FALCON programmites - how did you pay?

[bottledpoetry]

Cornell's Falcon program sounds like a good fit since its aimed for americans who want to work in China. I'm thinking about attending - but then I noticed the fees...so. much. money. So here's a question for people who have been in this program - did you pay for it by yourself, or what does the loan/scholarship outlook for Falcon? Do you feel like the program was worth the price tag - and why? Thanks alot

[bottledpoetry]

fyi - I'm not a cornell student so financial aid from the school is not an option

[gato]

http://lrc.cornell.edu/falcon/chinese.html

All students attending FALCON must be enrolled through Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences. Please note that as of this year, there will be different Arts & Sciences tuition rates for undergraduates and graduate students.

Academic Year (Fall + Spring) 2007-2008:

Undergraduate Tuition: $34,600

Graduate Tuition: $32,800

The tuition rate does not include books, supplies, housing, meals, travel expenses, or health insurance.

Considering the average income in Beijing is 2000 yuan a month, that is very expensive.

[cdn_in_bj]

Considering the average income in Beijing is 2000 yuan a month, that is very expensive.

Not sure what your point is, it's an Ivy League school and only 1 semester is spent in China...

[gato]

I'm not sure how much we should be impressed by the ivy name. Though I used to go to an ivy league school myself, I don't think it's really relevant for the task of learning Chinese.

FALCON itself, as I far I can tell, is a non-degree program for learning Chinese. One can get a much better deal than US$30K for that.

see http://lrc.cornell.edu/falcon/eligibility.html

FALCON is registered as a certificate program with the New York State Education Department.

Eligibility

Applicants do not need to be in a degree program to enroll in FALCON. FALCON is a rigorous and intensive program, so all applicants should be highly motivated to learn Chinese or Japanese and be ready to put steady effort into the endeavor. Applications are welcome from anyone, regardless of citizenship or student status. Qualified high school students are also considered for admission. A placement test is required to begin study in any term other than summer.

[bottledpoetry]

Yea, its definitely expensive - I wouldn't be considering it at that price except for the fact that its focus is towards people who want to create a career in China, and I haven't heard of any other program like that. Thanks for the advice let me know if you know of any programs that would be a good fit for people who want to work professionally in China. I appreciate it

[gato]

Does FALCON set you up with a China job? What makes them job oriented? If they don't do anything special to get you a job, I would just focus on the quality of the language instruction.

The consensus on this forum seem to be that IUP in Beijing, Taipei Language Institute, BNU, BLCU, or the programs in Dongbei available through HYCC (owned by mrtoga who regularly posts here) are all good programs.

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/12695-help-advice-on-intensive-chinese-programs-in-beijing-this-summer&highlight=tli

Advice on Intensive Chinese programs in Beijing this summer

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/12901-studying-in-tli&highlight=tli

studying in TLI

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/12-horse-horse-tiger-tiger-slang-and-idioms490&highlight=hycc

Liaoning Shifan Daxue - Dalian, China

http://www.chinese-forums.com/showthread.php?p=55362#post55362

Beijing Normal University

[heifeng]

http://www.summer.ucla.edu/travel/CIBER-Shanghai/overview.htm

I think there are actually quite a few programs if you really look around. But if you really want to do business, in China especially, it's best to do your homework and start getting connections. I don't think spending a ton of money will necessary be the key determining factor on doing business in China. In fact you could take the money you would spend on such a program and just stay out here and make or find opportunities for yourself.....that's my 2分

[Jamoldo]

I applied to Falcon last year and came to the same decision, 40k is just too much money for one year. Considering I've lived well in Beijing for 8k (everything included), gotten a good year of study at Beishida, I think I've learned more than 1/5 of what I would have learned at Cornell... Plus you're in CHINA, rather than Ithaca, NY. Furthermore, the second semester is at IUP, which one can apply to on his/her own.

As for programs in China, I know someone who has been at IUP for two years and she says it's just a mess and its not worth the money anymore, not like it used to be. There is BLI now, which is run by ex-IUP teachers, but I have not heard anything about it besides that it's supposed to compete with Princeton in Beijing and IUP...

[gato]

Oh, if the first semester is in Ithaca, then it makes even less sense. You'll learn Chinese much faster if you are China. Chinese is Chinese. I would take their pitch as being "job-oriented" with a grain of salt.

[cdn_in_bj]

I'm not sure how much we should be impressed by the ivy name. Though I used to go to an ivy league school myself, I don't think it's really relevant for the task of learning Chinese.

FALCON itself, as I far I can tell, is a non-degree program for learning Chinese. One can get a much better deal than US$30K for that.

Oh, don't get me wrong - I think it is expensive too. I was just curious about your post about the avg local income. But I now see from your subsequent posts that what you meant was that the OP's money would probably be better spent to come here and apply to schools on his/her own. Like yourself, I fail to see what advantage the FALCON program provides, unless they have some special contacts with the local business community, but in that case it may be better just to apply to a local MBA program (but I'd imagine even route is open to debate!).

[cdn_in_bj]

Yea, its definitely expensive - I wouldn't be considering it at that price except for the fact that its focus is towards people who want to create a career in China, and I haven't heard of any other program like that. Thanks for the advice let me know if you know of any programs that would be a good fit for people who want to work professionally in China. I appreciate it

I guess I am not really to clear about the objective of the FALCON program. From the website, it seems like it is just an "intensive" language learning program. If this is the case, then I would agree with the other posters that you may be better off just coming to China and enrolling in a local Chinese program on your own.

As for the FALCON program helping you to launch a career in China, have you talked to the faculty or other students about how this is done? I think this is the key point that you need to focus on in order to determine if the program is worth it.

Also, and I hope I am not being too direct here, but I would like to know why you want to start a career in China? And in what field? I believe there are those here with first-hand experiences who can advise you on working "professionally" in China.