Help choosing university- BNU, NTU, Soochow, Fudan

[mucker69]

I need help choosing a school to study abroad at for a year. My main goal is to study Mandarin but if possible I'd like courses in Chinese culture, society, politics. I have been told by many that schools that are language schools designed for foreigners are the best, but I cannot choose these as I am limited by the schools my university has programs with:

Beijing: Peking University, Beijing Normal, Capital Normal

Shanghai: Fudan University, Shanghai Normal

Suzhou: Soochow University

Taipei: National Taiwan University

I have been to Beijing before and even stayed at Peking University for a few weeks so I know it's a nice place but I am very unaware of the quality of its chinese programs for beginner/intermediate students. Also I'd like to know about student life, interactions. It's hard to find info on Beijing Normal and Capital Normal other than the generic stuff. Of the Beijing schools which of these three is the best to study Mandarin?

I am kinda upset about how in China most foreign students live segregated in international student dorms. I'd like to avoid the "english bubble" as much as possible. I don't think any of the programs at these school offer having roommates with chinese students, but I'd like to choose a program that integrates with Chinese as much as possible.

The dialect question in Suzhou and Shanghai worries me if I'm going there to learn Mandarin. I hear in Shanghai it isn't as much of an issue, but anyone know if Suzhou would be the best place to go to learn Mandarin or anything about Soochow University?

I am leaning towards perhaps studying in Taipei, Suzhou, or one of the Beijing schools. Anyone have any information on Taiwan National Uni? I'd like to know more about their mandarin language school, student life, interactions with students, etc. Any advice on any of these schools would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Javer Chen]

I know little about NTU. But I think you must learn traditional Chinese characters if you study in Taiwan. It's much harder to learn than simplify Chinese characters which used in Mainland.

Pecking university is ranked as one of the best schools in China and so is Fudan university. but I don't know how about their Chinese-learning programs. Suzhou is a very beatiful place too and can save much for you compare to Beijing and Shanghai.

I don't think you need to worry about the dialect stuffs. I think almost every Chinese (every young Chinese at least) can speak good Mandarin in cities.

Edited January 9, 2009 at 05:27 AM by Javer Chen

[yonglin]

I am kinda upset about how in China most foreign students live segregated in international student dorms.

Well, I once had a Korean classmate in Xi'an who said that she would go to a very rural university in Henan for her next semester. I've no idea what university she was actually going to, but apparently she would be allowed to stay in the Chinese dorm (this was the reason she was going there). On the other hand, she had been informed that there was not really any hot water for showers and that she'd be sharing room with seven people and bathroom with 60 or so. You may want to research such opportunities if that seems appealing to you.

[lesspainchinese]

Hi, Mucker! If you regard the standard Chinese (used in Mainland) as Mandarin, then I would remind you that there is some difference between madanrin abd the one used in Taiwan.

I am not familiar with the specific programs in those Univs you mentioined in Beijing. But for the purpose of learning (standard) mandarin, I would recommend you study there since the language environment is there. And people in Suzhou and Shanghai just speak less than standard Mandarin from my experience, with some local pronunciation.