Was researching with my daughter for summer study abroad programs in England or Europe. Any suggestions for good programs for high school students looking to expand their horizons before college?? My daughter has been taking 3 years of high school french and enjoys history, politics and literature. I have found some programs online, but without any recommendations, it is hard to choose. Also, some are so expensive! Help please.
Posted by
Pacific Northwest
2622 posts
They are expensive, aren't they?? There are numerous programs at both Cambridge and Oxford and they'd all foot the bill. We looked at tons of them when my daughter was in high school. In the end, we just took the money and we went to Europe together many summers of her teen years. What we DID end up doing was summer programs in the U.S, which was less expensive.
I am not sure where you're based, but Brown University has a really extensive list of programs...from one week to multi-week. Their topics are endless. My daughter did that one summer. Then there's some really awesome debate programs, if your daughter is into that. There's a nice one at UCLA if you're on the west coast.
Lastly, my daughter spent a few happy summer weeks at a camp called Satori Camp in eastern Washington. It's one week and you take three classes per day. Topics vary by summer session but they're usually unique and fun.
Posted by
Fort Wayne, IN, USA
2349 posts
In Indiana, there is the Indiana University Honors Program for Foreign Languages. For Indiana students only, and you must apply in the fall of your junior year. You travel with a group of students and teachers in June. There are approximately 20-25 students in a city, and each one stays with a different host family. There are daily classes with the group, and weekend trips. The program was 6 1/2 weeks long. My daughter went to Brest in Brittany, and they ended up with a few days in Paris. IUHPFL also has programs in Austria, Spain, and Mexico, China, and Chile. Cost in 2010 was about $6000, plus her spending money. All meals were covered.
I've known other students that have done this, and another one is going this summer. I cannot say enough good things about it. This program may not be for her if she's not in Indiana or if she is a junior, but take a look at their website for info on how a well run program is set up.
One thing that impressed me. This was around the time of the Iceland volcano eruption. The staff assured parents that they kept enough funds to either fly all of their students home immediately, or to house them overseas indefinitely. In case of volcanoes, terrorism, earthquakes, whatever. They were going to take care of the kids and not leave them hanging.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
My daughter looked at AFS summer program -- but it cost almost as much for 6 weeks as a full semester, and an academic year cost only a little more than a semester, so she maximized return on investment by doing a gap year with AFS between high school and college. (Great program, by the way.)
Posted by
San Francisco
14507 posts
Hi,
Which country does she prefer in terms of the summer aboard program, France or England? My compliments on her diligence and efforts at French. Continue with the French even at the AP level or if her high school has the IB program in French. You never can learn too much on second language acquisition, just pound away at it.
Posted by
Seattle
544 posts
Check out doing an exchange through Rotary. Also, she should talk to her French teacher or if there's a University nearby, call or email some people in the French department there to see if they have suggestions. I did a program with Sons of Norway when I was in high school that was super fun. Maybe there's a similar organization for French Americans? A French consulate or embassy could be another place to contact.