QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q: Who is eligible to apply to this program?
A: Any student currently enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university, and with some previous formal exposure to the French language. A cummulative G.P.A. of at least 2.7 is strongly recommended.
Q: Do I need to demonstrate a certain level of proficiency in French to be accepted?
A: No. There is no cut-off level in terms of proficiency, as long as you are not a "full beginner": one year in High-School, one semester in college, or a 36-hour session form a private language institute (Inlingua, Berlitz) is a minimum.
Q: I have never taken a French course, but part of my family hails from a French-speaking community and I have had considerable exposure to the French language; am I eligible to apply?
A: You may be. In this case, we would need one of your referees to be a French language professional who can testify that you are not, in fact, a "full beginner" in French.
Q: How competitive is admission to the program?
A: The number of applicants may exceed the limited number of spaces (for logistical reasons, having more than 36 students in Tours is not manageable at this point). Therefore, while you may meet the requirements, there is always a chance that you will not be accepted; naturally, the number of qualified applicants has a direct bearing on this probability.
Q: What are the criteria for admission?
A: Beyond the minimum requirements (2.7 G.P.A., previous formal exposure to French), we prioritize, in descending order: 1) good academic standing (not being in academic probation), 2) motivation as demonstrated in your statement of purpose, 3) motivation and character as described in reference letters. Special consideration may be given to Georgetown juniors who cannot go study abroad for documented reasons, Georgetown students who have applied for study abroad and have been given a conditional, and generally all those who have a compelling reasont to attend the Tours program.
Q: How do I maximize my chances of being accepted?
A: 1) Make sure that your application file is complete, and delivered to the OIP office within the stated deadline 2) Take time to carefully compose your statement of purpose, explaining as specifically as possible why you want to (or need to) enroll in this summer program 3) Try and get letters from referees who can write cogently about your seriousness of purpose, your maturity and motivation.
Q: Who should I ask for reference letters?
A: Ideally, one of these letters should be from a teacher who can vouch for your qualities as a language student (preferably but not necessarily in French): seriousness, motivation, hard work, etc. The other can be from any academic professional (professor, instructor, dean, coach) who can vouch for your character, maturity, self-reliance, etc.
Q: Will I need to return to campus after the end of classes in May for program orientation?
A: No—program orientation will take place in March. No further activities will require your presence until we convene in Tours.
Q: How long does the program last overall?
A: About seven weeks: about 2 continuous weeks for the initial Cultural Immersion Workshop (CIW), about 4 weeks of courses at the Institut de Touraine and 5 days off in-between
Q: Do we have week-ends off during this time?
A: There is week-end programming in the first phase of the program; in the second phase, most week-ends are off. (see complete schedule)
Q: Does the university arrange students' travel?
A: No. You make your own travel arrangements. We provide detailed suggestions on how to get to Tours, however.
Q: Do all students have to arrive at the exact same time?
A: Yes, but there is some latitude. Everyone is supposed to arrive in Tours on the Friday when the program begins (June 12 in 2009). The only requirement is that you arrive at the hotel before 7 p.m., as there will be a dinner meeting at 7:30 that night. If you want to arrive earlier, you will have to contact info of the hotel so that you may book a room there if you wish (and if it is available).
Q: Is it possible to leave early? Or late?
A: You may not leave before the program is over, that is, normally, until the day when the last class at the Institut is held (usually on the last day, all classes end at noon. In some exceptional cases—and only if your Institut teacher allows it—you may leave earlier. If, on the other hand, you wish to stay in Tours a little longer, you might be able to arrange with your host family for an extra day or two, although we cannot guarantee that they will agree to it, and they are not contractually bound to host you after the program is officially over.
Q: Are all program activities (field trips, lectures, etc.) mandatory?
A: Yes, all activities are mandatory, because they are, in fact, part of the curriculum.
Q: A good friend of mine/my parents will be visiting me in Tours during the program. Are they allowed to join us for program activities such as field trips.
A: Unfortunately, visiting families and friends may not come along for program activities, mostly for logistical reasons, but also because these activities are part of the curriculum (and because your friends or relatives would have to speak French). Exceptionally, one person may be allowed to join a group visit if there is space on the bus and if s/he can communicate in French (or agree not to use any other language). However, s/he would have to pay for admittance to sites, as applicable.
Q: When exactly are students expected to arrive in / leave Tours?
A: Courses at the Institut end at noon on Friday, July 30, 2010. Students may plan on leaving Tours that day at any time after 12 noon.
If they wish to fly out of France and directly back to the U.S. that day, however, they should take into account that getting to Paris CDG airport will take one hour and a half by TGV from Tours, and that international flights require registration 2 hours at least prior to departure, so that, supposing that they take 30 minutes to get to the train station in Tours / St Pierre des Corps, they should book a flight leaving Paris no earlier than 4:30 p.m. (30 min + 90 min + 30 min to get to the registration counter + 2 hrs before departing). I would advise a 5:00 or 5:30 take off to leave ample room for unexpected delays.
Alternatively, students may elect to spend the night of Friday with their host family, and leave Tours on Saturday, July 31st.
Q: How do I sign up for courses? Do I have a choice of courses?
A: For logistical reasons, this program cannot accommodate multiple course choices:
1. All students are registered in FREN 295-62, the "Cultural Integration Workshop" (3 credits)
2. Registration for the second course depends on the highest French course you will have completed by the beginning of the Tours program:
A - High School French / Intro I-2 (001/002) / Intensive basic (011) / Intermediate 1-2 (021/022) /Intensive Intermediate (032)
>> Register in FREN-099-62
B - Advanced 1-2 (101/102) / Intensive Advanced 1-2 (111-112) / Advanced Grammar (151) /Topics for Oral Proficiency (161) and any course numbered 1-- >> Register in FREN-199-62
C - Any course numbered 2--, 3-- or 4-- >> Register in FREN-299-62
Q: How can I best prepare myself for the immersion experience?
A: Increase your exposure to the French language as much as possible. While speaking French on a daily basis may be difficult, you may easily read and listen to French on the Internet. See the list of the main French media outlets here.
Most offer video and audio as well as text and pictures. All radio stations broadcast live streaming programs 24/7. Looking at or listening to news sites is a good preparation in terms of awareness of what is going on in the country right now, what people are concerned about, so that you will feel less of an outsider once you get to France.
In addition, you can go to Google France and find sites in French on topics you particularly enjoy, be it sports, music, movies, cooking, celebrity gossip, military history or whatever.
There are also magazines, newspapers as well as films at Lauinger library, and films at the LLT (ICC 227).
In essence, the earlier you begin to function in French on a regular basis, the less you will experience immersion shock when you get to France.
Make sure to read the "Immersion Survical Guide."

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