“Prepare yourself to think in a different way. When writing a dissertation, the French system requires the 'thèse, antithèse, and synthèse' format. Many Americans are not familiar with this way of thinking – organizing and synthesizing their thoughts – and might feel confined by the strictness of the method. You can't avoid it, so don't fight it. One of the many things I learned from the year in Paris is to embrace the challenge of the dissertation format and to condition my brain to think in an unfamiliar way. The mental gymnastics of the dissertation are well worth the effort, so get excited about the challenging intellectual work coming your way!”