<p>My daughter is a junior in high school and is very interested in becomming an exchange student in France for her senior year. How difficult would it be to apply to US colleges if she spends her year abroad? Any suggestions regarding planning for her SAT's, letters of recommendation and college applications? Would it be better to study abroad in college rather than high school? Is there any questions I should ask the coordinator of the program? Thanks.</p>
<p>I would make sure D could graduate from the high school there, or from hers here with credit transfer. Our district does not allow exchange students to graduate, so they always come as juniors. Some of them come from countries where the credits transfer back, some don't.</p>
<p>School year Abroad is the only program I know where you can go abroad yet continue your rigorous (AP) US studies. The program is superb!!</p>
<p>My son was a sophomore in high school last year and planned to spend what would have been his senior year abroad. He applied for early graduation, and is now classified as a senior. With a little luck and work, he has enough credits to graduate a full year early (he will still have to take English 12 next summer). He should walk graduation this spring and hopes to leave late summer (after summer school) for a Rotary Youth Exchange. </p>
<p>He has applied for college already, with the idea that he will defer the enrollment one year. That way we don't have to deal with testing and applications while he is abroad. He hopes to hear next month on both his college admission and his Rotary acceptance.</p>
<p>Don't know if it would work out for your child to do the same (we had to do some fancy footwork early last summer), but perhaps she can get the critical classes before she leaves, get her testing done next spring, then start the applications in the summer.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>It's probably easiest to graduate early if possible, but if not your daughter should discuss the options with her high school. My daughter spent a semester abroad in Russia during her junior year. She received credit from her home school for Honors English as independent study - she simply met with the teacher before leaving to get a reading list; and sent in essays on the reading by email. Her home school also gave her credit for most of the courses taken at her Russian high school, though there were some modifications made because of the difference in systems. For example, in Russia she had separate classes for biology, chemistry, & physics -- her US high school treated that as one semester of "integrated sciences". However, although she had credit on her transcript, she did not use the courses taken abroad to meet local graduation requirements.</p>
<p>The SATs/ACT can all be taken spring of junior year. Your daughter can complete and most college applications on line from France. Of course she should make arrangements in advance for letters of recommendation from her high school teachers.</p>
<p>Thanks. Great advice. She is thinking about The Rotary Exchange program.</p>
<p>Really, look at school year abroad. From people I've spoken to, Rotary does not compare. You will also not have to juggle academics. While it's expensive,40% of participants receive financial aid.</p>
<p>what's wrong with Rotary Youth Exchange, Suze?</p>
<p>I am applying for a gap year through this program and so far I have had nothing but a marvelous experience. All of the people who have dealt with my application have been warm and friendly and they sincerely care about helping people. Each person involved in this program is a volunteer who spends his or her own time arranging programs so students all over the world can go abroad. Plus, with Rotary, you get the benefits of:
~A fairly inexpensive program: since it is volunteer-run, the costs can be kept very low compared to similar programs.<br>
~Rotary is one of the oldest exchange programs in America for HS students along with AFS. They have the logistics pretty well done. And they're pretty reliable, from what I've read from exchangers, parents, and exchange safety sites.
~They have so many countries to choose from. My district offers something like 40 countries. I have the opportunity to study in nations such as Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Thailand, etc. SYA only has 4.
~The program is FULL CULTURAL IMMERSION. Students attend school with locals, live in a host family and have all classes in a foreign language. SYA looks great (I had 2 uncles who went through the program and loved it), but it can't offer the full cultural immersion that Rotary does because it has a separate school for its students.</p>
<p>I am just interested in hearing your opinion of Rotary. Have you had personal experiences with it? SYA? I just felt the need to defend this awesome program because all of the rotarians have been truly amazing and from what I have heard from many students, RYE changed their lives.</p>
<p>I would use a company such as AFS if you are contemplating a student exchange, I have had great experiences with AFS and would never even consider a Rotary Exchange.</p>
<p>I think Rotary is a great program, though I do not have direct experience with it. My daughter went with YFU, but Rotary is less expensive than YFU/AFS. I agree with devushka that there is no substitute for full cultural immersion. It is more of a challenge for the student to live with a host family and attend a local school where teaching is in another language, but in the end the rewards are greater, especially because of the emotional bonds formed with host family and friends.</p>
<p>I am an SYA alum, and can vouch that it's a superb program and that it regularly accomodates seniors (although when I did it most of the seniors only spent one semester rather than two). </p>
<p>Running its own separate school is a tremendous advantage if you actually want to continue your education and go to college, but a disadvantage in terms of cultural immersion. I don't think SYA is a good idea if you don't have a pretty strong background in the language going in. In my year (many, many years ago), the kids who were decent in the language coming into the program got fluent quickly and got a ton out of it; the kids who had not taken more than a year or two of the language had a lot more trouble and learned a lot less.</p>
<p>Actually going to school in another language is very, very challenging. My family hosted AFS exchange students for years, one of whom wound up living with us for 7 years and finishing high school here. Hanging out at a school in a foreign language is pretty easy, but it takes people the better part of a year, or more, to get to the point where they're learning close to what they would in their own language.</p>
<p>I think you learn MUCH, MUCH more with 100% cultural immersion. Ideally I think you would go to a country where the language you've studied in high school is spoken. I've know several people who have had wonderful experience via Rotary. My high school (a boarding school) always had two foreign exchange students - one from the ESU and one from AFS.</p>
<p>My niece is doing Italy this fall as senior. Can't do the entire year b/c state requirements says that she must be in local school in final term, something like this. She better be doing her apps-sis says she is.</p>
<p>im applying for a rotary exchange as a senior as well... although i know there are benifits to every program i like rotary because
1. i can actually afford it ($9,000 AFS program or $3,000 Rotary one?!)
2. you get to go to school with local students, instead of sticking with other exchangers (same with AFS and YFU)
3. rotarians are amazingly helpful and i trust them to place me with a good family
4. they have really good structure abroad (in most, not all countries) : most of the time you have an advisor AND a secondary advisor (in case you have a problem with your 1st one) </p>
<p>as for spending senior year abroad, ive worked everything out with my school (which hasnt sent a student abroad in 7 years!)... ive completed most of my requirements this year, execpt for language arts and theology... my principal says i have to take theology if its offered in the foreign country, but will not refuse to graduate me if it is not, and obviously ill be taking a language arts course there
depending on your graduation requirements, it shouldnt be too hard to complete them abroad</p>
<p>as for sats and college apps, sats are offered in almost all foriegn countries, but im taking everything this year. i dont know that sat IIs are offered in all countries, although im pretty sure they are in france... the advice ive gotten is to finish your apps and especially teacher recs BEFORE YOU LEAVE... ill prob. give out my recs in may of this year. one thing ive having problems with is interviews, about 2/3s my colleges wont do them until the summer before senior year, and im worried i wont fit them all in (but, i have my first interview in 2 weeks, so some are ok with it!)</p>
<p>one thing about rotary is they want the app WAY ahead of time... if she doesnt have it in yet, get in it by the end of the month</p>
<p>I don't mean to resurrect the topic.</p>
<p>I was a Rotary Exchange Student to Chile last year. I spent a year in a little rural town in Central Chile. If you have any questions feel free to message me!</p>
<p>i was also a rotary exchange student (to england, 2000-1) and my brother just got back from doing rotary in finland. we both had great experiences. i agree with most of what was said here--the cultural immersion of rotary is great. however, there's more left up to chance since the program is run entirely by volunteers. like any exchange program, so much of your experience is based on the family you're placed with and the people you meet--factors which are fairly uncontrollable regardless of what program you choose.</p>
<p>another plus of rotary is that the exchange student's family usually takes a student into their home. my family had students from Bolivia, Australia, and the Ukraine while my brother and I were gone and it was quite the learning experience for everyone.</p>
<p>I had an AMAZING experience with Rotary and I think very highly of the program. I would definitely recommend it. I know that some people here have expressed reservations about Rotary, but honestly I've heard horror stories (and positive stories) from kids who went with a lot of different programs and honestly, it mostly has to do with the people you end up with, as stacy said, and your attitude. </p>
<p>Please feel free to PM me with questions. I spent last year (my senior year) in Argentina with Rotary and I had an amazing time. I would definitely say that your daughter should finish college applications BEFORE leaving--you really don't want to waste time on US things when you get there, and people won't understand. Also, the first few months can be very tiring and it's just not a good time to be stressed about getting applications in (speaking from personal experience). If you decide for whatever reason that senior year is not the right time, she can also apply as a senior and go abroad during a gap year. Check with your Rotary club to make sure they'll allow her to apply, but most clubs do. I met a lot of kids who were doing that in Argentina and it seemed like a very good, relaxed period of time to use. They applied to college and then deferred, so they had nothing hanging over them. </p>
<p>If your daughter does go as a senior, she will most likely need some kind of grade report from her exchange school to send in as midterm grades etc. This can be a pain if the school is disorganized and it can also feel like a lot of pressure if you aren't sure of your language skills. Another thing to note about kids who took a gap year is that they didn't have to deal with this either. </p>
<p>I don't mean to be negative about her going as a senior because obviously I did it and had a blast, but it's also important to know about certain things ahead of time, like needing grade reports for applications, or that your exchange school will probably be very bad with paperwork. You just need to be on top of things, and it helps to keep in contact with the admissions office. </p>
<p>I just want to add that I think a high school exchange DEFINITELY gives you things a college experience won't necessarily give you, such as complete immersion in the culture, including family life, and the ability to actually see what it's like to be a kid in another country, which is very unique if you think about it. </p>
<p>Also, two things about France...first of all, it's popular/competitive, so tell your daughter to apply early if she does want it and make sure that she meets the minimum language requirements since Rotary France is strict-ish about that. Also, I've heard a lot of weird stories about France from exchange students who went there, generally in terms of the schools being very strict or sudden decisions being made to send kids home. I'm not really sure what that's about and I could be completely off-base, but I feel like there was a discussion on the unofficial Rotary exchange forum about it, and the fact that kids seem to have better luck in general in Belgium. Just some thoughts!</p>
<p>The unofficial Rotary exchange student community page (Cultures Shocked) is here: <a href="http://www.cultures-shocked.net/%5B/url%5D">http://www.cultures-shocked.net/</a>
Definitely check out the forum link. People are extremely helpful. </p>
<p>One thing I have to point out about Rotary is that you definitely build a network with the clubs and with other exchange students. I feel like I could travel all over the world and have a place to stay.</p>
<p>hey nickdechile and seole... i just got a letter from my rotary district... im in and will be sent to either chile argentina or peru
this is a silly question, but how was it having a reversed school year?
and any random stuff you guys want to tell me about your countries would be great!
ahhh ok im geeking out excited right now!!</p>
<p>HI! I will private message you a link with a board that a bunch of rotary kids put together for exchangers. There are also kids from AFS and other programs there as well.</p>
<p>Many many years ago I was an Exchange Student with AFS and it is an outstandingly professional organization that I would highly recommend. They are still going strong. They take immense care in choosing a good fit as a family and environment which is so important for the experience.</p>
<p>I had fufilled all the requirements of my HS in 11th grade so graduated early (I was not outstanding, it may be easier than you think at your school). It is true that all SATs have to be done in the 11th grade which can be a slight advantage as I see with my son, there is a big improvement (or at least can be) between junior and senior year SAT scores. I applied from my host country and had no problems. However, that was more than 25 years ago and things now are a lot more competitive.</p>