In the first of an occasional series on foreign universities, Olivia Chavassieu describes how tough it is to reach the top in the French system. I did everything I could to avoid attending university. In my family the grandes ecoles, or elite schools, is what you aim for. University is where you end up if you fail to get into one... My idea of university was negative. All I had heard was that the organisation was chaotic and that the studies themselves were not very challenging. So in October 2005 I went to the Sorbonne in Paris with a heavy heart. Even though I was dragging my feet on my way in, I was amazed by the place... However, on that first day I had a rude awakening. Hundreds of students were trying to find their way in the maze, and hundreds more were queuing and looked as though they had been waiting forever. The first experience at the Sorbonne will always be a painful introduction to French administration. Before I came to Australia I had never heard of orientation week, campus tours or student services. Everyone is on their own at the Sorbonne; nobody will answer your questions, and nobody will let you know if you have made a mistake. The first you will know about it is at the end of the year, when you have missed out on your diploma... Each of my school years cost €1700, and a full year of enjoyable study at the Sorbonne cost just €320, including insurance fees. Most of the books you do not need to buy as they are all in the library, ready to be borrowed - but watch out for the queues. Olivia Chavassieu is an intern at the Herald and is completing her master's degree in journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney.
I did everything I could to avoid attending university. In my family the grandes ecoles, or elite schools, is what you aim for. University is where you end up if you fail to get into one...
My idea of university was negative. All I had heard was that the organisation was chaotic and that the studies themselves were not very challenging.
So in October 2005 I went to the Sorbonne in Paris with a heavy heart. Even though I was dragging my feet on my way in, I was amazed by the place...
However, on that first day I had a rude awakening. Hundreds of students were trying to find their way in the maze, and hundreds more were queuing and looked as though they had been waiting forever. The first experience at the Sorbonne will always be a painful introduction to French administration.
Before I came to Australia I had never heard of orientation week, campus tours or student services. Everyone is on their own at the Sorbonne; nobody will answer your questions, and nobody will let you know if you have made a mistake. The first you will know about it is at the end of the year, when you have missed out on your diploma...
Each of my school years cost €1700, and a full year of enjoyable study at the Sorbonne cost just €320, including insurance fees. Most of the books you do not need to buy as they are all in the library, ready to be borrowed - but watch out for the queues.
Olivia Chavassieu is an intern at the Herald and is completing her master's degree in journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney.
(As a "proof" of how elitist the system is, a new ranking system was built, which simply allocates a point for each Fortune 500 CEO that has a diploma from the relevant university: 5 French Grandes Ecoles are in the top ten using that ranking - which only reflects the fact that the selection process to be part of the French (business) elite takes place at the point of entry into these Ecoles. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Plus, in Spain there is a difference between the sindicato de estudiantes (student union, in the "labour movement" sense of "union") and whatever it is that the "student government" is called at each school. The sindicato de estudiantes is a national organization with its own agenda, usually a launchpad for political careers and has fuck-all to do with students. When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
Generally the student societies per school pull the cart during orientation week - also with the ulterior motive to grow membership.
That's true also in the UK universities, from my (limited) experience. When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
One simply expects such services when the cost to attend for a year at even a third rate college is $10,000.
I don't see these services as bad things. The first week on campus is confusing enough for everyone. Having some organisation to make it less confusing can only be good.
