For most students, studying abroad is an oportunity to explore a new culture and city. However, senior Jorel Roth, an international student at Tufts, did something unique with his time abroad. He spent a year in his home city of Paris with his own mom as his host mother.
Roth originally came to the United States to receive a different kind of university education than those offered in France.
"I've always thought the French system provided better education up to high school, but after that the U.S. on average is better," he said. "The top schools in France are definitely excellent, but there are more high-quality schools in the U.S."
Roth emphasized the differences in the two cultures' approaches to higher education. While in the United States students use their time in college to figure out what interests them, in France, university students pick a direction rather than certain classes.
"As soon as you graduate [high school], you have to figure out exactly what you're doing," he said.
He explained that this can cause problems for students who aren't certain they've chosen the right direction, since each time they change their minds, they must begin their education again with the first year. "You could be 30 and be what we consider a freshman," he said.
Although Roth knew what he wanted to do, he thought his education would be better served through a liberal arts institution in the United States rather than a public university in France. Yet Roth decided to return to the French education system for one of his four years at Tufts.
Roth returned to Paris for his year abroad to take advantage of one of the last opportunities to live at home. "I plan on living in New York or [somewhere in] the U.S., at least in my plans I can foresee, so this was my last chance of living in Paris."
Although Roth did consider other abroad programs in Hong Kong and Sydney, ultimately Paris stood out as the place he wanted to go. "I decided if I'm not going to go to Paris, I'm staying in Medford," he said.
Another benefit of the Tufts abroad program for Roth was its relationship with the École des Sciences Politiques (more commonly known as Sciences Po), one of France's most distinguished universities. Because Roth is an International Relations and Quantitative Economics double major, the school's focus on political science fit him perfectly.
"If I was ever in a European job market, Sciences Po would be a strong benefit to have on my resume," Roth said.
In fact, this summer at an internship in New York, Roth's unique combination of educational experiences at Tufts and Sciences Po impressed his boss, who himself had studied at both Harvard and Sciences Po. Overall, the experience of returning to the French education system was positive for Roth. "It was absolutely amazing," he said. "It was familiar, but at the same time there were so many new things. It's different after having lived in Medford."
However, he noted that some aspects were a bit inconvenient after having experienced the benefits of Tufts. "If you think SIS sucks, try registering at Sciences Po," he said.
Beyond questions of registration, Roth believes the differences between his experiences of classes at Tufts and Sciences Po reflect the differences in French and American mentalities towards education. While taking mostly political philosophy classes at Sciences Po, Roth learned that the French style of teaching is thought process-oriented, whereas the American system emphasizes individual creativity and results. For example, having taken a course on international economics in both the French and American systems, Roth noted that while Sciences Po required essays, Tufts would require problem sets.
Whether these differences are effective depends on the student, Roth explained. "You like it or you hate it," he said.
Because the Tufts-in-Paris program requires a homestay, Roth opted for his own mother as a host. Although Roth imagines that living with another host family would have been fine because of his independence and comfort with the culture, he wanted the opportunity to live with his family in his own apartment.
"I knew it was my last year I would really be living there with my family. It was great," Roth said.
Yet despite the fun he had last year in Paris, Roth is still happy to be back at Tufts this year, even if his current apartment doesn't have a view of the Eiffel tower.
"You come back for the people, to reconnect with friends and to graduate — not for the ... weather. Medford doesn't compare to Paris," Roth said.
