<p>One of my best friends is at SYA Italy right now. He’s having a lot of fun, but he does say that the academics are <em>far</em> easier than at home (a well-known private high school, so it is at fairly challenging level to start with). I don’t know if colleges will necessarily recognize that, and of course the easiness is relative to what kind of school you’re coming from, but just something to consider. I also know that he isn’t take a science while he’s there, and I’m pretty sure that was not his choice…I <em>think</em> (not 100% positive) that he had to do that because of the program.</p>