1. French students don’t wear sweats and tee-shirts to class. Sorry, no rolling out of bed and running straight to class for you, monsieur or mademoiselle.
2. French universities don’t have a “campus.” Most students either rent apartments near to the university or commute from home rather than stay in dormitories.
3. French professors don’t have “office hours,” nor are they available by email 24/7. They do not believe in coddling students in any way.
4. French university classes don’t involve as much discussion as do American university courses. Even in small courses or “TD” (aka recitations), the style of the course is very much lecture-based. In fact, in some courses, students will spend class time literally copying down what the professor writes on the board.
5. French universities have fewer graded assignments and exams. Instead of the American university style of having midterms, finals, participation grade, etc., in quite a few French courses, you will only get one grade for the semester, which is the final exam grade. No pressure…
6. French university professors do not give “easy A’s” (or should I say “easy 20/20’s,” since French students are graded on a number scale where 20 is the highest). Unlike in the States, where grade inflation is rampant at many universities, in France a 13 or 14 out of 20 is a perfectly respectable grade. They have a saying here where only God can get a 20/20, and 19/20 is for the King (it’s an old saying).
