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[quote]
And I think la Sorbonne is overrated on this Forum.
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<p>Clearly you do. That we can wholly agree on.</p>
<p>To say that UCSD is > La Sorbonne is taking your own prejudice way too far.</p>
<p>Alexandre, feel free to chime in.</p>
<p>EDIT: and there you are!</p>
<p>Alexander</p>
<p>Are you sure that all programs, specifically the one lecorbeau is interested in, require a mention Bien?</p>
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[quote]
Sebma, you do not understand the French education system. First of all, only 50% of French student are good enough to even take the French Bac. The remaining 50% go to a trade school and never take the French Bac. And of those top50% who do take the French Bac, 75% pass it. So to pass the French Bac, you must already be one of the top 35% of France's students. But Sorbonne does not accept anybody who merely passes the Bac. One must have a Mention Bien to get into La Sorbonne. Only the top 10% of the students who take the Bac get a Mention Bien. In short, to get into La Sorbonne, one tends to be among the top 5% of France's students.
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<p>Owned! ......</p>
<p>I've never head that you need a 14/20 to get into la sorbonne, and if it's so selective how come so many fail their 1st year?</p>
<p>The only university that I've hear that requires anything on the bac is Dauphine. I know people who have gotten into Sorbonne with 10 averages on the bac.</p>
<p>People in CC are usually above 35% of students in the US and considering how many people don't even go to college its not particularly impressive.</p>
<p>(And I don't mean that in an agressive tone)</p>
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<blockquote> <p>I've never head that you need a 14/20 to get into la sorbonne, and if it's so selective how come so many fail their 1st year?<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>It means that its curriculum is so demanding that even being in the top 5% or so of all French students is no guarantee of success.</p>
<p>Sebma,</p>
<p>With all due respect, I'm not quite sure what the purpose of your postings on this thread are (not that you aren't entitled to your own opinion), but is it your intention / goal to somehow convince the OP and others on this board that La Sorbonne is not a great university or conversely is it your objective to slander La Sorbonne?</p>
<p>If that's the case, well, good luck with that because there is no way in hell you're going to convince me, Alexandre or any other well informed person that La Sorbonne isn't an elite university.</p>
<p>Sebma, so many fail because the French system is very demanding and not very structured. Only the most driven and serious students manage to pass. And I am not so sure UCSD is better than Sorbonne for the study of International Business and Languages. In fact, I am not sure many universities on Earth can compete with La Sorbonne in anything "international".</p>
<p>But to answer your question, because it is a valid one, not all programs at Sorbonne are equally selective. In fact, La Sorbonne was borken up into several smaller colleges in the late 1960s and some are more selective and prestigious than others. The most prestigious is Sorbonne IV. But in General, to get into any of the University of Paris campuses, a mention Assez Bien or Bien is required. In generall, as a rule of thumb, only the top 10% of France's students maintain averages of 12/20 or better...and only the top 5% maintain an average of 14/20 or better. </p>
<p>According to recent statistics, 30% of students who take the Bac pass with mention assez bien, 7% pass with mention bien and 3% pass with mention tres bien.</p>
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[QUOTE]
Have you every hear of Ecole polytechnique? Thats something that has always amazed me NO one has heard of this school, the French consider it to be their Harvard. How does a place like Sorbonne get more of a reputation? It's only because of the size.
[/QUOTE]
Having a background in science, yes, I have heard of Ecole Polytechnique. In fact, I've heard of it more often than the Sorbonne.</p>
<p>The Sorbonne is the center of the French riots right now. In fact, there was a news story about how the police had to put a protective sheet of plastic over the facade of the main building there to protect it from damage by protesters. I mean, my girlfriend lives in France, as do many of my friends. Some even go to the Sorbonne and there isnt a day that im not worried about them. My girlfriend goes to the University of Paris though, and im not sure about the situation there right now. I suppose its a good idea to wait it out and see in July. The situation might improve drastically by then, but if it were me deciding right now, Id be pretty concerned.</p>
<p>Here's what the cultural services arm of the French embassy to the US has to say:</p>
<p>"French public and private post-secondary educational institutions are divided into the following categories:</p>
<br>
<p>Universities "Grandes Ecoles" </p>
<br>
<p>"Grandes Ecoles are the very best institutions of French higher education. To be considered as a 'Grande Ecole', a school must be a member of the 'Conf</p>
<p>Well....the deadling for applying to Science-po or a similar school has passed...as of now I'm left with (after denying 4 other schools that accepted me already)</p>
<p>UCSD
UCSB
UCSC
La Sorbonne
Potentially Bowdoin (but not expecting great things)</p>
<p>Should I go with my original plan of sending my deposit in for SD and just researching the heck out of what going to the Sorbonne would be like and ultimately bring...I don't have to tell the Sorbonne until the 31st of July...so I have time.</p>
<p>thank you for your responses so far...</p>
<p>I just noticed this thread. I think that the modern Sorbonne is very different from the old university. I'm pretty certain that almost all the best students attend a grande ecole not the Sorbonne. My understanding is that selection really begins in the 3rd year at the University and that the first two years of classes in Paris are not great. The leading professors usually don't teach there and are usually in CNRS or MSH and have a part-time deal at the University of Paris, if they bother to teach there at all.
[Btw, when you say La Sorbonne, do you mean Paris I or Paris IV? The latter is almost all humanities and languages with no real econ/business.] Off the top of my head, I don't think I've met a leading econ or business prof in France under the age of 60 who went to University first. Always a grande ecole (or Sciences Po which is more like the American system).</p>
<p>I had just emailed a colleague/lecturer in Paris about a family friend last year. His son was thinking about the University of Paris vs. UCLA. My colleague in France said it was a no brainer -- go to UCLA. Here is his exact statement "So I will not recommend to anyone to go as an undergraduate to the French university."</p>
<p>When I was in Paris during the Winter, colleagues at Paris, Nanterre, and Sciences-Po also said the same thing. They seemed quite despondent about the state of undergrad training in France outside of the elites (such as Polytechnique, Sciences-Po, ENA, ENS, etc).</p>
<p>The experience of studying abroad is a wonderful thing but I'd suggest going to UCSD and trying for one of the programs that let you spend a year abroad.</p>
<p>Paris IV</p>
<p>The program is called "Langues Etrang</p>
<p>College is only 3 years and 300-400 dollars per year in France? is that the same for all of europe?</p>
<p>'depends on the country...I know in Norway it's 100% free and if you're Norwegian and decide to go abroad for college (say you're from Oslo and you want to go to UCLA)...the Norwegian government will pick up the majority of the tab...</p>
<p>Should I go with my original plan of sending my deposit in for SD </p>
<p>I'm not sure you can do this and still take the offer from La Sorbonne. I am pretty sure that sending in your SIR and your deposit to a school in the US (at least I know for UCSD) is pretty binding.</p>
<p>"I can tell you that la Sorbonne is not particularly impressive (prestigious)."</p>
<p>Well I agree to an extent. Most cognizant Americans (including myself) will be VERY impressived with a degree from la Sorbonne. It is regarded very highly in the U.S. However, I have many friends in Paris (mostly high school students) that I keep in touch with on a regular basis. They all gave the impression that attending la Sorbonne was not particularly impressive. </p>
<p>But other peoples' impression or association of "prestige" with a school shouldn't be the deciding factor for anyone! Go to the school that you feel right! Si vous allez a la Sorbonne...bon chance!</p>
<p>When I say I'm submitting my SIR...if I end up at the Sorbonne I would theoretically lose the non-refundable $200 deposit...</p>
<p>Vive la Sorbonne....or UCSD...?</p>