Caroline & The Casiraghi's - University Life

[Laura]

I don't know, but it's not a school: it's the normal way to prepare the ENS exam.

Danielane, this might be a language misunderstanding: in English, a university is also a school (and a college too, for that matter) . Having been myself schooled in France, I'm pretty much aware of how the school system works there, and that one can't say in French "je vais à l'école" when one is doing a prépa/prep course, but one can say in English "I go to school" in that case...

 

[Laura]

Laura, the lycée in Fontainebleau was before these last two years at lycée Fenelon. In Fontainebleau, she took her BAC exam, with the much-discussed, much-praised results coming out in the summer 2004, then she went to study at Fenelon to prepare for the ENS exam. I think that makes the sting so much harsher, the fact that she spent the last two years preparing for it. But, as the universal saying goes, nothing worth having is easy to obtain, meaning that everything that is worth having must be earned with hard work: whether it's a loving, lasting relationship or a place at a top school, the principal applies.

Thanks for precising that, CasiraghiTrio. I was aware that Charlotte sat for her bac at Fontainebleau 2 years ago, what I didn't know was whether she was still enrolled in a prep course there or elsewhere. Lycée Fénelon is in Paris 6e, right in the center of the city, quite a nice neighborhood . And yes, spending at least 2 years of your life preparing for something and failing it might be quite frustrating, but that's the normal procedure if one wants to get into a French "grande école."

 

[Grace]

A question for our French friends: assuming Char decides to retake the exam next year, would she study "by herself" or would she attend another year of prepa? Would she repeat her second year there? Thanks in advance .

BTW, I doubt she'll retake the exam as, like someone said, she doesn't need the degree for a career in the French public administration, so she might continue at Sorbonne or some other uni...What do you think?

 

[Heidi P.]

But, as the universal saying goes, nothing worth having is easy to obtain, meaning that everything that is worth having must be earned with hard work: whether it's a loving, lasting relationship or a place at a top school, the principal applies.

I loved this part of your post. It is common sense and very true. I wish Charlotte the best with her studies in the future.

 

[Nina8675]

I near sure that Charlotte wasn't to ENS this years because I go to the school with my friend today for her final result and I don't saw Charlotte in all list.

 

[Kastalia]

so she might continue at Sorbonne or some other uni...What do you think?

In my opinion going to Sorbonne is the best thing she can do.

 

[Sancia]

In my opinion going to Sorbonne is the best thing she can do.

I think too (I'm a Sorbonne student ).

 

[BurberryBrit]

I'm sure she has a backup plan, even though she was going for the "gold" with this exam. She fell a little short, but can go on to plan B.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

Yes, I guess she does seem more inclined to do her "Plan B" as a sophisticated Parisian student than to come study with us crazy Americans! A wise inclination, as I wouldn't want to come to be with us crazy Americans if I could help it either!

 

[Grace]

In my opinion it is not much the place (studying in a Ivy League or equivalent American University is certainly a great experience), but the fact that, if I understood correctly, in a France Uni she would start from year 3, because the years at prepa are recognized, while in any other country she should probably start from scratch and "lose" two years...Correct me if I got it wrong

 

[LouAnne]

you're right. charlotte has many choices: she could do one more year at Fenelon, or going to university in order to take the Normal sup exam.But she has probably took other exams as science po or others, so she must have a lot of things to do.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

In my opinion it is not much the place (studying in a Ivy League or equivalent American University is certainly a great experience), but the fact that, if I understood correctly, in a France Uni she would start from year 3, because the years at prepa are recognized, while in any other country she should probably start from scratch and "lose" two years...Correct me if I got it wrong

Exactly, But practicalities aside, she does seem to love being in France. I'm sure she likes to visit New York (NewYork is my favorite place to be and I will be getting back there for grad school), but France is her home, after all. Let Andy be the explorer in the family. Charlotte will be perfectly happy reading her philosophy in the Tuileries (sp?).

 

[Lakshmi]

I am first time on this thread. And I'm curious how media were able to get Charlotte's exams results.

 

[kittencrews]

the media can get ANYTHING!! money money money

 

[Juliet]

Not at all kittencrews.

All results from these exams are public in France. They are printed in the media, not just Charlotte's but everyone else's as well.

 

[clymène]

The media did not get her results. They just know if she passed or failed this exam but they don't get her marks I mean .... Nobody will know your marks, it's not on the website, you receive a letter .
All ENS exams results are published on the website of the school. They publish a list with the names of all those who passed their exams. If your name is not on the list, it means that you failed...

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

The media did not get her results. They just know if she passed or failed this exam but they don't get her marks I mean .... Nobody will know your marks, it's not on the website, you receive a letter .
All ENS exams results are published on the website of the school. They publish a list with the names of all those who passed their exams. If your name is not on the list, it means that you failed...

Failed? Or just "did not score high enough"?

 

[Juliet]

Failed? Or just "did not score high enough"?

What's the difference?

 

[Kastalia]

What's the difference?

She won't go to ENS but she can still study what she wants,so she hasn't failed.

 

[magnik]

Sorry, could anyone remind me what Casiraghi's studing?

Thanks a lot.

 

[birdmanfanatic]

Sorry, could anyone remind me what Casiraghi's studing?

Thanks a lot.

well we think Charlotte is studying along the lines of humanities, Pierre will be doing some sort of law/business in Milan, and as far as Andrea goes it's been rumoured he will go to NYC to complete his undergraduate studies. he did some college in Montreal, i believe as well.

 

[fandesacs2003]

Sorry, could anyone remind me what Casiraghi's studing?

Thanks a lot.

I Think she studies Litterature

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

What's the difference?

Well, I'm just looking at it like this: She might have a pass grade on the exam results, but the score is not the minimum requirement to go to ENS. Because the exam takers are judged in comparison to each other, I'm guessing. Say you have 100 people who take the written exam, but only the people with the 20 or so highest scores get to go on to the oral exam. So everyone who didn't make the Top 20 doesn't go on, but they may still have technically a passing grade (for another option). Does that make sense?

 

[BurberryBrit]

Well, I'm just looking at it like this: She might have a pass grade on the exam results, but the score is not the minimum requirement to go to ENS. Because the exam takers are judged in comparison to each other, I'm guessing. Say you have 100 people who take the written exam, but only the people with the 20 or so highest scores get to go on to the oral exam. So everyone who didn't make the Top 20 doesn't go on, but they may still have technically a passing grade (for another option). Does that make sense?

I see what you're saying. If they only take 20 people and 20 people got 95 and she got 90, she still did very well. Only, the competition was stiff.

So, she didn't necessarily fail.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

I see what you're saying. If they only take 20 people and 20 people got 95 and she got 90, she still did very well. Only, the competition was stiff.

So, she didn't necessarily fail.

Exactly. I don't remember how many they take exactly or have any clue what their minimum requirements are, but I'm sure it's something like this and that's why students who take it and don't move on to the oral part or beyond that get so frustrated, because they study really hard for it and do really well, but just not well enough compared to others. ENS probably does it that way because they only have so many places that they can fill per year.

 

[cath85]

it's 75 places per year as far as I remember, but I don't know how many people took the exam. But there are normally people that come from almost all over the country, so there were many I guess!

 

[clymène]

True it is 75 places a year for almost 2 000 people or more!!!!

 

[BurberryBrit]

Has there been any indication of what Charlotte will do next education-wise? Another year at Fenelon or Sorbonne?

 

[dw2108]

Exactly. I don't remember how many they take exactly or have any clue what their minimum requirements are, but I'm sure it's something like this and that's why students who take it and don't move on to the oral part or beyond that get so frustrated, because they study really hard for it and do really well, but just not well enough compared to others. ENS probably does it that way because they only have so many places that they can fill per year.

There was a remark made only in passing on Larry King Live this past Monday or Tuesday that she did fail "big time." Larry King's remark was just one example of how money cannot buy eveything in life. His remark was by no means the topic of the show -- just a remark in passing. Is there any way to access the unedited, complete archived transcripts of The Larry King Show? I don't even remember who King's guest was, because I was only using his show for "background music." But that remark really caught me. What does he know that we don't?

Dave

 

[fandesacs2003]

There was a remark made only in passing on Larry King Live this past Monday or Tuesday that she did fail "big time." Larry King's remark was just one example of how money cannot buy eveything in life. His remark was by no means the topic of the show -- just a remark in passing. Is there any way to access the unedited, complete archived transcripts of The Larry King Show? I don't even remember who King's guest was, because I was only using his show for "background music." But that remark really caught me. What does he know that we don't?

Dave

Sorry, I'm very confused, was Larry King talking about Charlotte??? In which topic??