<p>My DD is graduating this spring and wants to gain fluency in German in some sort of study abroad situation. She is investigating language programs in Germany, being an au pair in Germany, etc. Since she is graduating she will not be eligible to take undergrad classes in a university sponsored study abroad plan.</p>
<p>Has any one done any organised language situation and had good or bad luck? Any other ways one of your kids has become fluent in a foreign language?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>How fluent is your daughter already?</p>
<p>If she knows enough German to sort-of follow a class, she could attend a one-year pre-university program for foreign students. These programs are run by the states and serve students who do not have the academic prerequisites to enroll straight at a university. </p>
<p>Students in the programs take German language classes as well as classes in an area of concentration (taught in German). For example, the “Studienkolleg” in Munich offers 4 concentrations: humanities, social sciences & business, sciences & engineering, biology & pre-med. The science concentration would teach the equivalent of AP calc, AP physics, AP chemistry and one elective (e.g. computer science or engineering), while the humanities concentration offers classes in Latin, German history, German literature, and sociology.</p>
<p>While not a formal study-abroad program, these programs are targeted at young foreign students. Your DD would have an international peer group and an adviser who can help with visa technicalities and answer everyday questions during her stay (“How do I see a doctor?”).</p>
<p>The good news is that these programs are practically free! They typically only charge a small administrative fee (maybe $50 per semester), though students have to pay for their own food and housing.</p>
<p>The downside is the admission process. The only way to get admitted is to apply for admission at a German university. Your daughter would have to fail the admission test for the university and pass the admission test for the Studienkolleg (which might test German and basic mathematical skills if required for her chosen concentration). Attending the pre-university program would not commit her to enroll at the German university afterwards. Luckily the German college admission process is a lot easier than the American one. No teacher recommendations, essays or SATs, and the application deadlines are so late that you do not need to worry about them yet (typically in June or July for the fall semester).</p>
<p>The website of the Studienkolleg in Munich (serving Bavaria) is here: [Das</a> Studienkolleg München](<a href=“http://www.studienkolleg.mhn.de/default.html]Das”>Das Studienkolleg München)
You can find information about Studienkollegs serving other states by following the link on the website of a university in that state.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks a lot for that, b@r!um!!!</p>
<p>Is there something similar in perhaps a summer program for someone who is already enrolled in an american U? My D loves the German language & has taken 3 semesters of it. I would love her to go there this summer or perhaps next summer after she graduates from college.</p>
<p>Sorry, don’t mean to hijack this thread, just wondering.</p>
<p>I saw a program for undergrad science majors to do research in Germany over the summer. Would your D be interested in that, HImom?</p>
<p>Try ETH Univ in Zurich. My S arranged an tech job there.</p>
<p>[Learn</a> German in Germany ? German courses and exams - Learn German at the Goethe-Instituts in Germany-Goethe-Institut](<a href=“ᑕ➊ᑐ Deutsch lernen am Goethe-Institut | Online und Präsenz”>ᑕ➊ᑐ Learn German at the Goethe-Institut | Online and Face-to-face)</p>
<p>Thanks for these thoughts. Will see if D is interested in any of this.</p>
<p>b@rium, cool! I lived for five years in Munich and had no idea such a thing existed. I’ve taken classes at the Goethe Institute - they are a good option if you just want to study the language and culture intensively. I also took classes at adult education places [Mnchner</a> Volkshochschule](<a href=“http://www.mvhs.de/]Mnchner”>http://www.mvhs.de/). I took classes in German, music, and watercolor painting at a pretty low cost.</p>
<p>My D is a junior double major in an area of science and German. The summer after her freshman year she attended Middlebury College’s intensive seven week summer language program and LOVED IT!! Middlebury College has been offering this summer program for nearly 100 years and is known for its language instruction. [Language</a> Schools](<a href=“Middlebury Language Schools | Unlock Your Language Skills”>Middlebury Language Schools | Unlock Your Language Skills)
During the summer, the only courses taught are the ten languages. You live, eat and study only with students who are also studying your language. The professors are from universities from around the world. You are tested and placed in one of four levels of instruction. Upon entering the program, you sign a pledge that you will only speak your language of study. The college is in the quaint town of Middlebury, Vermont and the entire town is “in” on the program. A banner hangs over the main street that says “Welcome Middlebury Language Students”. Students wear a button that signifies their language and no one speaks to you unless they know the language you are studying. My D thought about the study abroad programs her school offers but noticed that so often the students ended up using English while abroad and her goal was to become as fluent as possible during her four years of college. One of the goals of the Middlebury program is to increase your fluency as quickly as possible. My D attended a very mediocre public high school and when attending German classes at her college, one thing she felt very behind in was her speaking ability. That was GREATLY impoved by the Middlebury program. My D is very modest in her self appraisal, but figures before the program she was in the bottom 25% among her peers at school and now is in the top 25% at a very rigorous university. There are college students, people long out of college, people who attend the program yearly, etc. there. It was just wonderful, fabulous experience for her!
D did do a medically related self arranged short study abroad in Germany this past summer, enjoyed the experience, but noted that English was used a fair amount of the time even though she tried for that not to be the case.</p>
<p>Here is the link to a Swiss summer research program:
[Research</a> Scholarship](<a href=“http://www.thinkswiss.org/us-swiss-exchange/research-scholarship]Research”>About - ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship, ThinkSwiss: Important Information)</p>