First Week of Classes: Dani's Comparison Between the French and American Education System

Last week marked an exponential increase in the levels of cortisol in my blood stream. Consequently, it also marked an exponential increase in the amount of delicious, fatty foods I ate. 

CHEESE AND COOKIES, I AM YOUR DOOMMMMMMMM.

The goodies at Le Fournil Vasselot, a bakery near the Place de la Mairie famous for its decadent cookies. 

Speaking of decadent cookies, here's a photo of me indulging with my buds Kevin and Antoine!

As I'm sure you all figured out by the incredibly explicit title of this post, last week was the official beginning of my education at Sciences Po in Rennes. Basically, the last 168 hours of my life have been witness to some pretty intense culture shock and language headaches. So, I figured I would take some time out of my Sunday fun-day (which will be spent reading about private law and preparing for a twenty-five minute exposé I have on Tuesday comparing the separation of Church and State in America and France) to illustrate my experience with the French university education system thus far, and how it differs from that of the States. 

(Preliminary note: the comparisons listed below are those I have gained from personal experience at the Institute of Sciences Po in Rennes and the University of Denver in Colorado. They are certainly not true of all higher education institutions in both countries, so take what I say with a grain of salt and remember that I am not omnipotent!)

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Class selections and schedules 

America: You are given a list of courses that will be available the next semester (or, for DU students, the quarter) months in advance, not only with class descriptions and professors listed, but set times and dates as well. These classes normally do not change time or date at the last minute before classes are set to begin, and they take place at the same time every week. Students are generally given the freedom to choose the courses they take from a variety of different options to complete their majors, particularly in liberal arts universities like mine.

France: You are given a list of potential classes about a month before classes start. The classes that will definitely be offered, however, are posted a mere week before they are set to begin. Some classes change time every single week, and thus a new schedule is required each week. If a class is cancelled, no email is sent to students warning them that there will be no class on a given day - you simply arrive and see a piece of paper on the quad board with a scribbled note saying that class was cancelled. French students complete a very rigid curriculum, with little room to create a personalized schedule. Because classes are only, on average, once a week for two hours, French students commonly take between six and ten. I know a student taking twelve!

Classes themselves

America: Many first year classes are incredibly large and take place in lecture halls. In my university, however, classes are capped around 50 to 60 students, resulting in a much more intimate relationship with the professor and a more personalized learning experience in a smaller classroom. Many classrooms are spread out all over campus, requiring a brisk walk between classes to gt to the next one on time. Class times are to be respected, and professors rarely, if ever, go over the listed time that class is supposed to end.

France: Basically all of the classes are enormous, except for smaller seminars in the fourth year of higher education. Campuses are hardly campuses at all in the American sense of sprawling lawns and thirty different buildings, but typically just one overly large building with a courtyard. Classrooms are very close by to each other, and thus it takes little to no time to get to your next course. It is rare that class finishes on time; fifteen minutes after the posted end time seems to be the norm. 

My university! Small, but cute!

A view of the cloître, or the quad. 

Professors 

America: Professors maintain close contact with their students via email and university websites, and often do their best to know individual students by name. Office hours - or specific times set aside in which you can visit the professor if you need help - are a constant. Many professors become sub-mentors to students, particularly if a student shows specific interest in the professor's field of work. Learning activities commonly take place during class, and PowerPoints and videos are essential tools that accompany every lesson. 

France: Professors will not try to know your name, nor will they hardly see you outside of classtime. Dedicated office hours to help students are rare. I have seen exactly one PowerPoint in class thus far... and that's not much, considering I sat in on ten classes last week. The preferred form of teaching seems to be sitting in a chair and talking nonstop for two hours, perhaps writing a few words on the board somewhere in the middle. A more personal relationship with a professor in France is out of the question. 

Student Life

America: Residential life, sororities, fraternities, campus teams, clubs, organizations, and school pride are an ENORMOUS part of the university experience. In fact, college "culture" is often a bigger part of the college experience than the actual classes are. Everyone wears shirts and sweaters declaring their allegiance to the university itself or a particular extracurricular activity - at DU, Greek life is very, very prominent. 

France: Residential life does not exist. Fraternities and sororities do not exist. Sweatshirts with your university name emblazoned on the front (almost) do not exist. University-sponsored sports teams do not exist. School pride may exist, but it exists in the sense of accomplishment an individual may have at being accepted to a grand école, the most prestigious universities in the country, and not in the sense of rivalry like in the States. University is ALL about the classes - that's it. Clubs and organizations do exist, but they are ran completely by students and have little to no partnership with the university itself. 

Homework and Grading

America: Weekly check-in assignments or assignments spread out throughout the semester/quarter are common. Homework is an everyday occurrence. Midterms are dreaded constants in every class, as are the final exams. It is possible, although rare, to get perfect scores on essays, worksheets, and exams, and most students strive to get a near-perfect score. 

France: Homework is not common, and almost all classes have exactly one grade: the final exam. If that's not the most stressful thing you've ever heard, I don't know what is! However, some classes have an essay or presentation due in the middle of the semester, so it is possible that you will have two grades in the grade book instead of  just one. It is not possible to get a perfect score in France. In fact, it is considered passing if you get 10/20, with a 16/20 indicating that you are an incredible student. 20/20 is reserved for God, 19/20 is only achievable by Jesus, and 18/20 is the score of a professor. If studying in France, never expect to get above a 16, and be proud to get above a 14. 

Cost of Higher Education 

America: The average annual cost for university is $28,500 per year. As a DU student, my total cost is no lower than $55,000 per year. Luckily for me, I receive an enormous amount of scholarships that allows me to even go to university. 

France: The cost of university fluctuates between dirt cheap and nothing, with the exception being Business school, which costs around 8,000 to 10,000 euro per year. A semester at the Sorbonne in Paris costs an average of 200 euro, and my friend Antoine - a fellow student in Rennes pictured above - is paying a whopping 5 euro for a semester of university. FIVE EURO. WHAT IS THIS MADNESS!?!? 

Studying 

America: Yes, there are both very dedicated and very un-dedicated students in America. But, the average American student is not one who puts her studies at the forefront of absolutely everything else in their life. She usually has a fair balance between her social life, studying, dating, class, involvement in clubs and organizations, and her family. In other words, the demeanor of an American student is usually far more relaxed towards schoolwork than that of a French student.

France: I have never seen so many serious students in one place in my entire life. Sitting in a French lecture hall is what I imagine being in a tin barn during a seriously scary hailstorm would feel like. As soon as the professor makes a statement, French students clack furiously away at their keyboards so as to write down exactly what the professor says. French students copy, literally almost word for word, what the professor dictates, and their ability to type so fast is astounding to me. What's even more astounding, though, is the incredible importance French students give to their studies, often putting it before anything else. However, even though they seem to care a lot more about university than the average American, they still manage to party it up on the weekends or grab coffee out with friends often, and they spend less time doing homework outside of class.

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So there you have it, my first thoughts on the French university education system! As the first semester of my studies carries on, I am sure I will be confronted with even more cultural differences in education and in ever facet of life, but this is what I could come up with for now.

For those of you who are curious as to what classes I am taking this semester, I have decided upon...

1. Introduction aux Relations Internationaux (Introduction to International Relations)
2. Droit Privé (Private Law)
3. Droit International Public (International Public Law)
4. French language lecture
5. French language seminar 
6. Histoire et Civilisation Française (French history and civilization) 

For a total of 12 hours of class a week!

I will try to write another blog post within the week, unless I end up suffocating under a massive pile of reading so I can keep up with my fellow French students in class. Hugs to all my faithful followers, and à bientôt!

D