University: Boston University

City: Boston

Country: United States

Continent: North America

Field of study: economics

Study type: semester abroad

Preparation phase

The decision in favor of Boston and the BU was very easy for me in advance. Since I had already visited Boston last year and was very enthusiastic about the city. In addition to numerous other universities and colleges, museums and a wide range of cultural activities, the historic city of Boston with its harbor is centrally located in beautiful New England. Check mcat-test-centers.com to see University of Portsmouth. The application is relatively complex, but easy to manage thanks to MicroEdu. Among other things, an English test (Toefl etc.), financial evidence for the visa, a medical check and much more are required.

Since it was unfortunately not possible to live on campus in the winter semester, you had to look for accommodation in Boston yourself or take advantage of the offer of a private dormitory forwarded by the BU. The ESL Townhouse (http: //www.esltownhouse.com) is a very expensive solution, but worth considering for 4 or 5 months. After a few weeks of unsuccessfully looking for a flat or apartment, I decided to do it, like many other French, Asian and German exchange students. The apartments are relatively comfortable, but the bathrooms and kitchens are unfortunately a bit old. You share your apartment with two other international students or language students, so you can make initial contacts immediately. Another plus is the central and beautiful location. During my studies I saw many other apartments and shared flats in and around Boston. In general it is very expensive there – and if you want to live cheaper, you have to live very far away and rely on public transport, which closes at 1 AM at the latest.

In Boston we were warmly welcomed by the coordinators of the university’s Metropolitan College. The orientation phase lasted a total of 3-4 days as desired and even included a lunch cruise around the harbour. At these events you could quickly get to know many international students and American “fresh men”.

Since my timetable was not very full at the beginning, I chose 5 courses:

• International Economics (Prof. Mookim)
• International Business Management (Prof. Lee)
• American Immigrant Experience (Prof. Alper)
• Case Studies in Corporate Finance Topics (Prof. Holmes)
• Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management (Prof. Corlu)

At the end of the semester it became a bit too much workload (not necessarily recommended). Since, in addition to midterms and finals, numerous essays and presentations were also required. However, everything is manageable if you are a little organized. In addition to my studies, I still have a lot of time to travel. In terms of content, all the courses chosen were quite interesting. The courses were attended by a maximum of 30 students, which usually resulted in personal contact with the professors. However, attendance was compulsory. Since many of my professors were not native speakers and had heavy accents, I often had trouble understanding them. Most of the courses took place in the evenings from 6pm to 9pm and were mainly attended by internationals and professionals.

I also attended two sports courses: Rock Climbing and “Step’N’Kick”. Both courses were a lot of fun and a good workout alongside the everyday university. The fitness studio is a little outside on the west campus. It’s free to use as a full-time student and even includes an indoor swimming pool.

The university also offers a meal plan for the various canteens. Since this is relatively expensive, I had not chosen it. However, the canteen in Marciano Commons is very tasty and offers an incredible amount of choice: fresh pasta, stone oven pizza, huge salad bar, show cooking (Asia, International, Gluten-free, Vegetarian,….), desserts, … and much more more. Really worth a visit. I used to go there for brunch on Sundays. (Price: from $7.50)

Boston and New England

As described above, Boston itself offers many entertainment options. Going out itself is relatively expensive (admission alone often over 25 dollars). However, there are also a few good clubs and bars that are cheaper (e.g. Dillon’s, Crossroads,…). There are also numerous successful sports clubs in Boston: The Celtics, Bruins, Patriots, or Red Sox (!!). BU also has a good hockey and basketball team. Definitely worth watching a game. When it comes to food, you can actually find everything in Boston. However, the prices are always exclusive of tips and taxes, which often makes it expensive.

If you’re a fall semester student at BU, make a trip to New Hampshire, Maine, or Vermont during Indian Summer to see the colorful foliage and beautiful landscapes. In the summer, Cape Cod, with its miles of beaches, is a beautiful destination. New York can be reached by bus in just 4-5 hours from 15 dollars (e.g. Luckystarbus) and is a “must see”.

Conclusion

Overall, I really enjoyed the semester abroad in Boston. During my time in Boston I met a lot of interesting people, although unfortunately not many Americans. Boston is a really nice city and BU is a good university too. The only thing that spoiled my stay a little was the high cost. However, you can receive support to finance your tuition fees and living expenses in the USA through foreign student loans or other scholarships. After graduation, I can highly recommend a backpacking trip through the USA.