<p>The Junior Year in Munich program (and others like it) supposedly includes an exchange of professors. So there were apparently some Penn professors in Munich. However, they did not teach my S's classes, and he never had any interaction with them. They were not there to teach their own students, but there as part of the cultural exchange.</p>
<p>lkf- Augsburg is about an hour or so west of Munich. I've only driven through it, but it seems like a big, bustling metropolis, where two different Autobahns intersect. It is a couple hours north of Garmisch, Neuschwanstein, and other cool places to visit in the Alps. </p>
<p>I think the Universities all over Germany are pretty equivalent. The way the system works, as it has been explained to me, is that, once I graduate from Gymnasium and earn my Abitur (graduation exam), then I apply to the government -- Basically say what field I am interested in. Then they write back, assigning me to a University with that field. If I am assigned to Berlin, for example, but didn't want to go there, then I can hold off for a year, and try again.</p>
<p>Tuition is free. Housing is subsidized for those with financial need. There are no dorms, but there are usually small furnished apartments specifically set up with students in mind (but available to anyone.)</p>
<p>Hello All,
Regarding German universities-students are assigned to the universities not only based on their declared field of study but grades in the Gymnasium and performance on the Abitur (culminating exam). Not all universities are considered equal. For example, the daughter of German friends of ours wanted to study psychology but her grades were only okay as was her performance on the Arbitur. She wanted to go to University in a large city (can't remember where now) but was only given the option to go to the Univeristy in Trier, considered a lower tier choice. </p>
<p>Augsburg is a beautiful city and nicely situated to enjoy the Bavarian area-castles and lovely villages.</p>
<p>Living in Germany now for 5 1/2 years the greatest benefit to our children has been gaining an appreciation for other perspectives on world events, politics, etc. Study abroad is a great opportunity and knowing what you want out of it is important as stated by several posters already. When our son goes off to college in the states next school year he wants to study abroad in London, his favorite city (whenever we go to London DS spends the majority of the time in the British Museum). For him study abroad is an opportunity to immerse himself in a city and museum he loves. </p>
<p>Interesteddad-good luck in your and your DD's search for a study abroad program</p>
<p>Oh, we aren't having any trouble finding programs! Where we need luck is in reconciling the lack of overlap in our lists!</p>
<p>One of the complicating factors for the payee is that every program in the world costs the same under the terms and conditions of the college -- and that price is a bloody fortune. So the payee is thinking in terms of value commensurate with that bloody fortune. </p>
<p>One way of looking at value would be to identify opportunities that would be impossible to replicate privately, either due to reasons of logistics or cost. IMO, Europe is easy to replicate and even a long-term immersion experience (be it summer or post-graduation) can be arranged for a heck of a lot less than $20,000. Forget youth hostels or backpacking, I think most travel agents could arrange a fancy three-month museum tour for a heck of lot less than $20,000.</p>
<p>As an analogy, suppose we go to a five star restaurant with a $200 per plate fixed price menu chock full of exotic specialties seldom seen on a restaurant menu and impossible to duplicate by even the most skilled home chef. Who in their right mind would order the NY Strip Steak with salad and baked potato? Even if you like NY Strip Steak with salad and baked potato, it's just not taking full advantage of the opportunity at hand to try something that you can't order at any restaurant, any time.</p>
<p>ID - I'm still not sensing the objective. If it isn't language immersion (I sense from what you wrote it isn't), or a specific academic pursuit, is it simply the learning that comes from the unfamiliar, the uncomfortable, the "foreign"? If that's the case, the semester off, or paid work, or some such, is likely to do just as well (maybe better). Of course, many kids (and adults) need "scaffolding", in which case you might look for programs with the least in the way of academic requirements, and the most in terms of "adventures".</p>
<p>When I taught at Chicago (briefly), I used to encourage my best students to get themselves a good sleeping bag, a copy of Jansson's "History of Art", and a plane ticket to France (or Italy), and write me regarding what they saw. I thought it was crazy for them to be paying the equivalent of $40k to be listening to me, or at least to be listening to me before they had the advantage of firsthand experience. Even managed to convince two of them to actually do it! But most of my students weren't ready for that, and, frankly, were likely never to be ready, even as adults.</p>
<p>Interacting with foreign students is good, too - but interacting with all kinds of folks, students or not, is even better. In Asia, if you know how to do it, $20k can easily last you 3-5 years, and you can find work worth doing as well, and people to do it with. "Study abroad" presumes you are studying something. What is it?</p>
<p>For my son, it was the opportunity to study music at an international conservatory in another country. He gets 17 semester hours of credit, room, board, and the chance to be in a conservatory situation with international students from around the world. It is not costing us a cent more than if he were getting the credit at his home university. For us, it was worth the money (and it is not extra charge) for him to go to London for this semester. He needs the credits toward his degree....not a 20K cultural immersion experience when he graduates. At some point, he may even want to perform or study further musically in Europe. This was a good way to begin that process.</p>
<p>H and I did it, mini, with Blue Guides and History of Renaissance Art Painting, Sculpture, Art Throughout Europe. Spent about 12 months total over the course of three years--without prompting and including a 14 week stint in Rome aka The Rome Prize (self-awarded).</p>
<p>D is only a freshman, but is already looking into study abroad. She is studying Spanish and German and wants to go for the immersion to fluency benefit. She has already been pretty well travelled, and loves to go overseas. Whether the courses are or not the same, just gaining an understanding of other people and other cultures is a benefit. Visiting and living there are definitely 2 different things. And maybe our being there and trying to adapt to their culture will help deflect any negative views of Americans.</p>
<p>I am a college sophomore, and I am fluent in Spanish; I don't want to take additional "traditional" language courses with American students. However, I am nervous to apply directly to a Spanish university, as the credits might not transfer, and dealing with bureaucracy overseas might result to be more challenging than here. Is there an American program that you might recommend for Spain that assumes fluency or near-fluency in Spanish and allows the student to just directly matriculate into one of Spain's universities, whilst having the benefit of a US-based credit system?</p>
<p>I'm looking for a teach-english in China program for this summer. Does anyone know of any? I've had a lot of trouble finding a stable one that has been reliable in the past. I'd be ok with either paid or volunteer, so long as the costs don't racket. The longer the program the better; but I need a minimum of 8-10 weeks. I know there are plenty of language-oriented programs, but I'd rather find something with a social action feel (the closest I've found is teaching. it's difficult to find internships if your grasp of the language is limited to 2nd year intensive Chinese) and a heavy emphasis on culture - being able to live/visit cities, restaurants, etc.</p>
<p>Here are two programs that offer what you are looking for. These are both on Swarthmore's approved program list, so they are probably half-way decent or better.</p>
<p>Their Madrid program offers direct enrollment to very fluent Spanish speakers or courses geared to foreign students. This program is a Smith recommended program. BU is affiliated with some top-notch study abroad programs.</p>
<p>The Hamilton/Williams/Swarthmore program in Madrid is one that everyone raves about. But, it's US students studying together -- albeit with total Spanish language immersion including living with Spanish families. The courses are, in large part, taught by professors from a local university and there is the option of taking courses at another university.</p>
<p>There are many programs in South America and Latin America.</p>
<p>D has been doing due diligence on a study abroad program -- meeting with students who have done the program recently, meeting with her study abroad advisor, etc.</p>
<p>She e-mailed this week and said that she has decided and is ready to start the application process (which hopefully will go smoothly). She's excited. We are excited. </p>
<p>Somewhat unusual program that will be demanding in terms of travel, culture shock, and fairly serious academics (for a study-abroad program). It involves a 4 to 5 week stay in large cities on each of three continents with extended home stays. The academic focus is on urban issues, specifically related to rapid development, globalization, and massive population growth.</p>
<p>A girl who did the program last year tallied up the following stats at the end of her (wonderful) on-line journal:</p>
<p>Hours spent on planes: 69 hours, 48 minutes
Miles flown: 33,250
Kilometres flown: 53,509
Hours in airports (approximately): 54
Hospital visits: three
New relatives from host families: over 20</p>
<p>I don't know whether they do summer only programs but Stanford-based Volunteers in Asia and Harvard-based World Teach send American students to teach English to various countries in Asia.</p>
<p>for poster who wants to teach English in Asia....Try ESL4Asia. It's not well run, and you won't get much money, but you have a place to stay and a small stipend and they usually pay your airfare from LA. I'm sure there is something better out there, but it is an option</p>
<p>My daughter will be a student at University College Cork, for the spring semester.</p>
<p>Has anyone here had experience purchasing health insurance for study abroad? Our health insurance covers her, but I've heard of several companies, such as Wallach, that sell short term policies specifically for student studying abroad. The cost would, as I figure it, be about $200 for the semester.</p>
<p>We recently found out that my daughter was accepted into the Peru abroad for her college. The way they do it there is that the students go away with the main prof from their major and then if there is room they'll take extra students outside of the major. The one to Peru is a Spanish abroad with emphasis on immersion in Spanish and studying the Peruvian culture. From what she has told us it's going to be pretty rustic. They'll be going into the mountains on a several day trek with Llamas(!), onto an island and into the rainforest! My daughter is an education (probably Middle School) and Sociology/Anthropology major, not a Spanish major but she would love to become fluent. Due to her packed major requirements she has had no room for more Spanish classes after the first year that was a language requirement so this will be a great stretch for her. She thought of trying to do the upcoming Theatre abroad in England but realized that the chance of going to Europe was pretty high, but Peru? Not likely. I think I'm looking forward to this almost as much as her!</p>
<p>My stepdaughter did a year abroad in Spain through her college, Williams. She was already fluent in Spanish, and thought that the language exposure (home stay with family) was certainly rewarding, but in the end did not take to the social culture very well, and also thought that her classes were insufficiently challenging. She ended taking more neuroscience classes and overloading a bit to make up for the year abroad - illustrates that there can be risk with progress towards a degree.</p>
<p>In retrospect, she states that the best feature of her year was the inexpensive, easily arranged travel to many other European countries.</p>
<p>We have had 2 daughters study abroad: one went on her own w/ an independent study abroad program (external to her school); the other went through her school's study abroad program.</p>
<p>The first D went to London for an entire year and lived/studied with British students. The cost was half that of her school sponsored programs and all her credits transferred so there was no problem there. She's independent and confident and knew what she wanted from a previous trip to the UK with us.</p>
<p>Second D went to Florence and lived with students from her school but studied in an American program affiliated with the Lorenzo deMedici Institute. Again, all her credits transferred and we paid full fare, the exact tuition, room and board as if she had spent the semester at school here. She went for spring semester only.</p>
<p>Of the two option numbers one was the best financial and cultural experience but it did put the "burden" on the student to find/make the arrangements. She was up to the task and handled all the details herself.</p>
<p>DD#2 wouldn't have been quite so confident on her own so did better with option #2. Both had wonderful experiences and wouldn't trade that for anything.</p>