In general, do you think it's better to study Chinese in a university or at a language school?

[MilesM]

Hey, guys! I have been studying Mandarin for about a year now. I spent five months studying abroad in Shanghai at a university where I participated in the university's Chinese language program. I am now back in the United States to finish my final year of undergraduate study (in Economics). After I finish in May 2015, I plan to return to China to study Mandarin again, but this time I will stay for an entire year. I will be going on a scholarship, so I'm trying to find the best program so that I can make the most out of the year allotted. So, I'm just hoping to get some advice on several things, such as: 1) Do you think universities (such as Peking University) or language schools in China would be better to study in? 2) Specifically, which universities or language schools do you think have high-quality Chinese language programs? 3) Which cities in China do you think I would benefit from living in for an entire year?

 

So far, I have traveled to Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. I would love to return to Shanghai to study at East China Normal University again, but before I make that decision, I would like to know if there are better options for me in Shanghai or elsewhere in China.

 

Thank you guys so much!

[m000gle]

1) Do you think universities (such as Peking University) or language schools in China would be better to study in?

 

Assuming you have the time (6-24 months) to commit to a long-term Chinese language program, I would always recommend a university program over a private institution.  For starters, it adds an extra university line to your resume, even if it's only for something like "Non-degree program, College of Chinese Language and Culture"; second, the environment, with so many other students looking to make friends and interact in Chinese, can be preferable; visa issues are often somewhat simpler to deal with, given the well-established organization sponsorship; and, finally, cost and quality and often prefereable to private schools.

The main advantage I see for private schools are one-on-one, customized, and/or short-term but extremely intense study.  In my mind, these only win out when speed/intensity trumps cost/quality.

 

2) Specifically, which universities or language schools do you think have high-quality Chinese language programs?

 

Any major institution with a Chinese language program should be of relatively good quality.  Remember, a lot comes from the in-class environment; but just as much comes from your immersion and personal iniative seeking out opportunities to use the skills you're learning.

I studied at Beijing Normal University for 2.5 years in it's long-term Chinese language program, and one summer of its short-term program.  Both come very highly recommended from personal experience, and from its reputation as a top Chinese language teaching institution.

Beijing Normal University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Capital Normal University etc are all great options in Beijing (my bias is for the former).  In Shanghai, Fudan University, East China Normal University, Shanghai Jiaotong University I'm sure are good.  Zhejiang University in Hangzhou is good, and amazingly situation right next to West Lake.  There are countless others all across the country, from Chengdu to Changchun to Chongqing, from Nanjing to Wuhan etc which will provide good language instruction.  I'm surely missing dozens more.

If you have questions about particular programs, ask here and also contact the school(s), updating us with any info you find.

 

3) Which cities in China do you think I would benefit from living in for an entire year?

 

This is such a broad and loaded question, where anyone responding will be swayed by personal bias, that I almost hesitate to answer.  In a nutshell: If you're dedicated to learning Chinese, you will benefit from your year in China, full stop.

 

Beijing has the dialect and history, The north-east has great winter activities, while areas further south will simultaneously benefit from more hospitable climate and suffer (from the perspective of a Mandarin language learner) from having a less standard dialect/accent in common use.  What you are looking for will determine which city (or cities) is/are right for you.

 

 

I'm sorry if this is information overload; feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

If for no other reason that to reassure you: If you're dedicated, you probably cant go wrong

[MilesM]

Wow, I didn't expect such an informative and thoughtful response. Thanks so much, m000gle! Yeah, I definitely agree that private language schools have an advantage with their one-on-one option, which is the primary reason that I am considering a language school this go around. At ECNU, I was in a class of about 15, and while I learned a ton and the instructors were good, I often felt that the class was progressing too slowly, as some of the other students were learning much slower than I was. Thus, I really think I should give one-on-one intensive lessons a shot so that I can work at a pace that maximizes my learning speed. But I totally agree with everything you said about the environment of universities, which makes me want to return to a university to study. It's just such a hard decision. Again, I greatly appreciate your insightfulness!!

[abcdefg]

I would love to return to Shanghai to study at East China Normal University again, but before I make that decision, I would like to know if there are better options for me in Shanghai or elsewhere in China.

 

Suggest giving some thought to trying a second or third tier city this time around to give you a more balanced impression of what China is like.

[grawrt]

 

Suggest giving some thought to trying a second or third tier city this time around to give you a more balanced impression of what China is like.

 

I agree! First tier cities are overrated, and just don't feel like China to me.

[Chris Two Times]

I agree! First tier cities are overrated, and just don't feel like China to me.

 

???

 

Warm regards,

Chris Two Times