Highschooler Studying Abroad in France

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless your daughter’s high school has their own program, it will be hard to do just one semester versus a year. My siblings and I all did years abroad. We didn’t get credit for most of the classes and had to make it up with summer school and internet courses. It was a great experience and I learned a language and still keep in touch with my host family 20 years later. That said, I wish I had done it as a gap year because it hurt my GPA and college admission stats. Overall a positive but would have been better later.

AFS is probably the best company to do it through. I went through Rotary which was great but at least at that time they didn’t let you choose your country, so France would be tough to get.

That's so weird. Mine actually helped me get into college where I double majored in Chemistry and my foreign language. It was a compelling essay. I get that college admissions now is very different from when I was in high school and is much more stat focused than individual focused, though. It's a shame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless your daughter’s high school has their own program, it will be hard to do just one semester versus a year. My siblings and I all did years abroad. We didn’t get credit for most of the classes and had to make it up with summer school and internet courses. It was a great experience and I learned a language and still keep in touch with my host family 20 years later. That said, I wish I had done it as a gap year because it hurt my GPA and college admission stats. Overall a positive but would have been better later.

AFS is probably the best company to do it through. I went through Rotary which was great but at least at that time they didn’t let you choose your country, so France would be tough to get.

That's so weird. Mine actually helped me get into college where I double majored in Chemistry and my foreign language. It was a compelling essay. I get that college admissions now is very different from when I was in high school and is much more stat focused than individual focused, though. It's a shame.

I'm glad you realize things have changed. This is going to be worse than the "mission trips" kids do to Africa or South America, where at least there's a veneer of charitable work. Here it's nothing but "look at me, I have the money for a stint in Paris!".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD would like to study abroad for a semester of high school. Looking for experiences specific to France. What agency did you use? Did they let you specify a city? Were grades given? She would also like to specify Paris area because she has an Aunt that travels there for work. We’re thinking one semester most likely spring. Any input on that would be helpful as well.

I find it puzzling that some people are fine sending their send kids to live overseas by themselves at 15 without considering how many things can go wrong but otherwise don't consider them adults until their prefrontal cortex develops fully.

These are not the same groups of people lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter wants to be in Paris which narrows the options considerably. She also wants to do spring semester.

I don’t think our high school will give credit, but it is a good suggestion to ask for their opinions. I know of another student that went to Germany for a semester. I have a call out to his mom to ask how that went for him.

For your DD this could be a wonderful, intercultural experience!

like Emily in Paris!

French PP here. I agree that studying abroad can be a wonderful experience, although personally I would have her wait until she's an adult and can do more things on her own.

But please don't mention that horrible Emily in Paris! It has nothing to do with reality, I hope you know this.

Why do you feel it isn’t realistic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter wants to be in Paris which narrows the options considerably. She also wants to do spring semester.

I don’t think our high school will give credit, but it is a good suggestion to ask for their opinions. I know of another student that went to Germany for a semester. I have a call out to his mom to ask how that went for him.

For your DD this could be a wonderful, intercultural experience!

like Emily in Paris!

French PP here. I agree that studying abroad can be a wonderful experience, although personally I would have her wait until she's an adult and can do more things on her own.

But please don't mention that horrible Emily in Paris! It has nothing to do with reality, I hope you know this.

Why do you feel it isn’t realistic?

PP you replied to. Where to start?! The Paris it portrays is way too clean and cliché, the people are dressed extravagantly, the situations are too dramatic (but I suppose that's fine), the cultural aspects are completely exaggerated...

It's just not a reflection of what you'd actually experience if you were living and working in Paris.

[Anonymous]

I spent my junior year in France with AFS a long time ago - good agency, no option to choose city. I think the organizations that are well known in the study abroad world (YFU, etc) are similar in that regard. People sometimes organize their own private exchanges with family friends/relatives if they have a specific location in mind.
My daughter spent her senior year of HS abroad with a State Dept program so I have her experience as well regarding comment below.
Definitely talk to your high school counselor now about implications for curriculum, graduation etc. This varies quite a bit from district to district on how it is handled from point of view of GPA, graduation requirements etc. They can best advise you on whether she would be able to graduate with her class (if this is important to her) and how to accomplish that.
I"m a big fan of study abroad, but it is often very challenging for teenagers and can be lonely. Host family dynamics can be wonderful or difficult, and if your kid is far away you will need to put a lot of trust in the agency to help if there are problems. It also means missing out on what might be important high school experiences and in that sense some people are happier if they do it as a gap year. I wouldn't change my experience for the world and neither would my daughter, but they both also included many challenges.
Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD would like to study abroad for a semester of high school. Looking for experiences specific to France. What agency did you use? Did they let you specify a city? Were grades given? She would also like to specify Paris area because she has an Aunt that travels there for work. We’re thinking one semester most likely spring. Any input on that would be helpful as well.

I find it puzzling that some people are fine sending their send kids to live overseas by themselves at 15 without considering how many things can go wrong but otherwise don't consider them adults until their prefrontal cortex develops fully.

I find it puzzling that you don't understand that an exchange program means a teen lives with a host family and must follow their house rules for the year. It was a really rewarding experience for me, and my host family is still like family to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless your daughter’s high school has their own program, it will be hard to do just one semester versus a year. My siblings and I all did years abroad. We didn’t get credit for most of the classes and had to make it up with summer school and internet courses. It was a great experience and I learned a language and still keep in touch with my host family 20 years later. That said, I wish I had done it as a gap year because it hurt my GPA and college admission stats. Overall a positive but would have been better later.

AFS is probably the best company to do it through. I went through Rotary which was great but at least at that time they didn’t let you choose your country, so France would be tough to get.

That's so weird. Mine actually helped me get into college where I double majored in Chemistry and my foreign language. It was a compelling essay. I get that college admissions now is very different from when I was in high school and is much more stat focused than individual focused, though. It's a shame.

I'm glad you realize things have changed. This is going to be worse than the "mission trips" kids do to Africa or South America, where at least there's a veneer of charitable work. Here it's nothing but "look at me, I have the money for a stint in Paris!".

I think you’re pretty off base here—kids doing an exchange live with a host family and literally assimilate into the country. It’s not a rich kid thing. Kids in my high school did it and I went to a poor people school. Even if it wasn’t, I’d rather have a kid who is comfortable traveling and being independent in my college over a kid who sits at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter wants to be in Paris which narrows the options considerably. She also wants to do spring semester.

I don’t think our high school will give credit, but it is a good suggestion to ask for their opinions. I know of another student that went to Germany for a semester. I have a call out to his mom to ask how that went for him.

For your DD this could be a wonderful, intercultural experience!

like Emily in Paris!

French PP here. I agree that studying abroad can be a wonderful experience, although personally I would have her wait until she's an adult and can do more things on her own.

But please don't mention that horrible Emily in Paris! It has nothing to do with reality, I hope you know this.

Why do you feel it isn’t realistic?

PP you replied to. Where to start?! The Paris it portrays is way too clean and cliché, the people are dressed extravagantly, the situations are too dramatic (but I suppose that's fine), the cultural aspects are completely exaggerated...

It's just not a reflection of what you'd actually experience if you were living and working in Paris.

Ah - ok. Thanks! Like most people, I’ve never been to France. Just thought the show was very realistic. It seemed realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD would like to study abroad for a semester of high school. Looking for experiences specific to France. What agency did you use? Did they let you specify a city? Were grades given? She would also like to specify Paris area because she has an Aunt that travels there for work. We’re thinking one semester most likely spring. Any input on that would be helpful as well.

I find it puzzling that some people are fine sending their send kids to live overseas by themselves at 15 without considering how many things can go wrong but otherwise don't consider them adults until their prefrontal cortex develops fully.

I find it puzzling that you don't understand that an exchange program means a teen lives with a host family and must follow their house rules for the year. It was a really rewarding experience for me, and my host family is still like family to me.

+1. I think it’s far more puzzling that people send kids at age 9 to sleepaway camps staffed by poorly paid teenagers for weeks. Sending a 15 year old to go to school in another country and live with a family is far less risky in my opinion (I’m sure there are families in Texas who agree after last summer.)

[Anonymous]

Can your child not wait until college?
Many offer it.