From College To College

After 13 years in the French education system, Alizée Chaudey decided to leave her comfort zone and switch into a new one with different grading systems, different courses and a different language. Chaudey is a 19-year-old from Senegal currently studying at the American University of Paris. Despite the perks of low tuition costs in France, she still decided to try out the American system.

The French and the American education system have two very different styles. Broadly speaking, the American system tends to provide a rounded experience including social activities, extracurriculars and closer relationships with teachers, while the French system focuses intensely on studying, encourages competition and establishes a less personal relationship between professor and student. Four former students of the French system who now attend American universities spoke to me about their experiences with these two different systems.

In France after lycée, at which students pass their baccalaureate, they automatically have access to a free, publicly funded university. They also have the option to apply to private establishments known as grandes écoles which offer specialized studies in business, engineering, politics or administrative studies. These schools are incredibly difficult to get into, and many students take prépas or preporatory classes to prepare for the entrance exams. In fact, studying for admittance can be one of the most difficult tasks French students endure.

The French education system is known for its rigid manner, with a high focus on student ranking. Despite being considered one of Europe’s best educational systems, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and having some of the lowest tuition costs in Europe, students that have the option tend to transfer to different systems. Apparently, there is something not quite right.

Emile Yves Sidibe, a 22-year-old from Mali and student at AUP, described the rivalry of the French system as “awful: no one is warm, and it’s really competitive.” For law majors, freshmen would attend class in suits, which for him was out of the ordinary. The formality of the environment made his experience less enjoyable.

The French grading system has a scale of one through 20. Students with a score of 12 are in the top 10 to 20 percent of the class at the middle school level. To Americans this may seem low, but getting a 20 is “almost impossible,” says Chaudey. Because of this, high school students are in a constant battle for the best grades. If a student fails one course, described Sidibe, they have to repeat the whole year. If they fail a third time, students must start in another school or be moved into technical school. “The students that attend technical schools are considered failures,” according to Chaudey.

The French school system is also rigid in terms of the subjects covered. “You have to fit in a box — economic, social, scientific, or literary — where there is very little place for art and barely any sports,” described Chaudey.

This lack of artistic or physical expression weighs on students and contributes to their dissatisfaction. According to Young People’s Disillusionment with French Education Before 1968 by Jean-Marc Lemonnier, Michaël Attali and Elodie Parisse explain that the there is a large “gap between young people and the elders in France, and the contestation of social values, freedom, and control.”

Chaudey’s longing for another system began when she noticed that she did not fit into the French one due to the competition between students and the level of difficulty, as well as the fact that her interest in English grew each day. For her university career, she chose the American system, allowing her to have more freedom. Chaudey explained that she might not have been prepared to choose one of those “boxes” as she was unsure what career or subject to take in university. Professors of the French education system tend to look down upon such students, which is an added pressure. However, the American system had an alternative for her. She is now able to take different types of classes other than the ones her major offers. These electives are a crucial aspect that the French system rarely offers.

The way in which students are treated in the French system has also been an issue for some. 28-year-old Amanuel Neguede described the American system as one “where you’re encouraged and surrounded by people that canhelp you. You are a lot more nurtured.” Before studying at AUP, Neguede had to leave two French schools because of behavioral issues, and the French system provided no other option other than “asking him to kindly leave.” He did not leave by choice but decided to follow the steps of his older sister and enroll in an American university, where he was able to find more support. Close interaction with teachers was a problem for him in French schools, as he was often viewed as disrespectful, and there was a lot of miscommunication. In the American system, he says, “Teachers love me.” All the students I spoke to agreed that in the French system there is almost no communication with teachers — there is a certain distance that students must keep.

Adapting the French system can also be quite difficult. 20-year-old Shadi Ayoubi also decided to switch systems while attending La Sorbonne, one of France’s best universities. Although the circumstances for Ayoubi, who grew up in Egypt, may have been different than many of those who grew up in France, he was not able to cope with the French system.

Ayoubi, who is of Egyptian, French and Lebanese origin, lived in Egypt and attended a French high school. He was forced to leave and move to France in 2011 when the Egyptian revolution broke out. Ayoubi was accepted in universities in the UK but decided to go to the French system because it is free. However, despite this, he described the university as a depressing environment: “It was extremely harsh. They don’t tell you what to expect and I always felt like I wasn’t being productive.” This was ultimately his motive for leaving. Ayoubi became depressed, unable to feel successful in school. On top of this, it was difficult to make friends atLa Sorbonne as the university itself was not a space that encouraged socializing with other students. This contrasted to his first day at AUP, when he entered the school café and immediately made a few friends.

When I asked if they would ever come back to the French system for further studies, Sidibe and Neguede said that if they continued on with their studies, they were open to the idea of returning to the French system. Chaudey and Ayoubi both said they wouldn’t return to the French system, mentioning a better spread of opportunities within the American system.

France still has thousands of students from all over the world and many still consider the French system a great opportunity. Despite coming from different backgrounds and experiencing the French system in different countries, students that have switched to the American system often prefer it. Classes are an essential part to the appeal of universities, but it is clear that social aspects, extracurriculars and the relationships we build have a huge impact on the university experience.

BY KATHERIN LOPEZ CIFUENTES

PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLUWASEUN OZOLUA-OSUNBADE