<p><strong>This is cross-posted to the other schools to get some diversity of views</strong></p>
<p>S wishes to study Arabic to proficiency, take a year abroad in an Arabic speaking country, and study in context of international relations. No specific objective, these are his passions rather than a career orientation. Assume we can pay tuition/room/board but nothing else - no extra summer programs, no wads of cash for extra fun, no graduate school. We live in New England. S has visited all three schools before applying and cannot go back to visit because he is an exchange student out of the country until June. He has been accepted to all three schools (plus several others, but including those would complicate things - of the full-pay, no FA acceptances, these are his most likely choices). </p>
<p>All three have great merit - Middlebury for its great language reputation and student-oriented focus, Georgetown SFS for its SFS program, and Duke because of its great reputation, Arabic program and strong financial condition and alumni network. </p>
<p>What are your thoughts?</p>
<p>The Arabic culture and language programs at Georgetown are very strong and prominent. John Esposito, the editor of the Oxford Dictionary of Islam and author of countless related books, is a Georgetown professor, for instance. The [Center</a> for Contemporary Arab Studies](<a href=“http://ccas.georgetown.edu/]Center”>http://ccas.georgetown.edu/) and the [Center</a> for Muslim-Christian Understanding](<a href=“http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/]Center”>http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/) are also great centers of scholarship. Arabic is a very popular language to study at Georgetown, and the opportunities to practice and utilize it in real-world situations are far greater in DC than in Durham or Vermont.</p>
<p>The alumni network at Georgetown is plenty strong as well, especially when it comes to international relations and government fields, but also more generally. The fact that Georgetown requires an alumni interview unless waived and also interviews some transfers (Duke does neither) would be an example of this. </p>
<p>The three overall experiences are very different - Southern vs. rural and bucolic New England vs. Washington, DC - and I suppose this will be an important factor as well.</p>
<p>All three are great schools, and your son clearly has some tough choices to make. Congratulations and good luck!</p>
<p>I’m in the SFS majoring in Regional Studies - the Islamic World, taking Arabic, and going to Egypt with Georgetown this summer for my first of hopefully many stays in the region ( I thinking of doing a full year abroad, a semester in Turkey and a semester in Jordan). I am incredibly amazed by the quality of instruction by the SFS as whole, but especially within my department. If you have any specific questions feel free to PM. I can’t speak to the other schools, but I can say that I have loved my time here.</p>
<p>No offense, but I think this is such an easy decision.</p>
<p>Simply because Georgetown SFS has a campus in Doha, Qatar and where I can see you’re interested in Arabic you can study your junior year in Doha.</p>
<p>FaitAccompli, thanks for the thought. Here’s the counter to that thought, though. SFS’s school at Doha may not be the best option for someone seeking to become fluent in Arabic through immersion. Many schools abroad are islands of English speakers in a sea of native language speakers. I don’t know this specifically about Doha. But I suspect, and may be wrong, that all the classes and much of the daily discourse is conducted in English. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing in the big picture, but if you are looking for language immersion to attain competence and fluency it is not the best choice.</p>
<p>A couple of things about Arabic and study abroad. Doha is more like Georgetown’s sister school then a study abroad destination like the Villas in Turkey and Italy. The project and all of Education City where it is located is a special effort to increase the availability of western style education in the Middle East championed by the Amir’s second wife. There is also a medical school and few other undergraduate programs run by major universities. The schools were designed to serve the needs of Qutaris, especially women whose families were concerned about sending the daughters to the West to study but wanted the quality of education that a western university provided. SFS-Q is also a major channel of dialogue. Video conferencing between the two schools is very common. However, very few Americans attend university there as very few classes are available in English and they encouarge you to spend a full year there as opposed to a semester, a handful go each year. It is the fullest immersion program Georgetown offers and also the easiest credit wise since everything transfers and your being taught by Georgetown faculty (my Islamic theology professor just came back from 2 years there). It is a fairly new program as well. The more common options are the Jordanian and Moroccan programs which are national universities (as opposed to American universities), where you take 1 Arabic class, 1 class in arabic and then 2 classes in English. The Cairo program allows you to choose whether you want to study completely in Arabic or take Arabic along side English classes.</p>
<p>HEC2008, I tried to PM you to take you up on your offer. Can you PM me back?</p>
<p>sorry I didn’t get your message.</p>