AIS Vienna

Monday, September 15, 2003

The American International School of Vienna, Austria is a school of which I can say I am proud to have graduated from. It offers the most unique, friendly, and professional educational environment I have ever experienced, and I highly recommend it to any parents living in Vienna.

AIS Vienna offers a full PK-12 education and is set in a wonderful location adjacent to the Vienna woods in Vienna’s 19th district. This is just one of the many factors that make it superior to other English-speaking schools in Vienna, such as the Vienna International School (a U.N. funded school located adjacent to an urban area in the 22nd district), and the Danube International School (a self-funded school in Vienna’s 2nd district, adjacent to a large park and an urban area). AIS is surrounded by a forest on three sides and a quiet residential neighborhood inhabited by many Americans on its eastern side. AIS takes security very seriously and there are always police officers with a canine present, which gives a reassuring feeling of safety. A closed campus is maintained for students with the exception of the senior class and any post-graduates, which usually are given the privilege of leaving campus during their free time.

The school is essentially a cluster of buildings that are interconnected. This is due to several expansions, and the fact that the grounds are very uneven. The original building is a historic mansion known as the “Villa.” It contains the middle and high school’s art, music, English as a Second Language, and foreign language programs. Nearly all of this building’s rooms have been renovated to look similar to the school’s other classrooms.

The high school building and the middle school building contain many of these divisions’ classrooms. While their hallways are narrow and their classrooms are small, this does not cause too much of a problem as the classes are small and the school only has a total enrollment of around eight hundred.

The upper level of the high school building connects to the secondary library and the lower gym. Here a stairwell connects to a common area, which is used by all grade levels. The health office, cafeteria, and a student lounge (traditionally “belonging” to the senior class) are located here. A hallway connects to another set of stairs, which leads to the upper gym, and another stairwell, which leads back down again to locker rooms and an activity room. The common area also connects to the elementary school, which is located on another two levels above it.

Finally, between the Villa and the high school sits a modern science building that was opened in the fall of 2000. All in all the school has eleven different levels, yet because of the strange connecting patterns of the different buildings and the hillside, most buildings only have two floors. In addition, three additional structures, a large sports dome and two small huts are freestanding on the school grounds. A twelve-bus parking lot, two faculty lots, a playground, track, and soccer field fill up the rest of the fenced-in property.

Middle and high school classes follow an American-style schedule that results in each class meeting four times a week. Three “option” blocks end the day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for most high school students, during which they are usually expected to study.

One of the things that thankfully aren't American-style is the food service! No mass-produced microwaved food here! The food is prepared by an experienced kitchen staff, is served on plates, and there is a wide variety available daily.

If you decide to attend to AIS Vienna, be prepared to work! Even if you only want an American diploma you will most likely be forced to take several IB (International Baccalaureate) classes. This is because the school is very geared towards having IB graduates and doesn’t even offer many junior and senior classes on a non-IB level. Want to take economics? You have to take IB economics! Want to take history? Unless you want to sit in a class with exclusively sophomores your senior year (as I did), you have to take a course on an IB level. And since IB classes are extremely difficult, they will most likely drive your GPA down and might give you difficulties when applying to college (as in my case).

But once at college you can sit back and relax and basically take a year off, because your IB classes will turn many freshmen college classes into a joke (as in my case). I was a struggling student in the IB program at AIS but made the dean’s list in my first year of college with little effort.

The teachers at AIS are simply great. There is no other way to say it. They are very experienced (some even have doctorates), and are always willing to meet with a student and assist them to succeed.

Students at AIS are simply great as well. I had the option to attend school in Vestal, NY or AIS, and I chose the later mainly because of the great environment. I have met some of the best people there, many of which I still maintain daily contact with. It is possible to attend AIS and not have a problem with anybody. Individual social groups are not a factor, and there are usually no conflicts between the ones that exist.

AIS busses its students to school using full-sized touring buses. While they often get stuck in the small alleys of the city, they provide a fast, convenient, comfortable, and safe trip to school.

Simply put, AIS Vienna is a great school. I had the best times of my life there. Vienna is also a great city to attend school in. If you are a parent reading this review and are moving to Vienna, AIS Vienna should be your first choice. If you are a student that has just found out that you will be attending this school, get ready; you are about to experience the time of your life!