<p>Has anyone had any experience with the 7 week summer intensive language programs at Middlebury, specifically German? What was the total experience like? How is the quality of instruction? Do they live up to the promise of advancing a full year + in seven weeks? </p>
<p>My D is a freshman at WashU and just completed German IV this semester.
She received an 'A' in the course, but had to work very hard during the semester to get her speaking ability up to par. She is not a German major, but I understand she will have a minor after completing the course she takes next semester. She wants to study abroad in the future, but is considering the Middlebury program this summer.</p>
<p>I'm doing the Chinese school this summer and am really excited for it. So... I can't really answer questions on it yet, but I'll vouch for its effectiveness and good reputation. A friend of mine did the French school last summer and is speaking much, much better than she did before. All of the programs are equivalent to an entire year of college study (so, for example, I'll be doing all of third-year Chinese in nine weeks). And yes, it really is like an entire year. Everyone who does them here goes straight into the next level the following school year and does fine. The profs aren't usually Middlebury profs... Some are, but most they draw from around the country and abroad and are as good or sometimes better (or so I hear) than Midd teachers. I'm biased of course, but I'd really recommend doing the summer programs if you can.</p>
<p>The summer of 2006 my nephew attended Mid's summer intensive language program for Russian. At the time he had completed his freshman year of college and had just one year of Russian language classes. The Mid program boosted his language skills a full year. Recently he returned from a semester abroad in Leningrad. He enjoyed the program.</p>