10 Unexpected Ways American and French Universities are Wildly Different

[@john_barton_]

Here in Argentina the grading scale is out of 10, and a 4 is a passing grade. Similarly to France, there are normally very few grades throughout each semester, so the most important grade is your final exam, which is always oral and notoriously very difficult. You can take the final exam as many times as you need to until you pass it, but only within a certain time period (usually 2 years) after finishing the course, and for every failed attempt your overall GPA goes down. So basically, people are often in a situation where they have finished taking all the courses they need but they still have to pass the final exams of those same courses before they are officially “done” with them. If you don’t take all your finals every year (which is almost impossible to do), you end up accumulating a ton of final exams you still have to pass at the end of your degree, some from courses you took several years ago, and you’re on a time crunch before the 2-year validity expires. It’s kind of a mess hahah

[@the_francofile]

Thanks for sharing, John! It’s interesting how education systems around the world can differ so much. Thanks for watching!

[@ellebrown9675]

This is a very helpful and informative video! My partner and I are moving to Nancy in 6 months so they can accept a lecteur position and pursue a masters degree, so this video and your video about Nancy have been a great help to us! Love the videos! Keep it up!

[@the_francofile]

Thanks for watching! We are so glad that our videos have been helpful for you. Congratulations and good luck in Nancy! 😊

[@nickieferguson9180]

I'm going to be looking into doing a Masters in France so this was super helpful to know ! Thank you !! Good luck with the end of your academic year :)

[@the_francofile]

We’re glad that we could help! Thanks for watching and good luck to you 😊

[@laurelbaker356]

Thank you for the useful info! I’ve been binge watching your channel and reading your blog, and I just wanted to say that you guys are making some great content. I would really love to complete my master’s in France. In particular, I’d want to study Langues étrangères appliquées, but I’ve read in some Facebook groups that it is really hard to get employed if you’re not studying law, business, or a STEM subject. Someone even advised that even if you get a degree from a French institution, French employers won’t take you seriously unless you go to one or two very specific private schools (expensive and only in Paris!). This is pretty disheartening, but I’m not entirely sure if it’s accurate. I imagine people have all kinds of varied success when following this path. Why would humanities programs exist in other well-reputed universities if they would just be deemed “useless” in the professional sphere? I was wondering, have you guys been dissuaded by others in similar ways? Is it better to channel an interest in the humanities into something like law or business? I’d sincerely appreciate any thoughts!

[@the_francofile]

Thank you for watching and reading, Laurel. We’re happy to help! Though we personally don’t have any personal experience with the LEA path, we think it’s important to note that there are many reasons that a foreigner who completed a master’s degree in France may or may not find employment. Just like in the United States, cover letter and curriculum vitae quality, number and value of internships, personal or alumni connections, interview skills, French-language expertise, and more are all factors that count in addition to what diploma a person received and at which institution they chose to pursue it. Keep in mind that in France or elsewhere, not everyone can possibly work in STEM, law, or business. In our modern global society, it would be silly to truly believe that the only jobs available are in these specific fields. Furthermore, it’s important to remember that private schools in France do help to secure employment after one’s studies in the same way that Ivy League studies guarantee graduates in the United States jobs. Though the employment outcomes of these institutions can be impressive, it’s far from the norm to study there! Remember that private schools are businesses that profit from students paying higher rates, and it is in their best interest to convince potential students that private school is the one and only way to go. While private institutions often partnerships with large, visible, highly desirable corporations like LVMH and L’Oréal, it’s not the case that these are the only places hiring in France. These institutions are great choices for those with the means to pay the premium price and a goal to work in these types of businesses, but attending a private school still does not guarantee employment in France. The majority of French people pursue degrees at public institutions, and thinking that degrees from public schools are absolutely worthless just doesn’t match up with the facts. Though it is true that public schools do not have the excellent employment connections that come with paying 3,000 to 10,000+ euros per year to attend, public schools are still a good option for those whose goals line up with what public universities can provide. Students looking to pay low fees for a quality education “à la française” who are motivated to find work in their field after their studies should not shy away from coming to public university in France because it would be “easier” to do a degree at a private school. To best understand your potential university experience and employment possibilities, we recommend that you research, contact universities with questions you have, and let the numbers speak for themselves. Many public universities publish employment outcome numbers by diploma (insertion professionnelle), which could be a good place for you to start in investigating what program you would like to pursue. As far as my personal choice of program goes, law can definitely be considered a discipline in the humanities, and in my law degree I have studied subjects like philosophy, religion, and politics in addition to my classes strictly about law. I don’t feel that had to compromise my interest in the humanities to pursue this degree. On the contrary, it is my love of humanities that led me to my program! As for Jalen, he wanted to pivot from his undergrad studies that were a mixture between the humanities and business to focus solely on business. He realized that his career goals lie in the business world. In this way, he doesn’t feel that he had to compromise on his program either. Both of us pursued exactly the degrees we wanted to. We feel passionate about our degrees and likely wouldn’t have the motivation and discipline to complete them if we chose a degree solely and uniquely based on employment statistics. If you’re interested in knowing more about our degree choices, you can read this article: thefrancofile.net/reasons-we-chose-to-study-law-and-logistics-in-france/. We have absolutely heard the same statements that you included in your comment and have had people try to dissuade us from following our current path. At the end of the day, nobody is 100% guaranteed a job after a degree. Moreover, nobody wants to be miserable in a career that they chose because others dissuaded them from chasing their dream. We really suggest that you continue to research, set personal goals, and make the best possible decisions for your life. Definitely consider your job prospects in France in this research, but don’t let that be the only factor. We hope this helps and sincerely wish you good luck! 🍀😊

[@laurelbaker356]

Thank you for this wonderful, nuanced response! I sincerely appreciate the time you’ve taken to carefully consider all of these points. I’ll be sure to heed all of this advice and do some further digging myself. You guys are seriously the best! I will definitely keep up to date with your channel and blog! ❤️

[@MegaBinch222]

you guys are looking extra elegant ici, turning into proper frenchies hehe

[@the_francofile]

Thank you, D G! 🇫🇷😁

[@snowglider400]

@Francolife thanks for the informative work. Do you guys live in Paris? I am planning to visit Paris and Lyon and would love to hear from you about transportation options. I like the freedom to rent a car instead of public transportation but if its a hassle i wouldn't mind public option.

[@the_francofile]

You’re welcome! We do not live in Paris. However, cities as big as Paris and Lyon have robust and comprehensive public transportation systems that could get you anywhere in the city! Even living in smaller French cities, we have never needed a car to get around. Our articles on our blog about public transit in these cities might pique your interest. Thanks for watching and have a wonderful trip! thefrancofile.net/life-in-france-without-a-car/ thefrancofile.net/what-is-the-transportation-in-reims-france-really-like/

[@manu_bdl9333]

Hey guys! Thanks a LOT for that video, that's gotta be the best one about this subject I've seen so far :) Actually a frenchie here and studying into science, with plans of going into the USA or Canada once I get my degrees, and I'm kind of stressed about something so I was wondering : do you know if the level is different between the USA and France students? Honestly I feel like french students are reaaaaally not on the same level than usa ones, I feel like we're way under the average out there (and mostly because it feels like in the usa you specialize a lot earlier into stuff? There are neuroscience bachelors when in french you first make a biology bachelor and then a neuroscience master or something?) And considering how it feels like our level is lower in france, do you think it's going to be harder to find a job in america having studied in france?

[@the_francofile]

Hello! Thanks so much for watching. We’re glad that it was helpful! So, if we understand correctly - you’re a French person, completing your schooling in France, hoping to move abroad to the USA or Canada to find work after your studies. Though we have experience living abroad, our specialty is what it’s like to move to France as Americans. For us, that meant getting our bachelor’s degrees in the USA, teaching English in France for one year, and getting our master’s degrees in France afterwards. However, we’ll try to answer your questions to the best of our ability. There’s no way that we (or really anyone) could accurately generalize the “level” of French and American students. In both countries, there are universities that are more or less prestigious, programs that are more or less rigorous, and students that are more or less diligent. We therefore disagree that all (or even most) French students lag extremely far behind their American counterparts. It’s also difficult to generalize how early American and French students specialize in their studies. If we had to make a sweeping assumption, in the US, we generally specialize later than in France. American bachelor’s degrees are usually very broad and graduate studies are more specific. One example is that French students can study law beginning at L1, but American students can study law beginning at the graduate level. In reality, it all depends on the sector, the university, and the program. As far as finding a job in the USA, we don’t necessarily think that the “level” will be your biggest hurdle. After all, if you are worried about your own level, you can go the extra mile to raise it. One important question to ask yourself is whether your educational path is one that will be recognized by employers in the USA. Though no single authority recognizes foreign degrees in the USA, you’ll have to do your research to find out if your degree has any value in your target sector and whether you’ll need to complete any tests, certifications, or more schooling. Furthermore, you’ll likely have to deal with hurdles like mastering the English language, convincing employers of the value of your French education, and contending with difficult immigration processes. We recommend that you seek out information from people that have successfully taken the path you are hoping to take. We would also encourage you to be making all decisions about your education and professional experiences with your expat future in mind. We wish you the best of luck and hope we were able to help a tiny bit!

[@manu_bdl9333]

@@the_francofile Thank you so much!

[@azizpunkmetal]

1) Une autre différence que vous avez oubliée : il n'y a pas de bal de promo ou de fin d'année dans les facs françaises, contrairement aux facs US;ici, ça n'existe que dans les fictions américaines, justement, mais jamais dans la vie française réelle. 2) Le gars (j'ai oublié ton prénom) a une bonne prononciation en français; l'un comme l'autre n'avez jamais pensé à poster des vidéos entièrement en français ?

[@the_francofile]

Bonjour, 1) De plus en plus, les universités françaises adoptent des pratiques dites américaines ! Par exemple, à notre université, l'Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, il y a des bals ou des galas de fin d'année. Mais vous avez raison, ça reste une pratique américaine. 2) Lui, c'est Jalen. Merci pour le complément. Nous préférons communiquer avec notre public en anglais vu que la majorité de nos spectateurs comprend l'anglais.

[@azizpunkmetal]

@@the_francofile Vous êtes ici juste pour vos études ou bien celles-ci terminées vous comptez bien rester en France until death (bref, devenir des "expats" ?

[@the_francofile]

Pour l’instant, nous comptons rester en France.