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  3. Education / Pedagogy

boîte à bac

English translation: cramming school

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:boîte à bac
English translation:cramming school
Entered by: Lorna Coing

14:14 Dec 27, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Education / Pedagogy
French term or phrase: boîte à bac
Bonjour!
Could anybody help me find a suitable translation in English for 'boîte à bac', as in 'mes parents décident de m'inscrire dans une boîte à bac pour avoir plus de chances de réussir' - I understand the concept i.e. a school specialized in helping students pass their bac, but have not managed to find a satisfactory equivalent in English. Thanks in advance for any ideas anybody wants to share with me!!
Lorna Coing
France
Local time: 15:47
cramming school
Explanation:
Off the top of my head. Of course it depends on the duration.
Selected response from:

Steve Melling
France
Local time: 15:47
Grading comment
Thank you all for your help - and thank you in particular to Chappy for your great suggestion and Ann for your link, which was EXACTLY what I was looking for!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +5cramming school
Steve Melling
4 -1prep. school
margaret caulfield
4 -1diploma mill
Jean-Claude Gouin
3 -1private/independent college
Emma Paulay
Summary of reference entries provided
Good explanation here...
Emma Paulay

Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +5
cramming school


Explanation:
Off the top of my head. Of course it depends on the duration.

Steve Melling
France
Local time: 15:47
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
Thank you all for your help - and thank you in particular to Chappy for your great suggestion and Ann for your link, which was EXACTLY what I was looking for!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Martha Melter: Could add 'private'
55 mins
agree  swisstell
1 hr
agree  FrenchPhD: absolutely
5 hrs
agree  Chris Hall: Also referred to as a "crammer" following my research. No need to add "private" as stated above.
11 hrs
agree  Evans (X): I've only heard the expression "crammer", not "cramming school". It certainly used to be quite a common expression when I was growing up.
20 hrs
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
private/independent college


Explanation:
I think this would cover it although you might mention that they don't have to follow the national curriculum.

Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 15:47
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 36

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Martha Melter: Definitely not a college (false friend) Sorry about that; I stand corrected- but I do think the term is more pejorative than that; hence cramming school seems more appropriate.
49 mins
  -> In the UK, a college is 6th form - the equivalent of a "lycée" in France.
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
prep. school


Explanation:
Lorna, this is the American equivalent to "cramming school", which, as you say, is British (according to Oxford Dictionary).

margaret caulfield
Local time: 15:47
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Drmanu49: Sorry Margaret but as an ex prep school student (PA, Andover) I cannot agree with the comparison.
1 hr
  -> No problem! I got it from a dictionary.
neutral  Lori Cirefice: perhaps prep classes would be better
3 hrs
  -> Maybe, Lori. Actually, I've heard of both, but since I got my answer from a dictionary, I really couldn't say.
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
diploma mill


Explanation:
Not necessarily a good university ... but a diploma mill ... a place where they give you a diploma while taking "Mickey Mouse courses".

Jean-Claude Gouin
Canada
Local time: 09:47
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Drmanu49: With a restriction, the Baccalauréat is the same for everybody and the State, not the school, gives the diploma. And this is not university but Lycée level in France.
28 mins
  -> Your restriction is well taken. I forgot that the "bac", in France, is the High School Diploma. Here, in Québec, you get your HS diploma after 11 years; in the neighbouring province, Ontario, it's after 12 years (formaly 13 yrs). Merci ...
disagree  FrenchPhD: No, that doesn't help you get your bac or senior matriculation. It's something else.
1 hr
  -> You are entitled to your opinion.
disagree  Chris Hall: Maybe in US English, definitely not in UK English. / I still stand by my original comment, because diploma is rarely used in UK English anyway.
7 hrs
  -> Diploma mill: 380 000 ghits, Diploma mills: 451 000 ghits, Diploma mill degrees: 507 000 ... See Google for the rest ... Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Chris ...
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Reference comments


7 mins
Reference: Good explanation here...

Reference information:
...


    Reference: http://www.pagetronic.com/femme/enfants/soutien-scolaire/les...
Emma Paulay
France
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 36
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