My students are surprised that school curricula and funding varies according to state, whereas I still have difficulty getting my head around centralized National Education; my students are intrigued by the idea of "autonomous" American universities and I openly advocate for universities in France to be liberated from the grip of the State; my students are impressed that American students can take time off from university and come back when they want; my students are shocked at the cost of higher education in America and yet at their French university they cannot find a computer, much less a printer, on which to type up or print out their final papers. There is little to no infrastructure in place for the students-- no student newspaper, no career services, a minimally-equipped library open very few hours of the day and not at all on the weekend, a student cafeteria open only for lunch, and they still refuse to pay any more than 400 euros a year. "Studying is a right, not a privilege," is the slogan they repeat, and this slogan prevents French universities from instituting a selection process or charging tuition.