segalla) - both classes, though they sound interesting on paper, are not organized nor well-taught. There was a lot of wasted class time, and the courses did not live up to my nor my peers' expectations. Best in France with Segalla- This class was completely useless in my opinion. I don't feel like I learned anything of value about French business and the professor taught based off of stereotypes. EU Law with Corruble- The class was interesting but the professor was difficult to understand and went off on many tangents. Best in France (Segalla) - Probably the most pointless class I've taken in college; Prof often makes inappropriate comments; don't actually learn about business practices in France Decision Analysis - theory heavy Strategic Decision Making - VERY theory heavy; often course would go round in circles; all students in class felt very unprepared for final exam that counted for majority of grade the game theory class was very confusing None... They're all well-intentioned and nice. They just have no teaching skills since most of the professors are part-time professors with other jobs. Marketing Models with Professor Sotgiu because the course is not so much about understanding but more about where to click for the spss program that market researchers use CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR OF YOUR ORGANISATION TO SECURE YOUR TRANSFORMATION with Nick LANDROT is a class you should avoid. The class was not engaging or useful. When the time came around to present the final project, the entire class was confused about the purpose of the class and had difficulty executing the project simply because of lack of instruction and direction. Yes, it was an easy class, but very pointless. I would advise against taking the Introduction to Entrepreneurship class because they flat out told us that they were not going to teach us the framework of becoming an entrepreneur, but rather how an entrepreneur goes about "getting his/her ideas." This class was taught by a professor who failed to initiate a successful company 5 times, and was simply giving us the psychology or questionable traits of an entrepreneur. Also, some of the regional classes tend to have a overt racial or ethnic bias, such as L'Occident et Le Choc de Civilisation or Enjeux de Societe. I don't like Management Information System. It's not hard, but quite boring. I would advise that you don't take "Foundations of Entreprenuership" because it's a new course that they have failed to really develop in terms of added value. 1) Global Business Environment is just macro with a sexier name b/c people weren't signing up for it, which she will tell you on the first day. 2) Stephane Albernhe: DON'T DO IT. Alliances might sound pretty cool, but really it's just him bashing entrepreneurs and CEOs for 3 hours once a week. I will say that on the very last day after he's given every group their grade he give some really insightful, thought-provoking advice for doing business in Europe. You can do well in his class if you use all of the kinds of charts/graphs/tables he's shown you throughout the semester in your final presentation, and he likes presentations that aren't just professional, but that also reach people "emotionally" (gets them excited about the idea/project/merger.) 3) if you don't already speak french, don't take it with Brika. she doesn't speak English but she teaches a beginners course. Take Mark, or Chris, or someone who speaks english at first and then weans you off of it.
International Banking and Export & Project Finance. They are taught by the same teacher. He is extremely unclear, biased, and sometimes just downright mean to his students.
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Total Responses 32
28. 37. Has participation in this program influenced your academic or career goals? How?
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The program has allowed me to apply more of my business knowledge. It helped me identify what I was more interested in. (consulting) It has made me more interested in international relations and foreign policy. I will be joining the Peace Corps after graduation, so the study abroad experience was quite applicable. Nope. It has made me seriously consider an MBA program, specifically, CEMS. reinforced my decision to go into consulting through the strategy course at HEC. No This program has certainly made me think of a career on the international level. Of course my foreign language skills are going to have to improve, but I feel confident enough now to take on the challenge of perhaps moving to another country and making a career there. I want to work abroad now. The trip really globalized my outlook on life. I have a broader perspective, an improved international network and European experience, so the program has positively influenced my career goals. Academically, the program was not challenging. My participation in this program did not made me change my academic or career goals, but it definitely made me realize that subjects that I thought I would never be interested in (like law) could actually be quite interesting. Yes, because it solidified my goals to start my career in Europe. Also, knowing French students and MBA students profiles, I am changing my goals at USC to be more foreign language based. After spending a semester abroad, I have gained a global outlook on life; I feel the world is a small place, where you can get anywhere within 24 hours. Seeing different cultures and meeting unique people have changed my perspective on the world, and I now look forward to a career involved in international business. N.A. Yes, would consider working abroad after graduation. I would love to work abroad I gained a stronger interest in careers in human resources. I would honestly say that I have become to take a more relaxed attitude towards academic goals when I returned to USC. Though the whole experience was enjoyable and brought many positive aspects in my life, academic-wise, I think I would have been better off studying harder at USC at this critical point of a career. (for me the 2nd semester of junior year) I took a wide array of classes from different concentrations, which helped me discover which fields I would and would not like to continue studying. It's very helpful, because doing the same at USC would have wasted a semester for me without fulfilling my requirements in the major. It has definitely given me more of an international outlook on business. Got to see how the French think and function in terms of business. Think it would be interesting to work for or start a multinational business. yes. because of reading the wall street journal everyday (which i never did at USC because it is not available for free in main buildings as it is at HEC) as well as the cases that I have explored in classes have led me to better shape my career and academic goals. I definitely want to live or work abroad, after meeting so many students with such international knowledge (many spoke 4 langauges, for example) and experience. It also helps you realize you are an American (though I am only partly so) and how others perceive Americans, both positively and negatively. I learned a lot being abroad and it helped me realize certain areas of business I am more interested in than others. Yes, made me consider working abroad because I saw all the different academic backgrounds that people came from (both HEC students and other exchange students) Yes. It allowed me to be more exposed to some parts of consulting therefore solidifying my career goals. It actually has.... I realized that I should enter the high fashion/luxury brand industry after ibanking. It'll suit my personality and interests better. Yes because there were a lot of presentations and case studies which are helpful for any business major, especially since you work with other international students. Much of the exchange population are Europeans. Yes, I would say this experience had a significant impact on my career goals. After working so closely with peers from around the world and learning more in depth about how globalization is affecting companies, communication, and group interactions, I know that I want to pursue a career in international business and would love to spend the first few years of my career working in a foreign country. This is something I hadn't been very open to prior to this experience, but now, it has become my priority to work for a company that will offer me the opportunity to work abroad at one point in my career. Yes, I have definately broadened my opitions regarding ways to integrate CSR and the social well-being aspect into my future career. Through my courses, I have figured out that I will probably not go into law school, but will instead hone my negotiation skills and search for social businesses Yes. Some of the classes are very interesting and very helpful. Yes, I have always been interested in corporate social responsibility, but my courses at HEC have really developed my understanding of how the social component that US businesses are now just gradually implementing have viable and real-life applications in Europe through the creation of social businesses as well as the implementation of a ESG standard for portfolio investments. Therefore, this courses expanded my options in terms of my potential future career. Yes. I definitely want to work outside of the US at some point in my career. Also, if I learn enough German to get around, I might try to do a graduate program in Germany (in English). And finally, I am determined to get promotions and/or raises every year so I can afford to keep visiting my new friends all over the world. :-) Not particularly.
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Total Responses 32 29. Please tell us about your experience with the foreign language of your host country: 38. Besides English, what is (are) the language(s) most prominently spoken on the campus of the university where you studied?
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French French! French French French, Spanish, German French French French French, German French French French, German, Mandarin Chinese French French French French French French, Russian French French (and spanish in my building because there was a group of spanish students) French (more so than English) French French French It's mostly English, French, and Germans since there are so many German exchange students. My French actually got worse since everyone speaks English there all the time. French French French, Portuguese French French, Portuguese French, German, Cantonese, Mandarin French
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Total Responses 32 30. 39. Did you speak the host language, or receive any language training in the host language prior to, or during your semester abroad? If yes, please explain:
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No. I took one semester of French at USC which was very beneficial. Once at HEC, I took a beginner French class and practiced any chance I could. I studied on my own over the summer, and took a French class here. Generally speaking French wasn't part of the experience here. Yes. I studied French for 8 years prior to the program. During the program I took a French class, but it was a business oriented class. I also spoke French with the students. Took a french course, also joined the soccer team which helps learn the language. Yes, studied it in highschool I had no prior lessons in French before coming to HEC. I took beginner level French while studying there. I took a crash course in French at home using Rosetta Stone. I found it helpful to know a few words before you get here. I strongly suggest taking the French language courses here if you get the chance. I knew very little French before I went here and am pleasantly surprised with my progress and novice command of the language No I did not speak French before the program so I decided to sign up for a French course while abroad. Yes, I speak French and I spent the summer before exchange with a host family in Paris. I also took a course at HEC to help me gain better grammatical skills. I took a semester at USC as well. I took French for four years in high school, but all students spoke English so we always converse in English. I also speak Mandarin fluently, and there were many students from Mandarin speaking countries like China and Taiwan. no Spoke some French, but was able to practice more by studying here. Was able to practice in Paris and with some of the French students. yes, i took french class in high school and one semester at USC I took French throughout high school. Also took French (level B2) at HEC. I studied French in highschool, so had the basics down but my speaking wasn't as good as it could have been. I was enrolled in French language class at HEC. It was helpful to learn of French natives' perspectives or phrases and words that you could only learn from a French native there. I've studied French for five years prior to leaving for France. I did not take any French classes at HEC because I wanted to focus on business. Yes, studied French in middle school, high school and college. yes. I was fluent in french before coming. I went to high school in Normandie, France for the second half of my grade 10 year. I took the beginner French course, which I highly recommend! I did not speak any before. I do not speak French but I took a French language course there. Spoke conversational French (finished French 3 at USC) I spoke the host language Yes, I studied 8 years of French. HEC Paris offers French language class, which can be helpful depending on which professor you get, so it's kind of based on your luck. I had only taken a few months of French prior to studying abroad and it definitely was not enough to be able to carry conversations or even understand the language. After taking language courses while abroad, I would say my ability has improved. Yes, I had known up to a French 3 high school proficiency when I was accepted to USC. Before I went on study abroad, I took three more college courses to further refine my French-speaking skills. During my time at HEC, I tested in to French Business-level proficiency course, as well as taking three other courses spoken in French (where I conduced projects and presentations in French). Yes, I took one-week French crash-course. It was very helpful for basic needs. I took the most begginer French class in HEC. The pace were really slow and. If you want to take French class in HEC, I suggest you learn basic French and take one level higher from the most begginer class. I had a French 3 proficiency before my study abroad program, and continued to improve upon my French by placing in a Business-level French course (#4/15) as well as presenting in and passing my 3 French-speaking courses (Social Business: Entreprise et Pauvrete; Geopolitique des Crises Internationales, and Enjeux de Societe). Other than that, I tried to practice my French with my HEC friends. Received training in my French course and my friends taught me a little bit. I sometimes spoke French when talking to waiters and staff members but besides that everyone spoke English. The thing about this program is that there are tons of students on exchange from all around the world. The cool thing is that you get to meet people from all around the world, the bad is that if you want to communicate, you end up speaking english.
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Total Responses 32 31. Then rate:
# Quest io n Excellent Go o d Fair Po o r T o t al Respo nses Mean
1 1) Your language skills before the program: 2 5 9 16 32 3.22 2 2) Language training on the program: 6 12 8 6 32 2.44 3 3) Your proficiency after the program: 5 5 17 5 32 2.69
St at ist ic 1) Yo ur language skills bef o re t he pro gram: 2) Language t raining o n t he pro gram: 3) Yo ur pro f iciency af t er t he pro gram:
Min Value 1 1 1 Max Value 4 4 4 Mean 3.22 2.44 2.69 Variance 0.89 1.03 0.87 Standard Deviation 0.94 1.01 0.93 Total Responses 32 32 32 32. 40. Did cultural/social activities sponsored by the program assist you in language acquisition?
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Somewhat, yes. Not too much, but they introduced me to other students very well. No. yes no No No Yes, very much so No - most French students spoke English with exchange students No. No, not really because most IS events are in English. Because the people at HEC are some of the best in Europe, all of them speak English fluently and prefer speaking in English to international students. Not really, since students all spoke English, and we didn't get to meet that many French students since they kept to themselves, and I guess the exchange students kept to ourselves. No No no No Not so much Yes, because French students participated very often Yes, meeting with French students at parties helped me practice a little not really. all the activities were for the international students who all spoke english between themselves Not really. Somewhat. We meet French students but everyone spoke English. Not really n/a N/A No Yes Definately, hearing the French speaking around campus, listening to French music, and the IS association really helped me gain a better grasp of the language. Not really. Since majority of people spoke English The International Students organization (IS) offered to help us practice our French, and the HEC club booklet also offered vocabulary that was specific to the school. Not really. I did some volunteering with IS (international students association) but they were trying to practice their English so they mostly answered me or spoke to me in English. Same thing with my French "buddy." no
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Total Responses 32 33. 41. Did outside/other activities help? Please explain.
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Yes. A lot of exposure to French culture. Absolutely--they probably helped me the most. I joined a community service organization that introduced me to French students and I travelled to many other cities and practiced my French everywhere I went. I also utilized couchsurfing (couchsurfing.com) on my travels and chose hosts that only spoke Intermediate English and Advanced French, so I could learn the language better. No. Yes, hanging out mostly with French students obliged understanding the language! playing on the soccer team. a little, talking to locals and such No Obviously, going into the city of Paris helps with your language skills. Visits to Paris and living in a Parisian town (immersion) helped somewhat Going into the Paris and picking up a few words spoken by locals here and there helped a little bit. No, not really. It was good practice to just stroll around Paris or Versaille on your own because then you can practice speaking French as many citizens don't speak English. No Just visiting the city and practicing yes - being in Paris Yes - everyday activities in Paris, i.e. talking to taxi/bus drivers, asking for directions, ordering at restaurants, etc. Being lost in Paris helped. Getting lost in Paris without a map is an excelent way to get over the fear of speaking French Going into Paris helped a lot yes. because I had many french friends who lived in paris who only spoke french, whenever i met up with them, it forced me to speak french Making an effort to befriend your French neighbors or classmates would help. They sometimes prefer responding in English, or speaking French to their friends, but it is always worth a shot. Traveling and going into Paris helped in terms of practice. Not really; most students at the school speak very good English n/a N/A Yes, such as exploring Paris in asking for directions from Parisians, dining out etc... Yes! Every time I went to Paris, it was the perfect opportunity to practice my French. Having French friends that I hung out with helped as well. Not really. Listening to people talking in French, listening to the radio, sharing French videos and watching the French election really helped. I also attended several presentations and speakers seminars that helped expand my French vocabulary in the topics that interest me. Yes. If you want to learn more, join a sport. The French students are REALLY into their Associations and if you show interest in them they really try to bond with you. I played football (soccer) andsome of my friends who joined the rowing team say it's Yes. Simply going around Paris really helps you. Knowing some french goes a long way with the public transportation.
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Total Responses 32 34. 42. What percentage of students on the campus of your host country (would you estimate) actively speak English?
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50% 75-90%. 75 70 95% 70% 60% 80% 40% - the 40% of the campus that are exchange, international or CEMS students 40% 100% 100% 90% 95% 90% 90% Almost 100% All of them, the school requires students to take classes in both English and French 50% or more 75% 30 80% 99% 95% 100% 70% All of them 75% Almost all of them. I believe that around 70% of the student body actively speaks English. 80%. But only about 9% of the non-international students will initiate conversation with you if you don't speak French. 50%
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Total Responses 32 35. 43. How would you recommend that students prepare for language differences abroad?
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Don't stick around the international students. Keep trying to speak the native language; if you're persistent, they'll start speaking back in their native tongue instead of switching to English with international students. Start at home! Take a course over summer or at USC the semester beforehand if possible. If you have the basics, it's ALOT easier to pick up the language and get by once abroad. For this school, I highly recommend learning a good deal of French beforehand. I really regret not trying harder to learn it before I got here. I think being able to speak and socialize in French would've made this a much, MUCH richer semester for me. Of all the friends I made here, maybe 2 of them are French. Just accept that you won't understand most of it, and don't be bothered by that. Go abroad, on your own, without the comfort of your friends. Know the basics This is a silly question. You can study a language for ten years before coming to Marshall and applying for IEP. Then you realize that the one university you wanted to go to and use that ten years of language class is full and you have to go somewhere else. There is no way to become proficient in the new language and you're stuck mumbling in English and hoping that someone will talk to you. The only choice is to tell yourself to go with the flow and try to learn key phrases as you go. Marshall doesn't send students anywhere where they don't speak English at all. So don't worry about it. Take a crash course in Rosetta Stone or something similar Fluency in French helps greatly with communicating with non-students, but bridging the gap between domestic and international students requires more than that. There is a strong campus divide between internationals and domestic students - the "exchange bubble" Learn a few basic phrases on your own before going to the host country. The best way is to obviously learn the language before coming abroad. I suggest doing two or three semesters, and try to spend a month before in France with a host family if you can. The thing is, the campus speaks English, but to get respect and cooperation from some French students, knowing French is key. Take some classes beforehand so you know the basics, but don't expect to improve your language ability much as English is widely used in most countries. no idea Putting on a french accent even for words that are the same in english helps a lot be open At least learn simple phrases (hi, please, thank you) - I felt that French people highly valued politeness. It's definitely a plus if you can speak, or even try to speak French with your French classmates. But it doesn't bring you any minuses either even if you don't speak a single word of French (and you'll pick up some in that short period) In terms of staying on campus, there is no preparation necessary. Paris itself is fairly bilingual. However, it would be good to take the classes provided by HEC to get some idea of basic French. Learn it. Rosetta Stone(?). Felt like I definitely benefitted from knowing the language after speaking to my friends who studied in other countries and had no idea what was going on for 4 months. take language classes, watch movies in the language that you need to learn Study French for a couple of weeks beforehand (I just read a 10 Minutes a Day book for useful French words and phrases in the week prior to going abroad), just so you won't be completely lost. I would also recommend reading "Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong," which is an excellent book on French society and cultural habits and values. Itès best to enter with an open mind, but to also have an educated perspective of the country. Take a class beforehand or practice the language on your own. French is not necessary to survive on campus, however it is very useful for day to day activities when you go into Paris or into Jouy (the town that HEC is in). If you've taken French in high school or at USC, you probably know enough to survive. If you've never taken a French class before, I would definitely try and learn some basic phrases and grammar before you leave for HEC. Try to learn some basic sentences and greetings. If you try to speak their language, people are a lot nicer and a lot more likely to help you. They don't have to worry since everyone on campus speaks English. Even when you travel within western Europe, all the people at the help desk speak English and public transportation is fairly easy to maneuver. Yes it will be but it's not necessary If you can, try to learn as much French as you can before going abroad. Listen to the radio in French or watch movies to get used to not just the sound, but the speed at which they speak! Not sure how to prepare for any specific differences, but just try to speak the language and your effort will be appreciated (this mostly applies on campus when speaking with the HEC students) Definitely, you will need to prepare not only for errors in translation, but also to have to modify your speech patterns, wording, and tone. Learn some words & sentences for daily life (Buying food & stuff, asking direction) before hand. I believe that having a basic understanding of French would be useful for setting up bank accounts and understanding bills. Other than that, I would strongly recommend but not require previous knowledge of French for school activities. Rosetta stone, practice with friends or family members who speak the language, watch tv in that language so you can start to understand and imitate the accent. For me the hardest thing was that French is not a phonetic language, so when i looked at a word I couldn't tell what it sounded. Have someone write out the sounds of phrases and sentences you think you'll need a lot before you get good enough to speak and form your own and keep it in your phone--really saved me a couple times. Learn as much as you can before. They have a buddy program where you get a French buddy. You teach him english and in exchange he/she teaches you french. Getting a head start can make this easier.
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Total Responses 32 36. Click to write Column 2
# Quest io n No t Available Available But No t Used Available And Used T o t al Respo nses Mean
1 Housing coordination 1 2 29 32 2.88 2 On-site personal advising and informal support 4 18 10 32 2.19 3 Orientation in Los Angeles 6 3 23 32 2.53 4 Instructional facilities 0 4 28 32 2.88 5 Medical/dental facilities 1 15 16 32 2.47 6 Recreational facilities 1 15 16 32 2.47 7 USC Financial Aid 9 10 13 32 2.13 8 Communication with office in Los Angeles 0 12 20 32 2.63
On-sit e perso nal Orient at io n USC Co mmunicat io n Ho using Inst ruct io nal Medical/dent al Recreat io nal St at ist ic advising and inf o rmal in Lo s Financial wit h o f f ice in co o rdinat io n f acilit ies f acilit ies f acilit ies suppo rt Angeles Aid Lo s Angeles
Min Value 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 Max Value 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Mean 2.88 2.19 2.53 2.88 2.47 2.47 2.13 2.63 Variance 0.18 0.42 0.64 0.11 0.32 0.32 0.69 0.24 Standard 0.42 0.64 0.80 0.34 0.57 0.57 0.83 0.49 Deviation Total 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 Responses 37. Click to write Column 2
Belo w Abo ve # Quest io n Unaccept able Average Accept able T o t al Respo nses Mean Average Average
1 Housing coordination 0 3 16 9 4 32 3.44 On-site personal advising and informal 2 1 9 17 3 2 32 2.88 support 3 Orientation in Los Angeles 0 0 15 12 5 32 3.69 4 Instructional facilities 0 4 14 8 6 32 3.50 5 Medical/dental facilities 1 12 14 4 1 32 2.75 6 Recreational facilities 2 11 15 2 2 32 2.72 7 USC Financial Aid 2 2 19 1 8 32 3.34 8 Communication with office in Los Angeles 0 1 7 12 12 32 4.09
On-sit e perso nal Orient at io n USC Co mmunicat io n Ho using Inst ruct io nal Medical/dent al Recreat io nal St at ist ic advising and inf o rmal in Lo s Financial wit h o f f ice in co o rdinat io n f acilit ies f acilit ies f acilit ies suppo rt Angeles Aid Lo s Angeles
Min Value 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 2 Max Value 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Mean 3.44 2.88 3.69 3.50 2.75 2.72 3.34 4.09 Variance 0.71 0.76 0.54 0.90 0.71 0.85 1.27 0.73 Standard 0.84 0.87 0.74 0.95 0.84 0.92 1.12 0.86 Deviation Total 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32 Responses 38. 44. Did you live in...
# Answer Bar Respo nse %
1 Dorm 32 100% 2 Apartment 0 0% 3 Other 0 0%
Total 32
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Min Value 1 Max Value 1 Mean 1.00 Variance 0.00 Standard Deviation 0.00 Total Responses 32 39. 45. If you used STA Travel for transportation arrangements, were you satisfied? Please explain.
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Not used. I did not use them for transporation, but they helped me figure out my itinerary for backpacking pre-study abroad. Free and good! No. N/A NO Did not use Yes. I wouldn't rely on them to do anything particularly helpful for you if problems occur. So keep it simple when dealing with them. n/a N/A I did not use STA Travel. did not use them I used StudentUniverse, and I was able to book a cheap ticket, making essentially happy. na n/a na Did not use. N/A Did not use them N/A n/a Yes, I got a good deal for flights. Yes they were very helpful N/A na N/A Didn't use STA N/A Did not use them. I didn't use STA Did not use N/A Didn't.
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Total Responses 32 40. 46. Is there any aspect of the program that you would like to see changed or different? (VERY IMPORTANT!)
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Better communication with foreign office for housing and course registration. HEC Paris required too many classes/units for exchange students. I would allow each individual university to determine the amount of units each student needs to take or at least have HEC lower the units required. Online registration for classes would also make things much simpler. It would also be nice to have a schedule of sports and dance classes distributed at orientation. The main knock on HEC is that it's in the middle of nowhere, which can't be changed. The other main problem with the school is that it's not run very well generally which CAN be changed. I'd like a little more organization in this school - I didn't know my classes until the week they started, and even then I had to wait in the IS office for hours to work my schedule out. Also it would be nice if this school offered regular transportation into the city on the weekends, as you have to leave Paris at about 9 or 10 at night to make it back to campus by train. The HEC/USC unit conversion requirement made it extremely difficult to fulfill the 15 unit business credit requirement - I don't think any Marshall student was able to fulfill this - most had around 13 units after the conversion. The problem is that we don't have the ability to create our own schedules, but can only request certain classes and hope we are placed in them before they fill. NO LESS classes, taking seven classes is ridiculous and often there is more work per class than for classes I have at USC Communication with the host university is really the most difficult thing deal with at HEC. This isn't really something within my or USC's control so I don't know how the problem can be fixed. But, I think it is important to note how sporadic, undetailed, and unresponsive the HEC housing and academic advising offices are. It made the experience of moving in and getting settled so difficult and very nerve racking. Not really, it was a great experience. The French are very hard to work with because they are insanely slow and inefficient but it's all part of the experience. The trip has taught me incredible patience. It has also taught me a lot about motivating people. - Pre- and post-decision orientations PER SCHOOL (i.e. every school has an orientation led by past students who had come from that school) I would like more interaction with the French students because the program put all the international students together so it was really hard to reach out and meet the other students. Also, an orientation prior to the start of classes would be helpful. For me, a lot of the changes can be made simply through our students knowing another language. All the english classes contain a lot of foreign exchange students, if not all. In class, you rarely have French students, and if you do have them, they tend to be the ones who least wanted the English course. For me, I wish there was more integration for those courses in English. You can gain that integration by taking French courses, which often times can be better and more rewarding from my understanding from students from UPenn and UTexas (they are forced to take some French classes). I wish there were more integration of the exchange students into the actual university students. It would also be great if USC had another partner school that is closer to Paris city center like La Sorbonne. I also think it would be better if students from exchange were mixed with students from different countries on each floor. HEC had a tendency to place students together by their background...so all the Americans were in one building, and the Germans in another...etc... It would be nice if there are more classes to choose from as well. Nothing really about the program. Just should be more clear with students how difficult it can be to get back to campus late at night after the trains have stopped running. Putting international students with french students at HEC who actually want to meet international kids. It helps with the cultural immersion, but some french students don't seem to want to meet international students at all. it was a great program Of course it would be nice if the campus was in Paris....but the school and the International Students club (IS) put a HUGE effort in making the campus fun with things to do. 1. Different location of the campus - to one actually IN PARIS. (I think this got added, though) 2. More and clear information on housing, academic program, and all that before departure to the school 3. More options of courses in English & if possible, more credits allowed per those courses It would be nice if certain classes offered in French but not in English still be applicable for transfer to USC. But other than that, I think the program was very well structured. Wish that previous USC students would write a detailed orientation packet for incoming students. (If necessary, I'd definitely be willing to help with this.) Wish that there was more interaction with French students or people instead of being sectioned off by the administration. Classes are fine, meeting people from various countries was cool. But all in all, definitely wish I was better prepared and knew what to expect before arriving. a better way of comparing HEC credits to USC credits. it was very confusing and difficult to calculate if i had the right amount of credits that were able to transfer back to USC I would have liked an explanation of the grading system at HEC, since it is so different from USC's. I would make the campus more accessible to Paris. The trains and transportation was often very inconvenient but the school could have offered shuttles. In terms of classes, some of them could have been better structured and challenging but for the most part some classes were interesting. For housing, they made it seem like we would have different options, but they put all exchange students into a 3rd party owned campus dorms to fulfill a prior agreement they have with a company. The students who came in the fall were not put here and were put in several dorms (thus making it easier to interact with the HEC students themselves). na I'd like to see more courses offered to the exchange programs instead of mainly electives being offered. I've heard that the professors for non-electives courses are actually very impressive but I wasn't able meet any through my program. The BNP Paribas partnership with Bank of America is really not as great as it seems. BNP had an affiliation with HEC Paris, which was why everyone was urged to create an account with them (for housing deposit purposes), but I would rather advise students to not use BNP account and just use their atm for cash withdrawals and use CapitalONE credit card. Unlike the majority of the French language classes that were split into two sessions, mine was once a week. Because there as a week between every class, it made it very easy to forget to content. I think this class should only be offered as an hour and half class because having three hours of French language from 6-9pm is not ideal or practical. Another thing is that the office in charge of the internet was hard to get a hold of. I believe they changed their location halfway through the semester and many of us were confused about how to contact them. Better communication about how to get these services would have been great.
I would like it if Marshall had an equivalent to the HEC International Students Association that can help the study abroad students acclimate to their new surroundings. Other than that, I believe that Marshall should better coordinate with HEC in not charging an additional medical insurance as well as ensuring that the students who do not know how to speak the language have resources they can refer to if they have an emergency (service they can call, contact person who knows the language)
Not really. I enjoyed my semester in HEC.
I would like USC to expand their IEP program to be as through as the IS organization at HEC. Also, I believe that the USC exchange students should have the choice of whether they want their study abroad grades to be letter grade or pass/fail, even if it were graded on a curve.
Def make it explicitly clear that it's not in Paris, and it' not a quick trip to get to Paris. It's not bad or difficult, but I think people will be better off knowing exactly what they're getting into, and stating to plan before they even get there what they will do if they want to leave Paris after 21h50 but before 5h30 the next morning because cab drivers will laugh at you and refuse to drive you back to Jouy-en-Josas, or else say yes and get lost and charge you more than you have in your wallet. I also think HEC would benefit from an electronic class selection and confirmation system such as USC has so poor Douget doesn't have to do it all, and we don't have to wait for him to answer the thousand emails sent to him before he gets to ours. Also, maybe nothing USC can do about it but the fridges in the shared kitchens in AP buildings are TINY and really not realistic for 50+ people to use and they have no oven. No not really.
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Total Responses 32 41. 47. Additional comments on services and coordination.
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Difficult to work with campus officials. System's not too efficient. N/A. None. NO Services on campus are efficient for France - but France is much less efficient than the US in terms of having things open 24/7 or having things accessible online Not really. Being such a diverse campus, it would make sense for HEC to provide some ethic food option besides just pasta and pizza. na everything was well coordinated Experience less problems with the typical "French bureaucracy" than anticipated. But still be prepared to deal with silly policies and constraints. I.e. the medical center was only open twice a week for a couple hours, and you are in the middle of nowhere! N/A Coordination on the HEC side is terrible, so it's nice to have someone at USC to guide you. The international office was helpful. We were also just given our housing assignments (they put all the international students together in the most expensive housing) but it would have been nice to be able to choose our buildings and if we were mixed up a bit. Registering for classes can be very frustrating. You are emailed a list of available classes before your arrival and have to email the coordinator which classes you want to take. You aren't guaranteed all of them, but he tries to give you what he can. However, anytime you want to add or drop a class, you have to email or see the coordinator. Also, the last day to add or drop a class is very early. na The printers often didn't work which made it difficult to print out assignments or plane tickets. I believe that Marshall should offer a more extensive program to the exchange in order for them to integrate better with USC students. The technological services were very difficult to find, and the IT department made it intentionally difficult for us to have routers in the room in order to have wifi, which should have been explicitly stated rather than simply cutting off the Internet to the room. DON'T FORGET TO TO GET YOUR HOUSING SECURITY DEPOSIT BACK BEFORE YOU LEAVE FRANCE! They won't remind you and they take their sweet time getting it back to you if you send the electronic RIB. You need to buy tokens to do your laundry from the housing office, which is not open on weekends. And sometimes they run out of tokens and no one on campus can do their laundry that weekend unless they find someone willing to sell.
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Total Responses 19 42. Please tell us about your travel experiences. 48. How did you find your arrangements to the host institution?
# Answer Bar Respo nse %
1 Travel Agent 2 6% 2 Online 28 88% 3 Other: 2 6%
Total 32
Ot her:
Parent, School Mom works in airlines
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Min Value 1 Max Value 3 Mean 2.00 Variance 0.13 Standard Deviation 0.36 Total Responses 32 43. Would you recommend this method?
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Yes. Catered to your own needs. Absolutely. Yes yes With at least minimal experience in europe, I would recommend doing it online yes. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes. I used studentuniverse.com, which only accepts users with an .edu account. I paid less than 700 dollars for my round trip flight to Europe using them, while others paid more. Yes na Yes. easy Yes. Sure Yes Yes. yes Yes Yes Yes, self booking was always cheaper. Yes I recommend Yes yes yes Yes, It was very easy to book everything online. Yes Sure Yes.
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Total Responses 32 44. 49. What was the average cost for round-trip tickets to your host country?
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1000 I backpacked for two weeks prior to arriving to the host country. Round-trip to Athens in September and return from Paris in late December was $1200. $150 1200 ~$1000 Don't know $800 1500 N/A (used parent's air miles) $800 700 dollars for my ticket, but the average that I heard was 900-1000 dollars 750 USD 1000 $200 frequent flyer miles
N/A - used airline points. I flew from Asia so it was way over $1000. Can't remember to the hundreds though. 950 USD $500 - $800 i booked on points US700 about $800 Used air miles there and back na 1400 $300 from US, $1,000. Within Europe, $70 I had to return through a different country on the way back $1200-$1400 I don't know because I drove from Romania to France, then returned to the US from France Mine cost about 1000, but we bought it waaaaay in advance. About $2000.
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Total Responses 32 45. 50. How often did you travel and to where?
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(Almost) every weekend. Greece, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria I backpacked Greece and Italy for two weeks prior to studying abroad. I took weekend trips half the time and spent the other half in Paris/Versailles. I took 4 trips in a 12 week program to London, Amsterdam, Spain, and Dublin. After finals, I plan to visit Belgium and Germany. Two weekend road trips: Normandy and Burgundy. Two weekend flights: Barcelona and Rome. One weekend train: London 4 times. Germany, Netherlands, England and around France Twice a month, Prague, Berlin, other places in France, Amsterdam I travelled three weekends and one period of ten days during my semester at HEC. I visited Bretagne, Northern Spain, Copenhagen, and London. Not very often. I really wanted to enjoy Paris, but I did travel around a bit. I drove to Britagne for a weekend Took the TGV to Champagne for a day Drove to Amsterdam Flew to Prague for Spring Break then flew to Berlin for 2nd half of spring break--awesome city btw 2-3 out-of-town trips per month Most trips were out of France Countries visited: Belgium, Italy, Germany, Great Britain I traveled mostly at the start of the semester and during fall break. I visited Prague, Brussels, Brugges, Dublin, Nice, and Champagne during the weekends. For fall break, I went to Italy and traveled to Venice, Rome, Florence, and Pisa. I traveled to Germany, Belgium, and Italy. Just about every weekend...all over Europe: South of France, Germany, England, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, and Belgium. I also went to Morocco. Not often, but on all the breaks and before classes began. Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Italy 2 Spring break trips and some weekend trips to closer places. Berlin, Munich, Vienna, London, Rome, Sicily, Nice, Cannes. amsterdam, milan, budapest, prague, berlin, italy, south of france 1-2 times per month. Mostly within France. Of course a lot of plans were canceled due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland. 1st trip: Manchester, London, Prague. 2nd trip: Munich France: Lyon, Nice (& Cannes, Monaco, Antibes), Avignon roughly once/twice a month. - Went to Luxembourg and Germany within the first month (end-March) - Spain and UK during the spring break (mid-Apr) - South of France (beginning? mid-May) - Morocco (end-May/beginning of June) Around France every chance I got. HEC offers two one-week-long spring breaks. The first one I spent in London; the second traveling around Italy. Maybe 2-3 times a month. i travelled every weekend except for 4 weekends. I traveled around France to Lyon, Montpellier, Lille, Alencon, Vernon, Metz and Toulouse. I also travelled to Morocco, Tunisia, Germany (for Oktoberfest), Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Iceland, and Spain. I chose these places because they were ones that I haven't been to before or places that I loved so much I had to go back to. I took two 10-day trips (Eastern Europe and Italy), a weekend to Belgium, a day trip to Giverny, and two weekend trips around France (Dijon and La Rochelle) I would travel once or twice a month depending on how much time I had off. I went to Budapest, Vienna, Prague, London, Barcelona, French Riviera (Marseille, Cannes, Monaco, Nice), and Israel. I would also make some day trips to towns around Paris. 1-week (Winter Break) - Budapest, Vienna, Prague 1.5 weeks (Spring Break - Italy Weekend trips to Dijon and Berlin 2 weeks in London before program; 3 weeks in Munich and Barcelona after program Yes, around Europe, mainly Eastern and South Eastern Europe. I recommend it. It is a lot cheaper and it is truly beautiful and most of it is still unspoiled. I was lucky to have 4-5 day weekends almost every week so I pretty much traveled almost every weekend to most western European countries. Most weekends in October and some in November, to Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, South of France, Ireland I mostly traveled during our breaks (there were two, one week vacations) and other than that, once or twice a month. I went to London, Marrakech, Barcelona, the south of Spain, Rome, Venice, and Florence. The IS (International Students association/club on campus) also planned a trip to Normandy, France and Les Chateaux de la Loire. I would travel about once every 3-4 weeks. I traveled to England, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Romania. Internally, I visited Mont St. Michel and Chateaux des la Loire with the HEC IS association. I only traveled on long holidays. HEC has 2 big breaks. I went to Spain, Portugal, Greece, Southern France. I traveled about once a month. Since we started HEC in late January. For our winter break in February, I traveled to England (London), Ireland (Dublin, Galway), and the Czech Republic (Prague). Went to Spain (Malaga, Granada) in March. Then, spent spring break in April in Romania (Bucharest, Brasov). Also went on both IS trips to Mont St. Michel and Chateaux de la Loire/Tours. I had a lot of weekend classes and a fairly tight budget so I did two big trips throughout the semester but not much besides those. Met up with a friend and my mentor in London, and did a tour of Italy: Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome. I didn't get to everywhere I wanted to go but most of them I'd rather do in summer time, and when I'm not pinching pennies. Now that I'm working I'm going to save up and visit my friends--this way I stay free and I'll get shown around by a local. They have a one week break where we got to travel wherever. Most of the time if you want to go somewhere, you can find people to go with. I managed to go to Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Munich, Amsterdam, Florence, and Rome
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Total Responses 32 46. 51. Did the structure of the host institution's course schedule foster travel opportunity or prevent it? Why?
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Both. It was easy to schedule all classes on 4 days, but class attendance was mandatory. Absolutely! Although there are weekend classes, I chose to have Fridays and the weekends off. For the first bimestre (HEC has two bimestres each semester, similar to the quarter system), I also had Wednesdays off to explore nearby Versailles, Paris, or the local town (Jouy-en-Josas). Absolutely. No classes on Friday and few classes on Monday. However, most classes in the middle of the week attendance was mandatory (you fail if you miss 3 sessions) - if you got one of those on M or F it could be a problem. Also, you most likely have to take a weekend course, which will keep you on campus for 2 or 3 weekends. This wasn't a problem for me but it could be for others. Fostered it, as most students don't have class on Friday. There is a "miss class" rule, after 3 absences you automatically fail. Prevented it, classes on fridays, thursdays, weekends, and too much homework Totally prevented it simply because we were not even informed of our official course dates and/or exam sessions until right before. Foster it. France has an outrageous amount of holidays. It is also not that hard to only have classes M-Th. Some even had class only M-W. The International Society on campus also plans several weekend trips The course schedule fostered travel by allowing very flexible schedules - people could choose to have weekends free in the fall and make up the coursework in the winter when it was more difficult to travel Prevent it because of weekend courses and alternative test days scheduled over the weekends. Prevented it sometimes. When you have weekend classes, they can knock out two to three weekends of traveling. However, it does make you stay in Paris, which is one of the best cities in Europe to be in, as well as the most time consuming to really see. It was perfect for traveling because I had classes M-Th, and I only had 2 weekend seminar class so I had a three day weekend just about every week. There's also a vacation break in end of October for a week of traveling. I didn't have any finals during final week so I went to Morocco during that time. Yes, there were two breaks. For people who did not have class on Friday, it was very easy to travel. Prevented it! Most people didn't have more than a 3 day weekend. Some had class on Friday morning. Mandatory Saturday class. 2 week long breaks, many long weekends Foster - I got into all my classes that I was interested in, and somehow I didn't have class Wed/Fri. Fostered somewhat that I was able to have Fridays off and use it for traveling. But final exam dates were unclear and this caused a delay in travel arrangements You can make your own schedule as you see fit. So if it just so happens that all the classes you take meet on Tuesday through Thursday... It depends on how you choose your classes, but I definitely found it easy to travel. Had lots of long weekends. My course schedule let me have lots of time to travel. It just worked out that the classes I was interested in taking were scheduled at good times and days. There are fewer class hours than at USC, so I had Wednesdays, Thursday (daytime), and Fridays free to go to Paris or socialize and travel. Somewhat, but it was very difficult to manage a schedule where I would have enough free time and have enough units. It is also difficult to completely avoid weekend courses. I took two weekend courses so that was four weekends that I couldn't travel. Mostly foster since classes are rarely on Fridays. Also, some classes only meet for half the semester and they also offer weekend classes (give up 2 Fridays and 2 Saturdays, but you finish a whole class). As long as you pay attention to how you schedule your classes, you should be able to have 3-4day weekends to do your traveling and there are also quite a few holidays. It fostered travel since you didn't have to study much. Prevent it because it was not located in the city center Paris but greater Paris area. Definitely helped. Because the classes only met once a week, it was very common to have three, or if you were lucky, four day weekends for at least half of the semester. Really fostered travel opportunity because, for us, it was easy to schedule courses so you could have at least one full day off,,,however, it would sometimes be at the expense of the quality of the course. Yes and No. It depends on what classes are you taking. The classes I wanted didn't really have a good schedule. I had class on Mon-Tue and Thurs-Frid. However, a lot of my friends structured their classes to only Mon-Wed. Definately fostered it because they used the weekends, when all the French left campus to go back to Paris, to allow us to explore different parts of France. The IS organization chose places that taught us about French culture, French history, and French customs. Yes, I just didn't have the best schedule for it because 1) when I was selecting my classes I didn't want to take anything super math-based or early in the morning, and 2) I didn't want to select subjects I was not interested in learning just because they gave me a nice schedule for traveling Didn't really do either. The course schedule is pretty much the luck of the draw. For me it worked out perfectly, but for others not so much.
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Total Responses 32 47. 52. Do you have any tips or information about traveling while abroad that you would like to share with upcoming exchange students preparing for their trip?
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Buy a rail pass. Plan to travel by yourself (sometimes organizing in big groups is too difficult) and have other people follow if they want. Know the main places you want to go to. HEC starts really late comparative to other universities, so take the opportunity to travel beforehand! Think about investing in a Eurail pass. Or, if you plan on travelling alot in France (you should as it's your new home!), then you can also pay 50 euros for the 12-25 card. It allows students to travel on any train for 50% off. Also, try Couchsurfing (www.couchsurfing.com). You can meet locals and save on accommodation! Book earlier than later. Skyscanner.net was the best website for flights. Also consider the bus - Eurolines.com - I'm going to Belgium for like 25 euro round trip and it's only a 4 hour busride. Buy a travel book - I like Rick Steves - it really made a big difference for like 20 bucks. Pay 5 euro more for a hostel that has a good rating. Some hostels are called like "one of the 10 best in Europe." If they have that try to stay there - it'll make your trip much nicer. Travel in small groups, and try to find someone who matches your travel preferences. It can really make a world of difference if you have one person who wants to just go and drift and let a country take them, and another who's all about organizing, scheduling, and maximizing their time. Take advantage of the opportunity, but also, don't travel every weekend!! Especially at the beginning, when you have the best chance to meet other international students or local students. Train > airplane. always no Plan ahead if you can to avoid unnecessary costs. Do some serious research about your city before you go. It's fun to wander around and find things on your own but I wish I had read up about Paris a bit more before I got here. BEST WAY TO FIND OUT ABOUT PARIS: blogs, you can link to them from tripadvisor.com... http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187147- c3231/Paris:France:Paris.Websites.html - Budget more than you think you will spend in Europe (because of the weak USD) - Consider ALL transport costs (not just the base airfare/train ticket) when booking - Use Kayak and Skyscanner to comparison-shop - BUY EARLY: Prices can double or triple in a week's time - Plan ahead, but not too far ahead: some of the best travel is spontaneous - Consider that the best travel plan for the weekend may be in the city or town that your school is located in Travel within the host country first. Don't travel too often as you will get tired and sick of traveling. Travel with people you like. The company of the people you travel with is often more important than the destination itself. For fall exchange: Oktoberfest - Right after you find out you are going to France, make sure you book a hotel in February for Oktoberfest in September. It was by far the most rewarding trip that I took and I highly suggest doing it. Cars - If you are over 21 and know how to drive standard (stick-shift), renting a car in Europe for smaller trips like to belgium or the netherlands (or Munich for Oktoberfest) can be significantly cheaper than buying train tickets or plane tickets. You can also meet new people from the exchange program by selling seats in your car. Plane Tickets - EasyJet and Ryan Air are excellent airlines but there are few things you need to keep in mind. Buy your tickets early. If you arrive in Sept and know your classes, buy the tickets for all the weekends you are going somewhere in Sept. They make their money by charging on the last month. For example, tickets to Morocco in November were 8€, but two weeks later went to 75€. Also, know their baggage policy. They are kidding when they say they will not board you unless its under the weight and size limit. Be aware that flying is not the most dependable way to travel as flight are known to just be canceled with no reason. My friend's plane from Madrid to Barcelona got canceled, and she basically had to fly back to Rome after a day in Spain. I was stuck in Marrakesh Airport for 10 hours because of weather delay. Trains are better but Europeans like to strike so be sure to check ahead of time for schedule changes or delays. Always have a plan B in case life throws some hurdles at you. Be on the lookout for thieves, especially in crowded areas as they may distract you while they pickpocket you. Avoid walking in dark empty streets by yourself. na Don't work with French students in group work. They work less than exchange kids. Don't schedule any trips before arriving abroad. Planning trips with other exchange kids is a great way to get to know them. If there are other USC kids at HEC, try to make an effort to make other international friends. book in advance! buy metro/train tickets dont try to sneak on we got caught in germany! PLAN AHEAD. Learn how to drive automatic so you can rent a car! =p Try to plan ahead for volcano explosions, they really wreak havoc on travel plans. Don't book on a whim. Allow yourself adequate time to get to and from airports. HEC is sort of in a forest, so it's not that easy to get around. Couchsurfing and Airbnb are awesome. the earlier you plan your trips, the cheaper they will be. Couchsurf! I did this 4 times and saved a ton of money (of course, you have to really read the profiles of the people who you choose to message). If you are in paris, do not use ryanair. Although it is cheaper, you have to allocate about 3 hour to get to the airport from Jouy-en-Josas (where HEC is located) and the bus that takes you from porte maillot to Paris Beauvais airport costs 15 euro each way. So really you dont end up saving that much money. Easyjet is a much better option. Do not travel too much, seriously. It's tiring and expensive, for one thing. Don't think that this will be your last time in Europe, or Asia;, or wherever you are, because chances are you will return. However, it will be your last time "studying abroad" - meeting local and international students, taking advantage of the campus life, etc. I was lucky in that HEC has a very fun and interesting campus life, and I would not have traded that for more traveling! You should definitely take time to travel especially if you are in Europe but make sure you really get to know your host city well. I spent most of my weekends in Paris and of all the places I went I enjoyed being in Paris the most. Towards the end I didn't want to travel as much, rather I just wanted to spend more time at the school with friends. Also, travel with the people you meet there, it is a great way to get to know them. Avoid Ryanair (if going to HEC) because it takes a long time to get there (~3 hours) by train. Bovee is the nearest airport, though getting to CDG is pretty strait forward (though takes awhile too). Book early if you know you have breaks and you know where you want to go as prices do go up. Bring a travel lock for hostels. You can take advantage of trips organized by the student organization. They're cheap and you get to see the country through their eyes. Try to make a route of what you want to do and see so that you don't waste time figuring it out once you're there. Plan early and make a budget before you leave your host country, it will help you stay on track. Be careful of pickpocketing and keep your hand on your purse at all times. I also learned that the best food were sometimes the cheapest food in town.
When travelling with Ryanair out of Paris Beauvais Airport, don't book early morning flights because commute from HEC campus to the airport takes 3-4 hours.
Always print your own copy of your hostel confirmation and proof that you will be leaving that country! Trust me, some countries are especially strict about this. Also, because you usually have to pay extra to take luggage, I would recommend paying for one big luggage for your longer trips and splitting it with a friend you trust. This will not only save you money, but will make traveling from city to city a lot more convenient. Another great tip is treat your meals like an attractions. Just how you would check to see the most interesting things to see and do in each city, look up great places to eat! This might sound weird, but it is so worth it! My friend used her iPhone to check good places to eat around each attraction we were visiting and we had the most amazing food I have ever eaten! You can also do this to find the best deals in town as well.
Definately look at your schedule closely before planning a trip, try to book your flights and hostels together as a group,and carry a copy of your reservations on yourself to make sure they will let you pass the security checkpoint. Prepare your trip in advance, so you can get cheaper deal. It can really affect your travelling cost if you can prepare all your trips since early of semesters. Definitely always remember to print out your reservations and have the necessary identification/money with you at all times. 1) skyscanner.fr, opodo.fr, kayak.fr, covoiturage.fr. and watch the fees on certain easyjet or ryanair flights, they'll get you. getting to ryanair airports is so expensive and time consuming you don't really save anything (easyget airports are out of the way but they always provide some sort of bus service to city center for to too high a price). 2) BOOK AS FAR IN ADVANCE AS POSSIBLE. 3) go places you genuinely want to go even if no one else is interested---you enjoy it more that way. 4) don't travel with people that annoy you even when you're not trapped in an enclosed space with them. 5) always find out what time the trains/boats/etc stop running early in the day. 6) (related) find out if the place you're staying is so far out of the way that the cab drivers will laugh and you and refuse to take you home (like Jouy!) Buy a eurorail pass right now. They have a special pass for visitors. It'll make things a lot cheaper when you get there.
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Total Responses 32 48. 53. EXPENSES: How much spending money FOR THE ENTIRE SEMESTER would you recommend that the next participants budget for this program?
# Answer Min Value Max Value Average Value St andard Deviat io n
1 General (including food, entertainment, local transportation) 0.00 4,500.00 1,854.53 1,124.26 2 Housing/rent 0.00 4,000.00 2,012.66 958.89 3 General travel during semester 0.00 10,000.00 2,262.50 1,801.03 4 Books & miscellaneous supplies 0.00 300.00 80.78 82.17 5 Other expenditures (please explain) 0.00 3,000.00 293.75 655.47
Ot her expendit ures (please explain)
Metro/RER transport into Paris clothes, gifts etc clothes Emergency/contingency fund shopping shopping, souvenirs, etc. gifts shopping (these expenditures are in euros) gifts 49. 54. Did you experience any form of crime, or were you in danger at any time (such as the victim or witness of assault, robbery, etc.)? If yes, please explain:
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No. Never. Being female, you should always be careful, especially at night no matter where you are. No No In paris, some people pick pocket here and there. Nothing crazy No I was not a witness to any particular crime, but students were the victims of robbery on several occasions in France and Spain. All crimes occurred on trains where someone was pickpocketed or had an item forceably removed from their hand. No No - campus is much, much safer than USC campus No. My mom almost got pick pocketed on the metro train. A group of young women got on the subway behind us, and they kept pushing as they got on even though there was no rush. Then they got off the train again before the door closed. After they left, my mom realized her purse zipper had been opened. I recommend having a non-designer purse with a zipper that goes over your shoulder that you can carry in front of you. no Nope. The most fighting that happened was at the school parties. no, campus is very safe, be aware when you travel N/A Yes, in a shady neighborhood in Paris, someone tried to mob my bag & camera. (probably a drug addict) I fought back & screamed for help and people came running after him. No No, except in Barcelona, where pick-pocketing and mugging seem very typical. Sometimes taking the RER can be very shady, but never encountered any actual danger. i saw a man shoplift in a monoprix and get chased out the store but the security guard was so out of shape it was very easy for the man to get away. my friends wallet was also pick-pocketed in a club in barcelona. No No Friend got her purse stolen in club in Prague (got returned though money and iPhone were stolen). Campus itself is VERY safe. Be careful on the subway of pick pocketing. No I saw several pickpocketing happen in front of me on the Parisian metros. Creepy guys kept creeping at the Parisian metros too but I always had my mini pepper spray that I bought at USC so I felt relatively safe. No I didn't encounter any crime while abroad, but two of my friend's got their cell phones stolen on the RER (the train you have to take to get into Paris). Just be cautious about using electronics on the metro. No, if you are going at night, don't go alone. During the first week of school, I had both my room and car keys stolen out of my coat pocket when I left my coat unattended for 5 minutes. I went to all the lost-and-found places and contacted the bar owner, but unlike my friends I have never recuperated them. Also, during an HEC organized party called "BOOM HEC," I saw the bouncers grab one of my USC friends and another one of the exchange students and throw them into a metal railing because they weren't moving to the back of a newly-formed line after having already waited 20 minutes to get inside. It was a disproportional response, and I was personally shocked and offended when this would occur at a school- sponsored event. No No. Just use common sense. Don't travel to shady areas in Paris (and they definitely exist so make sure you figure this out from local students).
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Total Responses 30 50. 55. Before departure from USC, or upon immediate arrival to your host country, do you think you were adequately warned and/or prepared to deal with most incidents mentioned in the Health and Safety section of this evaluation?
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Yes. Yes. Yes Yes yes yes Yes yes Yes Yes. somewhat yes Yea yes Yes, more than prepared. Yes Yes Yes yes Yes Yes Yes yes Yes, my mom made Paris and Europe sound like a jungle due to the high levels of pickpocketing. Yes yes Yes I believe so, but it was more due to my own resourcefulness than the USC material Yes Yes
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Total Responses 30 51. 56. If you did not feel adequately prepared (response to question #55), what do you think you needed to know or hear in advance? How could you have been better informed and/or prepared?
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N/A. N/A. I think one thing I would've done differently is bring a bunch of American medicine. I got sick here and obtaining healthcare/medicine was a learning experience, but mostly I just wish I had had the Advil, vitamin C, Dayquil and Nightquil I knew I needed to just get over my cold myself. NA k no N/A n/a I felt adequately prepared. Basically, just be keep alert at all times just like you would around USC or any big city n/a n/a na N/A N/A N/A n/a N/A n/a N/A na Don't be dumb. N/A The medical services are inadequate in the sense that a prescribing doctor is on campus only once a week (wednesday I believe), and you should make sure to identify all general practioners and specialists around HEC in case you need actual medical services. Also, most of the nurses don't speak English, so make sure to research beforehand, or go with someone who speaks the language. N/A Felt prepared.
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Total Responses 26 52. 57. Were you knowledgeable about your USC overseas insurance coverage policy?
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Yes. Yes. Somewhat - I think I was triple-covered and it got pretty confusing to keep track. Yes No yes Yes Not really Yes Somewhat. somewhat, but I am glad I didn't have to use it not really n/a yes Yes. I was aware of it, but not knowledgeable. Never had to use the insurance, though Yes Yes somewhat Yes Yes Generally, listen to Sean's advice during orientation. yes Somewhat. Yes I knew we had it Yes yes Fairly Yes.
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Total Responses 30 53. 58. Did you experience any negative treatment that you feel was related to your ethnicity, race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion? If yes, please explain:
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No. I did experience racism (being Asian) in the form of being ignored or receiving ignorant comments, but I never felt threatened. As a female, you should also be prepared to deal with cultures where the men are more "aggressive" than American males. People do look at American as the world power, so make sure you represent the U.S. in a respectful and non-judgmental way! Nope. No no yes, often aggressive males towards females No Yes, Europeans generally do not like Americans at first; but they warm up to us once they get to know us. They have a general impression that we are ignorant and untrustworthy No No. Not really negative I guess, but many guys would say "Ni hao or Konichiwa" to me just because I am Asian or they'll just say an "extra friendly" Bonjour then give you the head to toe checkout! And there's always the "Ciao Bella" in Italy, and I guess it is all friendly flirtation but sometimes it may be a bit annoying and downright creepy if you are walking by yourself alone at night...I suggest heading into a brightly lit store. no Yes, some French people seem to hate Americans. Especially when we speak english. One guy even flipped us off in a park and told us to leave just when he heard us speaking English. Speak French when possible. no Some french boys (particularly when intoxicated at the 'POW' = party of the week) are very aggressive towards girls and lack respect. I'm an Asian and experienced the stereotypical comments that I'd get in USA as well. No People around Paris, or Europe in general, are more "racist" without trying to be or knowing that they are, but you sort of get used to it. For example, the corner store (7/11 equivalents) may be called "the corner Arab" and you may be made discriminated against for being Asian. Nothing too significant though, and it can all be brushed off if you don't take it to seriously. Just be aware that they have a different way of looking at things, and they've grown up with a different mentality. What's considered PC in Europe will often cross the lines of what is PC in America. no Some minor comments about me being Asian (when I traveled), but nothing serious. No No no Yes, the actual French (not exchange students) are quite racist when their drunk and call every Asian on campus Chinois/Chinoise and sometimes do this disgusting chant. Throughout Europe, everyone randomly says ni hao to you as well since they seem to think all Asians are Chinese. Just minor racism No Somehow. Not all Parisian people are that friendly. Whenever you want to speak with somebody, just don't forget to say Bonjour. It really makes a difference). Don't start babbling everything in English. During my Enjeux de Societe class, the professor repeatedly used Romania as a negative example of the EU, beyond the scope of the lecture by commenting that it is a country full of "thieves, criminals," and other such comments. However, he believed I was American, so he kept placing questions to me in a condescending manner so that he could show the class that he knew more about my society than I did. Some people get really douche-baggy about/towards Americans when they're drunk. However, since some Americans also get really douche-baggy when they're drunk, I don't think it's a cultural thing, just the individual. Also, some European guys will expect American girls to be slutty/ try to convince you that you're slutty. Just remind the that that is probably not the best way to impress a girl and they usually shutup. Not really.
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Total Responses 30 54. 59. What was the best part of the program?
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Meeting students from all over the world. Working with them in group projects. The HEC International Society did a great job of integrating us into the campus and throwing many events so the international students could get to know each other. We were one big happy family. Meeting new people and traveling. How different HEC is from USC; meeting students from around the world. The party of the week every thursday. meeting other students The people I've met. meeting tons of international students. VERY diverse program Getting to know Europe both through travel and through meeting other European exchange students Meeting all the other exchange students. Being able to meet students from all around the world, make lifelong friends, and travel around Europe to experience diverse cultures. Meeting the French students and the other exchange students. Because Jouy en Josas is somewhat limited in its access to Paris, the exchance students really have a chance to get to know each other. Getting to know all the other exchange kids. You're not spread out in the city like other exchange programs, so you see the same people at every meal in the cafeteria and in classes. It was a really cool group of students. campus life, because the program had a campus outside of the city it was a great way to meet students. the internatonal student association was very welcoming and helpful throughout the whole semester. POW = party of the week, every thursday, you have to go to them! International Students club - they really put in a TON of work to make sure we were having a good time. I also really admired the professors and their dedication to the school. ALSO I only had to pay for ONE textbook, which I shared with a friend. HEC provides course readers for you for every course, which is where all the reading/homework/projects come out from. Becoming friends with awesome people around the world and having them stay as close friends after the program. Getting to experience some of the best travel sites the world has to offer. The diversity of the program - I had the chance to meet people from every part of the world from England to Russia to South Korean to Japan to Australia to Argentina. The international organization at HEC plans events so that all the international students can get to know each other. It's fascinating to discuss the US policy towards North Korea with a person who spent their entire life in South Korea. Meeting people, making friends, traveling and exploring. meet people from all over the world and having the opportunity to travel The students! I miss everyone at HEC already. The best part was spending time with friends at the cafeteria or at the weekly parties or in the dorm. It has such an amazing campus life that it makes the distance from Paris (it could take up to an hour or so to get to the city by train) bearable. The beautiful Jouy campus helps students bond, too. Although HEC is a little isolated it was great being on a campus with all the students. The best part was that I became friends with people from all over the world including Argentina, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, Germany, and more. Because we were all living together and on campus I felt that I got to know a lot more people and I also became friends with French students as well. Overall campus environment. Very different from USC and being in LA. Yes, HEC is NOT in Paris, but you can easily get into Paris everyday if that is what you want. However, the campus life at HEC is definitely the best part. Since almost everyone lives on campus, it is VERY easy to meet people and hang out with them all the time. You truly get to live the "college experience" here, but still have the ability to see everything you want to in Paris. Getting to know so many people from all over the world and traveling with them to new places. Meeting many other Europeans, not only the French, and travelling every weekend. Meeting people from all over the world The people! I absolutely loved the people on exchange. Not only did we have an amazing, diverse, open-minded group of exchange students, but the French students were very welcoming and always included us in their campus activities and events! We really felt integrated into the culture of the school, or at least part of it and I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that we were living among the French students and got a chance to participate in their school campaign season. All of it. It was one of the best semester I had during my college year. The best part was interacting with both the exchange and the French due to our luck with housing. For, the USC girls were placed in the first-year dorms, on the same floor as one of the student government (BDE) campaigns. Therefore, a couple of us were able to actively participate in the campaign, and understand the work and effort they put into getting elected as well as what they earn if they succeed. The people. The other international students, the French students, just meeting people, going out with them and learning about their culture is an amazing experience. You'll make friends that you'll want to keep for life. Meeting people from all around the world and having a true overseas college experience.
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Total Responses 30 55. 60. What was the most difficult part?
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Working with them in group projects. Not being in Paris! From the time you step out of your dorm room, it's 1.5-2 hours to get into the center of Paris. Also, trains back to the university stop a little before midnight. However, you can stay with people you (or your friends know), split a hotel, or take a taxi back (only 40 euros split between everyone). Or some people stayed out until 5AM! Being so far from Paris. This nearly ruined the experience. To be SO close (compared to LA) but still pretty far. I did not feel at all like I was in Paris or in France for that matter during this exchange, and it was really a struggle because I came to Europe mostly for that. Living in a dorm again without a kitchen! Leaving not being able to travel due to schoolwork Getting questions answered - being in the dark about things all the time dealing with French inefficiency Adapting to the French way - much higher prices for much poorer service, and being unable to assimilate with the French part of the school Leaving everyone. And the language barrier. Trying to communicate in French at times since many don't or downright refuse to speak English. There is also the whole cliques sort of deal where people act like they are freshmen again and gossips start and such. I simply refrain from getting into such immaturity, and I try to meet as many people as I can. Oh, and not having Pinkberry or Red Mango was the saddest part for me! Being in Jouy Coming from California, the most difficult part was the freezing weather for a couple months since it is outside paris, catching trains back to campus was difficult, made going out in paris very difficult, strikes are common in france - watch out! Leaving of course! ..And the food at the school cafeteria. It was difficult to consume. Trying to find an internship back home/in USA.. Dealing with homesickness & loneliness as everyone around you is new. Working with the French bureaucracy. There is a necessary medical visit during the middle of the semester, certain documents that need to be sent to the correct officials at the right times. Students are also required to purchase insurance for their dorms which necessitates the creation of a French bank account - and dealing with BNP is a complete nightmare. Transportation, getting over the fact that we weren't in Paris proper getting into paris from jouy-en-josas and the strikes The language barrier, when wanting to get to know French students. Also, the administration is not as helpful as I would have liked. In general, adjusting to any new location and culture is difficult, but you really have to tell yourself that it is not worse than America or USC - it is just different, and you will begin to embrace and love these differences. Location. I knew HEC was not directly in Paris but I did not realize how difficult it was to get there sometimes, especially at night. In the beginning the location was really inconvenient and annoying but after some time I figured out a quicker way to get there. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour with train which isnt too bad once you get used to it but the trains stop running at 10pm so you will have to either take a cab (which is very expensive) or stay out until the first train (5am). The most inconvenient part though is the walk from the train/ center of the town to campus which is about 15 minutes and you have to walk up a series of steps. Also, there is nothing in Jouy en Josas except a grocery store, 2 restaurants, and a bakery that seems to rarely ever be open. Although it may seem inconvenient going to a from Paris and Versailles, push yourself and go out. The food. If you live on campus, you will be going to the RU (the school cafeteria) for most of your meals. The food is NOT what you expect from French food. You will miss EVK at points after eating here. You can get food delivered from Versailles, but it can be expensive to do this for all your meals. Also, it's only open for limited hours (though it seems like they mostly tried to make it so that classes don't overlap too much with the times it's open). There are maybe 2 redeeming factors of the RU: 1) It's REALLY cheap. You'll pretty much never find a cheaper meal in Paris. 2) You see everyone you know there due to its limited hours and being the main place to eat. Leaving Public transportation to/from Paris to Jouy-en-Josas, where HEC is located. Not only is at least one line on strike every week but you waste so much time from one trip since the train goes around Paris not strictly to/from Zone 1 Paris to Jouy. Additionally, there's no elevators in the dorm buildings. So if you live on the 4th floor, you have to hike down, then hike another actual hill to get off campus through the shortcut, then walk through the Jouy village to get to the train station. It's not a pleasant trip, especially if you have some luggage or grocery bags. Plus, the last train from Paris to Jouy is at 10:30PM so you can't really experience the Parisian nightlife unless you want to take a cab, which is quite expensive. Furthermore, the access to food at HEC is TERRIBLE. There's only one dinky little cafeteria that serves food that tastes worse than dog food only 3 times a day for 1-2 hours depending on which day. The dorm rooms don't have any refrigerator or microwave so you can't store or make your own food. There's no other place to get food.drinks on campus unless you go to the vending machines or hike down to the Jouy village, where there's only 1 market and 2 bakeries that open for limited hours and days. And even if you go to the grocery, carrying your food up the hill is quite awful. I've never had a more malnourished time in my life than my stay at HEC. I went to bed and woke up hungry everyday until my mom send a care package, and I sometimes wondered if I'll starve to death. Adapting to the culture, Parisian rudeness, French nonchalance, slower/more relaxed pace of life, inconvenience Not being able to understand what people said to me was frustrating at first. I overestimated my ability to speak the language and the French language course you take at school focuses more on writing than speaking and listening, which doesn't exactly help when trying to hold a conversation in French. Language. Some people were friendly enough to help the best they can. But, sometimes people didn't bother to help you, if you can't speak French. The two most difficult parts were presenting in French and figuring out both the BNP Paribas bank account as well as the Orange telephone account. The first one I had anticipated, but dealing with the accounts was difficult because we didn't understand how the system worked, and the IS failed to help us in dealing with these two companies. Saying goodbye and coming back to your old life. And living in Jouy-en-Josas. It's kind of depressing when you're there all the time, so go to Paris and Versailles often. And make good hangover friends to have nice quiet food and conversation times on Friday afternoons after PoW (Party of the Week)
The school was in Zone 4 of Paris. It made taking public transportation to get into Zone 1 a pain.
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Total Responses 30 56. 61. Describe a situation that you experienced as a result of culture shock or cultural misunderstanding. How did you resolve it?
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I accidentally made a comment about people in Europe smoking too much. Never mentioned it again. N/A. I think all the stores being completely closed on Sundays and for like 2 hours during lunch during the week was a bit of a shock - but easily overcome. NA They drank wine for fun. So i tried it and it turns out I can't handle more than a bottle at a time... NA I don't think I have experienced a confrontational situation because of cultural differences. The only one I can think of is the difference in work ethic between locals and myself. This was frustrating in dealing both with the administration and French students. As a pushy American, when I send an email, I expect one back within 24 hours. And if he or she can't offer an answer to the email, I would expect to receive one anyway saying "I'm working on it." That is not so in France. Telephone calls and emails go unanswered for weeks and when they finally do come back, the answer is two lines that say nothing of consequence. Most people drink much slower than the American students. Americans like to get drunk really fast while everyone else much prefers to pace themselves and stay out til 5 am. I really enjoyed the late night partying here; it was a welcomed culture shock I was initially aggravated at the slow pace of French society - from buying things at a store to working with French teammates. Over time, I adapted my expectations to take the slow French pace into account (budgeting extra time, having more patience) The customer service in restaurants in France is very different from that of the US. There were many times when I would have to ask the waiter multiple times for water or for the bill and I could tell the waiter was obviously very annoyed at my requests. I don't believe this type of cultural difference is resolvable as it is part of the French culture. After a few weeks in France, I came to expect that from waiters in France. I also learned that most French people eat for a long time to enjoy that meal and would much rather be left alone to converse rather than be bothered by the wait staff. I found that the French or European guys, in general, are very straight forward about sex. At first, I thought it was outrageous for them to ask that within 5 minutes of a dance, but I soon learn that that's just the way the culture is. Europeans see no harm in talking about sex openly, but they do find it rude to talk about salary levels as we frequently do in US. So ladies, refrain from slapping the poor guy; the is simply being honest. After all, American boys think the same way, but they are just more stealth about it! there really wasnt any Example above. Also, people seem to think our lives revolve around the beach and surfing and talking about drama thanks to The OC and The Hills. na I once got yelled at by a ticket sales lady at the train station because she didn't hear me say 'Bonjour' before I asked her a question... N/A I have been to France before multiple times, so I did not experience culture shock during the visit. However there was a definite aspect of culture shock when I returned back to the States. Lack of food variety, not able to cook your own food. Laundry is really expensive. Service in France is known to be very poor, whether at restaurants or at school. most french students at HEC do not care about their grades. the international exchange students work much harder than the french students because really, the french student's grades dont really count for anything. All they need to do is pass (which is an E) and get their diploma because they are set for life after that. They work really hard the two years before coming because they need to get into the school but after that, it doesnt seem like they really care about their grades at HEC. group projects are sometimes hard but you just have to get after them to do their part of the project. N/A The culture and lifestyle in Paris is very different than here because it is a lot more relaxed. The only thing that I really experienced in terms of difficulty was the language barrier. If you at least try to speak French at a restaurant they will be a lot nicer. N/A Administration offices close very early and nothing stays open 24/7, so you have to make sure you get everything done in time. N/A Communication issues with BNP Paribas It is common for people in the US to say things like "I hate you", "I love you" or other similar statements when joking around with friends. However, these type of statements or exaggerations are taken seriously abroad, not just by the local students, but by exchange students from other countries. After noticing that the students from countries from places other than North America were taking these jokes seriously and seeing them as harsh, we quickly stopped using these common US speech patterns. Not really. When me and the other USC girls were in our Global Human Resources Management class, we were given four scenarios where we need to resolve personnel conflicts as they were moving to different locations and trying to reintegrate into the company. While we as a team believed that the company should strive to accommodate the employees by changing the rules to the circumstances, the rest of the class believed that they should work on a case-by-case basis to appease the individual rather than set a future precedence. We both presented our views, and came to the realization that depending on the cultural context, you value human capital differently due to whether you measure group or individual performance, and what (if any) other types of benefits they already receive. I thought my friend was gay because he wore colorful flowered scarves and had too many opinions about my clothes. I asked him while we were playing 20 questions and it turns out he's just Italian and fashionable. So I gave him my blessing to date my friend and everyone was happy :) People can appear a bit rude. Some people got annoyed that waiters don't speak to you or take a long time to give you your food. But that's just how people there like to eat. They don't like interruptions by the waiter and they like sitting down for 2 hours and eating.
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Total Responses 30 57. 62. Describe something that you are proud of having accomplished during your stay.
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Making connections all over the world. I improved my French and some locals told me I spoke it well! Learning all the maps and metros of different cities - I really like navigating. Cooked an entire Thanksgiving feast. integrating with the French HEC students. making great friends to have at USC Making it through in general. And my improvements in the local language. Hooked up with the french girls...they're tough nuts to crack Being able to explore cultures, peoples and places with photography while being a business student at a good school Learning the "bisous" and actually doing it when I run into some of my French friends at school. I am proud for having further my personal development. I feel I truly tested out my independence and responsibility during my stay abroad. I am proud for having navigated through the streets of Paris on my own and falling in love with the diverse culture. After studying abroad, I now feel I am better prepared for a career abroad. Meeting people from all over the world Getting down a good imitation of French people. making friends from all around the world! Become much more fluent in French than when I arrived. Traveling to Africa! Getting through the program despite being lost and helpless on several occasions I started talking to a person who only spoke English, only to realize that I was actually speaking French without a problem. Made new friends from all over the world. Traveled a lot and tried to explore the city whenever possible. I am proud of completing 2 university marketing classes in french! Learning French. I loved the language and my French course so much that I am now doing the USC Summer in Dijon program. I went from speaking zero French to having very basic conversations, and it is going well so far. Knowing a bit of French helps your adjustment to France tremendously; locals treat you better, and you find that you can do much more if you at least attempt the language. I'm proud that I was able to book and plan my travels alone. it was a great experience traveling alone and meeting friends in different countries and cities. Travelling by myself. I definitely recommend that everyone try this, whether it be you just taking a trip into Paris for the day by yourself or going on a week long vacation. I got my Advanced OpenWater Diving license Meeting so many different Europeans and becoming culturally more aware of how they live. Did well on all my classes Trying as hard as I could to immerse myself in the French culture and making friends with the locals. Anytime I practiced my French, alhtough my French was quite terrible. I am proud of having adapted to the French lifestyle by appreciating the value of collective performance, learning how French society functions on a political, social, and economic level, and maintaining relations with both the exchange students and the HEC students. I went to the Harry Potter sound stage! And also learned how to open a beer using the palm of my hand and any hard surface. Still working on the German MacGyver- anything-into-a-bottle-opener technique though Visiting so many places in a short amount of time.
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Total Responses 30 58. 63. What do you wish you had known about before leaving?
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How inefficient the French are. Opening a bank account will be frustrating! I was lucky and only needed it for housing insurance. The USC Credit Union will charge NO fees for using their debit card and only $1 for using a foreign ATM. Get a USC account would be a recommendation! I was well informed about HEC's location, but I guess I wish I had been able to realize the effect it would have on my experience. Living out in a isolated campus in a forest that's not even IN the small town it's near is nowhere near the cultural exchange I was thirsting for. It's hard to experience France when you're contained to campus instead of a city. The only French I really interacted with were the administration here on campus. In general it was very difficult to meet and make friends with the French students - partly because the international student group sweeps you up and kind of isolates you from them, partly because I didn't put the effort in to learn French before I got here. I really underestimated the role the language would play. That HEC really isn't in Paris, and it's not that easy to get into Paris. BUT that it's not that big of a deal! How bad the cafeteria is at HEC. how far it was from Paris, its very far how to speak French That the program is a little more mellow than some of the other wild programs like Copenhagen. I wish I had known more about the "exchange bubble" - the barrier between international and domestic students, and between international students and the host culture Basic French phrases. It's not a good idea to eat steamed mussels for three days in a row, no matter how delicious they are! the distance from Paris n/a na N/A A lot of things, but nothing that particular. I'll email Sean if something strikes later. All the procedures that would be required for the visa after my arrival. It was unpleasant to figure them out as I went along. I always had to wonder if it was really part of the procedure or just an expensive joke someone was playing. What to pack and how to get around. that jouy-en-josas actually takes on average 40 minutes to get into paris and that the food is HORRIBLE at the "restaurant" Again, the grading system... Also, I knew that HEC was not in Paris, but I did not know that the trek into the city could take almost 2 hours. Do not choose HEC if you want to be in the city, because you will be very surprised. Jouy en Josas is a very small but charming French town (with an amazing boulangerie), so just be aware of that. I wish I had really understood how far the campus was. Also, I wish I knew a little French because it would have been easier to communicate and make friends with the students there. Europe is really expensive. Sean does say this over and over again, but people don't believe him. But you should. You start thinking that euros are the same as dollars, otherwise you can't survive. Transportation costs add up (~$10 a trip to Paris by train I believe), though even flying can get expensive (none of the exchange kids ever found 1 euro flights that everyone speaks of). Food is expensive too (a falafel costs 5 euros, and that's the cheapest thing you'll find in Paris). Little costs here and there add up quickly. na The terrible food situation..... How the SIM card system works for French telecomm companies Besides speaking more French, I wish I knew exactly how hot is was going to get in France. Most of us had to go buy summer clothes because there were two random weeks that were very hot and none of us were prepared for that kind of weather. I also wish I had brought more medicine because due to the extreme cold weather in the winter, many of us got sick. I wish I had known that the doctor that is most often on campus is not actually certified to write prescriptions so I would have been more prepared. I wish I knew that the campus was really in the middle of nowhere. Not only it was 1-hour plus by train, the city where the campus was didn't have much entertainment. This info can affect my choice in choosing between HEC and ESCP (the other Paris university which located in Paris, not suburban Paris) I wish I had known about the HEC recruitment website/career connections website and events before leaving. How expensive train tickets are when you don't listen to Sean and go to STA Travel and buy a railpass in America before you leave. Plus also how hard it is to find a place that sells railpasses in Europe to non-Europeans. Banks there don't exchange hard currency.
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Total Responses 30 59. 64. Do you have any travel tips to share?
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Know your key places to go. Use www.couchsurfing.com if you can! It's the whole "travelers-taking-care-of-other-travelers" mentality and it saves you on accommodation. Look into getting a Eurail pass or the 12-25 card within France (50% off tickets for students). Highly worth your money! And do not use RyanAir from Paris to Barcelona (Gerona). Not worth it! Book flights early on Skyscanner.net. The coolest thing about that website is you can put in your departure location, a date (like a weekend) and click search. It will then give you a list of the cheapest destinations for hte whole weekend. Also I'm a big fan of hte bus - Eurolines.com - it's really cheap, and convenient in certain situations. Don't use RyanAir - it's just not worth it. It's like living at USC and using the Orange county airport. Also what I found a really fun activity in Europe (which you can't do in LA) is walking tours. They'll walk you all around the city, give you all this historical information, and it's just really fun and cheap - sometimes free, never more than 10 euro. no trains and dont over plan. Nothing ever works out anyway NA Pack light. And pay the little extra to stay in safe, centrally located places. GO TO BERLIN!! It's a city with tons of history--WWII and Berlin Wall--but it's very young right now. The city is rebuilding itself and shaping its culture. Very fun place to be if you're 20-30...Definitely visit for 4 or 5 days over spring break if the opportunity arises - Pack more money and fewer things - Pack multipurpose items (e.g. ipod touch instead of ipod + laptop) - Bring a good frame backpack from REI (check if it's carry-on size for Ryanair first!) - Trains are good for last-minute; planes are good for longer distances and longer lead times Travel with good people. If you are going in the Fall semester in Europe, I recommend going a couple weeks before your semester starts so you can see the sights around the city and get accommodated to the local area. Take trains when you can because they are often more dependable and faster than planes since you don't have to go through security check. Taking the bus is also a good and cheap alternative. For going to London, book Eurostar way in advance for cheaper tickets. Or you can take the overnight bus $100 roundtrip...look up Euroline, but I can't guarantee a good night sleep with the latter. no If you're going in Spring, go to French Open in Paris. It's great. For flights to other countries, use EasyJet. easyjet was a good budget airline, trains are not cheap, hostels are only sometimes cheaper if u have a group of at least 3 it may be cheaper to book a budget hotel - booking.com, get travel insurance... might have helped during the time of the volcano eruption www.skyscanner.com Also, pack LIGHT. Check in bags at discount airlines cost a lot more, but the carry on bag size is smaller than regular airlines! Nothing in particular. Everyone already knows. Will email Sean if something strikes later. Before staying in a hostel, take the time to read the reviews, or else you might run into some unpleasant circumstances. If you are going to Italy and have blond hair, do not, ever, not even for a second, go anywhere alone. Give yourself at least 2 hours to get to the airport. Don't be afraid to explore random cities or areas. Make an effort to make French friends. couchsurf, easyjet, book trips early Don' travel too much, but do make sure you visit a few cities/countries. There is so much to see. Pack light and use skyscanner.com. Budget, budget, budget. Costs add up quickly, so try and save money where you can. Many places give student discounts (including free admission at most museums in Paris), so definitely always ask! (We even got a discount on ice cream once because we were students). Also, definitely stay at hostels, but do your research on them too. I never thought I'd stay at a hostel, but it really saves a lot of money and a lot of them were very nice. Try planning your trips around festival dates. If you want to go to popular countries, go during the low season, it's cheaper and there are less tourists (seems obvious, but still). Buy flight/train tickets in advance when they're cheap. Spend wisely Wherever you travel to, treat every meal like an attraction! Use the hotel wifi to look up good places to eat near the places you will be visiting that day and experience the most authentic, delicious food of the city. For longer trips, such as spring break, pay for an extra big luggage and share it with a friend. If you have an iphone, download the map of the area you will be visiting the next day and pin the locations of the things you will be visiting. Even without internet, it will show you your location relative to your pins which makes it easy to navigate the city. You can save a lot of money, if you plan in advance. Have an idea of what you want to do/see on your trip before going because it's easier to plan and enjoy, especially if you are travelling in a group. Also, check your academic schedule before booking anything. Travel light. like just your Longchamp tote light. honestly you won't need any more than that on your little weekend or week-long trips. And go to target while you're still here and buy tiny toothpaste and tiny facewash and mouthwash and shampoo/conditioner no bigger than 100ml because they don't sell tiny stuff there and they WILL throw out your ridiculously expensive shampoo if you try to travel with it like they did to m friend Waka. Travel light.
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Total Responses 30 60. 65. What would you like to say to the students going after you?
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Have a good time! :D Don't worry too much, and enjoy the time you have there. Don't spend more than half your weekends travelling. You are so close to Paris, so make sure you explore it as much as you can! HEC is a place where you can really build good relationships and a strong network all over the world, so meet as many other students as you can and enjoy it! I loved it! Frankly... don't. Go to ESADE. Get involved with this IS (international student) organization. You will meet so many cool people. Also, don't hang out only with other USC students. Branch out as much as you can. Try something new. Be aware how far it is from Paris, try to take less class than more You're making the right decision not to let this opportunity go by. I wouldn't give up my time abroad for anything. It has meant so much to me. Enjoy! Don't overplan, go with the flow. Also, don't let the distance from the city deter you from going out at night. Stay out all night if you have to, but don't stay in and be lame because it's not super convenient to get home...Live it up! Study abroad isn't about the things you learn in class (but don't fail!) - it's about the things you learn about yourself and about other cultures Have fun. Enjoy every moment. Smile often. And always say thank you. Academic: Go to your classes, do the assignments, and get to know your professors. Most importantly, DON'T FAIL!!! (but if you just do what you are supposed to do it would be virtually impossible to fail) Social: Meet as many people as you can so you can build a network of friends all over the world. Party as the locals do; go to social events on campus and ENJOY and take in the fun! Travel: Go see as many places as your schedule or budget will allow you. You are in a foreign country; now do the Christopher Columbus and go EXPLORE as much as you can! Make sure you do your research about the location of the school relative to the city. I knew it was outside the city, but I underestimated just how much a pain it would be to go into Paris more than 2 times a week. Get to know as many of the other international students as you can. It's really fun to hear all the cultural differences. And if you ever visit their home countries, you've got friends to call up. dont let the fact that the school isnt in the center of paris put you down, if you caught the right trains it would only take 45 minutes. having a campus is rare so take advantage of meeting the students and participating in all the events. there is a large group of international students from around the world that come each semester and the events the IS association put on are great ways to meet them. the classes are not hard, there isnt much work, but you do for the most part have to attend them. go to every POW (party of the week) on thursday and watch the french students get crazzzy (also a great way to meet new people) oh and you have to go to a cusson (wine dinner) , the food on campus sucks but its super cheap...you get used to it but if you are debating between getting a dorm or apartment i would get the apartment because you have a kitchen. travelling is great but spend time getting to know paris and france Have the best time and go out and explore Paris, it's worth the trek. Go as often as possible. Good luck, study hard and play harder! Don't be afraid to try new things and go crazy for once in your life! To use an old cliche - roll with the punches. There will be things that you will not be able to understand because you are not a native in your host country. Don't worry, the 100 some international students there are in the same boat. Ask me questions beforehand! Even though HEC may be one of the best schools in Europe, it's not USC or Marshall. Administration is poor, the location is terrible, and transportation is a nightmare. The school will not tell you where to go or what to do next, so independence is key. What's great about HEC is that you meet a ton of great friends and you will bond with them over those terrible experiences. you may want to invest in buying a fridge and a hot plate Have the time of your life, because time literally slips through your fingers when you are abroad! Have a great time, but do not forget about your grades; don't ever become jaded nor spoiled by this four-month-long dream; record your experiences with a blog, journal, scrapbook, etc.; get our of your comfort zone but stay true to yourself (cheesy but very true); don't criticize the culture or country - learn to love it; don't live up to the negative stereotypes people may have of Americans (no elaboration needed!); take advantage of each day; befriend many; try to take advantage of the high caliber of students and professors at your university; learn the language. Although the location may be a little difficult in the beginning especially because you will want to be in Paris the whole time, you will come to love HEC and the people there. Try to get to know as many people as possible including international and French students. Go to the events the HEC IS group (International student org) plans because it is a great way to meet people. Also, there are POW (party of the week) each week on campus and those are a lot of fun too. Definitely make an effort to get to know all the exchange kids at HEC. There is generally a very small number of exchange kids at HEC in the spring because they also take in a lot of CEMS students (special business program in Europe) in the spring. While it's easy to meet all the US/Canadian kids, there are so many interesting people from around the world who will be there too and you can learn so much about other cultures as well. Exchange not only teaches you about the culture of the country you're studying in, but also about the culture of all the people you meet. Maximize your fun! Go out and meet people. Make an effort to talk to the local students and get to know people outside your USC group: it makes the experience so much better! Bon chance.... Seriously. It's a different lifestyle there. You will have an amazing time despite all the challenges and frustrations of cultural differences, communication styles, already-prevalent preconceived notions that people have of Americans Going to HEC for exchange was the best decision I have ever made. I would recommend it to everyone! The students were very friendly and eager to include us in their events and activities. I think that had a lot to do with the fact that we went during their campaign season (spring), but it was so nice to be a part of the campus life. If you go abroad during the spring semester, do everything you can to be as active on campus as possible. Participate in the BDE campaign as much as you can as it will be the most unique, unbelievable experience, I can guarantee it! Make the most out of your experience! Yes, HEC Paris may not be in Paris per say, but Jouy-en-Josas is a cute little town that is home to one of the best bakeries. The location of the campus gives you the perfect opportunity to be involved on campus and to interact with the local students. Take advantage of that because after speaking to others who went abroad, it is rare to go on exchange and to be able befriend as many local students as we did and to be so involved in their campus culture.
You won't regret going to HEC.
I would say that HEC is a unversity located in the small village of Jouy-en-Josas, and it has its own school culture that is very distinct and different from Paris/French culture.
1) choose B&YOU over free for cell service. same price, better coverage better internet and easier/faster to close your account when you're leaving. check out the differences at http://www.free.fr/adsl/index.html and https://www.b-and-you.fr/. 2) Set up your bank account ASAP so you can get a SIM card quickly. (take an unlocked SIM phone with you). It's easier to close an LCL bank account than a BNP account but there are fewer LCL ATMs that take deposits. they charge you for having a debit card in France.
It will be the best experience of your life so ENJOY! St at ist ic Value
Total Responses 30 61. 66. Any final thoughts...
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It's an amazing program and an unforgettable experience. N/A. The fall semester is far, far too short to really commit to immersing yourself in the culture. There were so many things I didn't bother to do because I knew I was leaving in 90 days - like buying a French cell phone or putting the extra effort in learning the language. I'm very dissappointed in the lack of cultural exchange at HEC, and to be sure it's partly my fault for not pushing myself hard enough, but the school itself presents many challenges to this aspect. It should be advertised more at USC that HEC is rated the #1 Business School in Europe by Financial Times... I had no idea! no nope No Very fun program, definitely recommend it. Also, the French people LOVE when they find out that you go to HEC. We got sooo many discounts, hookups, and other advantages that most people don't get. It's a very entitled feeling None, really Truly one of the best experiences of my college life. Studying abroad is really an unbelievably amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that everyone should experience for themselves. I am grateful that USC was able to provide me with an adventure with memories to last a lifetime :) n/a When the weather's nice, rent bikes. They've got a great system that makes it super super cheap. It's a great way to get around the city above ground. They're awesome. say yes to all the opportunities that come ... have an amazing time! HEC is a lot of fun and will be experience you won't forget. Although being isolated in Jouy en Josas can seem frustrating at times, the people you will meet on campus are awesome and you will have a great time regardless. Highly highly recommend it! Thanks! Most non-Americans do not hold a favorable view of American citizens - don't give them a reason to feel justified in their assumptions. If you're looking for a Parisian experience, don't go to HEC. If you're looking for a European university experience, you'll find it here. Studying abroad is the best thing ever!!!! AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY THAT I AM SO GLAD I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF!! Enjoy every minute of your time abroad. Don't waste your time feeling home sick or in your room. Travel as much as you can and put yourself out there to meet as many people as possible. You never know who you may become good friends with. Definitely study abroad. This has been the best part of my college experience. You will learn academically and culturally, but you will also learn so much about yourself. When you're in this totally foreign environment, you really get to see how lucky you are going to USC and having all the opportunities we are given. At the same time, you will see new sides of yourself and realize so much more about yourself then you ever realized. Be careful what classes you choose. Don't decide on classes solely based on schedule. Some of them are actually very interesting and HEC has some consulting companies teach classes so you get to work on real cases with people from PWC and Roland Berger for example. It is a very good opportunity, so make the best of it. HEC is the #1 business school in Europe so despite its location, it's worth going to. Stay positive and open-minded HEC might not be in Paris, but it is full of surprises. I couldn't have asked for a better semester abroad and I hope that any of you considering this school will love it as much as I did. Don't get caught up in the little things like the less than ideal dining hall or the hour train ride to Paris. In fact, you will have some of the most interesting conversations and fond memories on those trains. Embrace the change of scenery and enjoy the change of pace. It is an amazing place and I cannot wait for more people to be able to experience life at HEC! No. Remember to fully enjoy learning the lay of the land, though it may be frustrating at times due to French bureaucracy. Learn to accept the school culture and embrace the differences between HEC/USC and US/France ;) TAKE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE TRANSLATED (CERTIFIED TRANSLATION) INTO FRENCH WITH YOU WHEN YOU GO SO YOU CAN DO CAF (they'll explain when you get there) AND GET MONEY BACK FROM YOUR RENT EVERY MONTH. YOU WILL DEF WANT THAT CASH AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER. HEC is an amazing school to go to. Once you get over the fact that you're 40 minutes outside central Paris it turns out to be amazing! The people that you make friends with there will be like your family.
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