2013 / 2014
Adaptation, Orientation
The initial 2 weeks adaptation / orientation period prepares the students in Paris to adjust to the academically-rigorous courses they will be taking, to take full advantage of those courses and of the cultural events they will be attending, to adjust to Parisian life and to become acquainted with the French, and to their host families in particular.
WHY ADAPTATION?
La Comédie FrançaiseBecause one semester in France is so short, A.P.A. will provide the students with all of the information they will need to oversee their rapid integration into French life so that they will soon feel comfortably settled in their new environment. The objective is to insure that the students settle into their Parisian life as soon as possible and to avoid any difficulties that could give them misguided impressions of France.
After this adaptation period, students will feel self-assured, increasingly independent and therefore ready to take full advantage of their experience in France.
- Students will take a language course (16 to 18 hours per week), to prepare them for their everyday life in Paris and for the courses they will take at the university.
- Students will attend a series of workshops designed to help them adapt to their new environment.
Class in sessionInformation will be provided on :
local transportation, opening a bank account, library and sports facilities, cultural life and leisure activities in Paris, travel and emergency procedures ...
WHY ORIENTATION ?
During these two weeks, course selection takes place as follows:
- Upon arrival, students receive a brochure containing descriptions of a selection of courses in a wide variety of fields.
- Some courses are presented by the same university professors who will teach these courses.
- Students are invited to check on the APA's Google docs all the course catalogs from the Paris universities ans schools of higher learning with wich we have an agreement.
- Students meet individually with the program director or assistant director to make their final course selection who takes into account their profeciency in French and the requirements of their home institution. If uncertain, a description of the course under consideration is sent to the US school and approval is requested before the student can be enrolled in that particular course. This procedure is meant to guarantee that, upon return, students will receive transfer credits for the coursework undertaken in France.