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Studies > France > Paris > Sciences Po Paris > Review by Kristi18
 
Other names:
IEP-Paris
Contact: +33 1 45 49 66 40

Sciences Po Paris (IEP)

Institut d'Etudes Politiques - Paris, 27, rue Saint-Guillaume, 75337 Paris, France
3.92 / 5 based on 324 reviews.
Description:
Sciences Po is one of Europe's most distinguished universities located right in the heart of Paris. With a long history of more than 125 years, Sciences Po educates the best young minds not only of France but also of Europe for leadership. Sciences Po prepares its graduates to pursue their future careers in various paths such as international business, public administration and service sector, multilateral organisations and many other fields of endeavour.


Reviews
International Partners
Programmes
Accreditations
74% of students recommend
324 reviews
Housing
3.6/5
 All experiences (324)
Student life
4.1/5
 5 stars (90)
Academic
4.1/5
 4 stars (138)
Languages
4.4/5
 3 stars (84)
Expenses
3.4/5
 2 stars (12)
Overall
4.3/5
 1 star (0)
“Don't go to Sciences-Po if you want to 'party' and travel a lot. I would suggest the Sorbonne for that. However, Sciences-Po will give you one of the most beneficial academic experiences available among Political Science universities in the world.” Read Review
Kristi18, United States

Sciences Po Paris review by Kristi18

Review by Kristi18, University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, United States
Political Science, Independent
HOUSING    
Personal assessment
Cost
KEY:
Couldn't have asked for more.
Pretty good.
Could've been better, but didn't lessen the overall experience.
Disappointing.
Facilities
Location
Cleanliness
Space
Type of housing: Apartment/House
Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why? Part of experiencing French culture is dealing with Parisian landlords and living in one of the many 'historic' buildings. Even though landlords might be a hassle, it is a genuine part of parisian culture, and much better than living in a stereotypical dorm facility.
Personal comments:
The university does not help students find housing, however I did not find it difficult to locate an apartment. Students should allow themselves around 2 weeks to look for an apartment.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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STUDENT LIFE    
Personal social experience
Activities
KEY:
Amazing! Hardly had time to study.
Plenty to do when I had the time.
So-so.
Did not get involved.
Nightlife
Travel
Overall
Describe host city: Students interact with the local community without much university involvement
Activities, Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Personal comments:
Les Etages in Saint Germain is a great place to study! Overall, there are just too many great places to visit in paris to list!
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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ACADEMIC       5.0 / 5
My academic experiences
Quality of courses
KEY:
Fantastic.
Pretty good.
Could've been a bit better.
Disappointing.
Variety of courses
Availability/access to resources
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with other international students
Interaction with local students
Course recommendations:
Take the regular french courses and avoid the courses for international students as much as possible. The calibre is much high in genuine sciences po courses.



My opinion of the university assessment
Exams at end of course
KEY:
Liked it.
It was alright.
A bit annoying.
Didn't like it.
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course.
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
Overall
Personal comments:
The key to success at Sciences Po is to find the right book... text books are not provided, so you will succeed based upon the fact of whether or not you can research well in libraries.

This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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Language difficulties
Social
KEY:
No problems.
I coped pretty well.
Sometimes it was difficult.
It was a constant struggle.
Educational
Administrative / Institutional
Overall
Language of instruction: French
Was learning French a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my French
How much did you improve your French?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
Personal comments:
This is the best way to learn the language. I took 3 years of college level French before I went and found that I really knew nothing. Immersion is the only way to learn a language, even if the first 2 months are extremely difficult. Also, try not to just socialize with international students, speaking french in everyday situations will be the largest factor in improvement.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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EXPENSES    
The accessibility of student needs
Second-hand text books
KEY:
Very easy.
Minimal effort.
Accessible but required effort.
Almost impossible.
Second-hand household items
Computers / Internet
Administrative
Money from home
Main source of funding:
Family
Other sources of funding:
Personal savings
Government assistance
Work opportunities:
I didn't want/need to work
Personal spending habits:
Basic neccessities in Paris are about the same, if not cheaper, than in the United States. However, nightlife activities and travel will take a large part out of your budget.
Travel, Nightlife, Overall, Telephone: was more expensive than at home.
Food, Housing: was the same price as at home.
Personal comments:
The government will help you pay for your housing, but you need to make sure to follow through with your Carte de sejour.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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OVERALL    
Important to choosing this university...
Academic reasons
KEY:
Very Important.
Important.
Not really important.
Unimportant.
Culture
Costs
Activities
Campus life
Party / people
Weather / Location
I wish I had known...
It is really necessary to know the language before you leave. Take at least 3 years of college level french.
In my opinion:
Most people loved it.



During my experience abroad, I ...
Became familiar with another culture
KEY:
Happened all the time.
Happened quite a lot.
Happened a bit.
Didn't happen.
Traveled
Improved language skills
Met people from other countries
Became more independent
Partied a lot
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies/career
Personal recommendation:
This university is amazing. It is considered the 'Harvard' of France, and the professors are all experts in their fields. This university is great if you want an academic challenge.



FINAL COMMENTS

Don't go to Sciences-Po if you want to 'party' and travel a lot. I would suggest the Sorbonne for that. However, Sciences-Po will give you one of the most beneficial academic experiences available among Political Science universities in the world.
This review is the opinion of an iAgora member, and not of iAgora itself
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