OneMom

If you went to La Sorbonne, and either did not like it, or heaven forbid, you were among the half who failed first year, what would you have left? It seems to me, you would have to reapply to the UC system as a freshman. La Sorbonne would end up being an expensive enrichment experience. That is great, if you can afford it and if your parents won't go berserk. Otherwise, I would follow the advice someone gave to attend the UC and try to do a semester or year in Paris.

JackBauerPowerHour

This is weird because I'm in the exact same situation...!

I'm debating between La Sorbonne and NYU... I already sent my deposit in to NYU since I will be going there for sure if I stay in the US.

Although it might have an amazing the reputation around the world, the Sorbonne is not as highly regarded in France for several reasons. First of all, it's not the absolute best university there. For what would be equivalent to your undergraduate studies, it might be close... but les classes preparatoires are most highly regarded and most difficult. They send students to the Ecole Polytechnique and to Ecole Normale which are lightyears ahead of la Sorbonne in termes of prestige (within France and the French community) and difficulty. The best students do in fact end up at Ecole Poly. and ENS.

I'm visiting Paris next month to get a feel for the La Sorbonne. If I like it, I'll go. But I still have not made a choice.


And to whoever it was who wrote down the graduates of Sorbonne as a testament to their worldwide prestige, let me show you some from Ecole Normale Superieure:
- Louis Pasteur - Scientist
- Jean Baptiste Perrin (1926 Nobel Prize in Physics)
- Alfred Kastler (1966 Nobel Prize in Physics)
- Paul Sabatier - Scientist
- Jean-Pierre Serre (1954 Fields Medal )
- Louis Althusser - Famous Philosopher
- Simone de Beauvoir
- Jean Hyppolite - Philosopher
- Emile Auguste Chartier "Alain" - Famous Philosopher
- Henri Bergson (1927 Nobel Prize in Literature) - Famous Philosopher
- Jean-Paul Sartre - Writer and Philosopher
- Maurice Merleau-Ponty - Famous Philosopher
- Michel Foucault - Famous Philosopher
- Jacques Derrida - Famous Philosopher
- Emile Durkheim - Famous Sociolologist
- Pierre Bourdieu - Famous Sociolologist

CalX

Corbeau,

I was in your opposite situation, French student, gone to Berkeley, in good part for the cultural enrichment and international opportunities.

So I see exactly where you're coming from. I think your plan and perspective is *very* sound. Chapeau. Vas-y mon vieux, tu ne le regreteras pas. You can still change your mind after one year at the Sorbonne, it would have served as a fantastic cultural experience at the academic and personal levels.

Yes the Sorbonne is less prestigious *in France* than l'ENA, Normale or Polytechnique, and all other Grandes Ecoles, but it's actually the biggest French educational brand outside of France. American employers will be impressed. Besides, all the Grandes Ecoles are way too "franco-françaises" (that's one of the main reasons I went to Berkeley), except maybe the HEC.

As well, ignore the advice relayed here but nottooold, about a French person recommending UCLA over the Sorbonne. What they fail to see is the incredible cultural enrichment that such an experience would be for an American. And in France of course, the grass always looks greener abroad...

I would have been less enthusiastic if your American options were better, but UCSD doesn't strike me as a great place, it comes across as a commuter school, definitely not the best in an American undergrauate experience, particularly if you're not interesting in Bio research, and particularly since you're probably from southern California.

Sorbonne, à fond.

JackBauerPowerHour

CalX: Do you think I should choose NYU or Sorbonne? I'm majoring in Philosophy...

themegastud

The Sorbonne has plenty of name cachet, and if you want to associate name recognition with prestige then it's prestigious.

If you want to go by strength of programs, admissions standards, and the regard that academia (and people in the know -- not some high schoolers on CC) has, then the Ecole Polytechnique as well as the Ecole Nationale d'Administration, the two grandest of the Grand Ecoles that Greybeard mentions, win hands down.

JackBauerPowerHour

The problem is that I'm not sure how to compare University in France (experience, prestige etc.) to University in the States.

Would US law schools regard going to the Sorbonne as something positive? Would I have an edge over applicants from US undergraduate universities or would this be more work for me in the end?

CalX

Polytechnique and ENA aren't worth trying for, they only accept a few hundred applicants out of tens of thousands (at the start of the process after high school), based mostly on test scores, after two years of very grueling post-secondary preparatory school course. Totally worthless process for an outsider. Besides, they are too narrow in every sense of the term (academically, culturally, etc)

Jack: what do you want to do afterwards? Where do you want to live/work, doing what?

Off-hand, philosophy is very good at the Sorbonne, then again NYU is good there too, right?

JackBauerPowerHour

I want to study law in the US. Become an attorney, a judge, eventually go into politics (which is why a top law school is important to me)... Something to that effect. It would help if I could know which school would be better if I'm looking to get into a top law school.

NYU has been ranked the #1 Philosophy department. But that's only one ranking (albeit the most referred to) and seems to apply more to graduate studies. A deciding factor for me at some point was the difference in Philosophy programs in France and in the US (Continental vs. Analytic respectively), but they both appeal to me now... So that's not helping me.

lecorbeau

Jackbauer-

Georgetown Business School told me that if I went to the Sorbonne it would actually work in my favor during the admissions process...but he did stress "this is not an official Georgetown opinion..."

Ohhh boy I'm just really confused...I'm sending my UCSD SIR as we speak...please please please tell me about La Sorbonne after you get back...TAKE PICTURES...I've been around the Sorbonne (and eaten at La place de la sorbonne) but never actually been INSIDE...I think you need to be a student/faculty member anyway to do so...

SebmaFSX_53

How does going to La Sorbonne not let you go to INSEAD?

JackBauerPowerHour

Okay, so this is the deal: I'll be able to get into classes, talk to teachers etc. because one of my teachers is a graduate of l'ENS, and knows people from everyone (many from Sorbonne included). He told me that he knows people at La Sorbonne and could help me (needless to say he's a great guy).

So, YES, of course I'll tell you all about it when I go! And pictures of course.

I hope you're right about it possibly being in our favor... That would be great. 3 years in Paris AND an advantage.

It's true that the Grandes Ecoles are very close minded and very concentrated around French culture, language, and mindset. Honestly, yeah, a waste of time if you don't plan on staying in France. BTW, most people I know or met who've graduated from ENA/ENS/Ecole Polytechnique are rather full of themselves. They almost deserve the right: it's impossibly hard to ever GET IN, graduating is practically impossible.

lecorbeau

Well, I think I'd rather not have a 100% French education....I would want to at least have one degree from the U.S.

The way I see it, getting an MBA from INSEAD would bring me closer to my goals because I would be hired directly out of school from an international firm...which is exactly what I want...

SebmaFSX_53

Tell us what you decide in the end and why, I'm interested...

lecorbeau

Well I just sent in my UCSD deposit....et je n'ai qu'à attendre...

exigent

"je n'ai qu'à attendre.."

just wondering...what does that mean?