University: California State University Fullerton
City: Fullerton
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: business administration
Study type: semester abroad
Preparation for my semester abroad
I’m studying business administration at a university of applied sciences in Germany and have studied my 5th semester at Cal State University in Fullerton. I had the idea of studying abroad for a semester – preferably in the USA – early on. But getting there also involved a lot of effort. But this was definitely worth it for me personally and, looking back, led to one of the best times in my life. Check jibin123.com to see Semester Abroad In San Diego State University.
I compared all the universities and decided on Cal State Fullerton. She has been rated very well in the reviews on the website, has a good reputation in business administration with a focus on finance, and geographically speaking – just east of LA – is in a great location. In addition, I was able to finance the tuition fees of US$ 5,500 completely through the Auslandsbafög. After going through MicroEdu’s step-by-step guide to the application process, I was accepted by the university.
After that I took care of the visa, booked flights and got an apartment in a 6-person shared flat on campus through MicroEdu.
The whole application phase involves a lot of bureaucracy and is very, very time-consuming. Letter of motivation, Toefl test, bank statement, transcript (which lectures can be credited?), applying for a passport, visa, health insurance (you have to take out Fullerton’s, among others), credit card, etc. That’s why I would advise everyone to do so as soon as possible to start planning!!
I lived in the “dorms” during my time in the US. I lived in an apartment with five Americans. We had a large living room, a kitchen, two bathrooms, a closet, and three rooms, each shared by two people. At first I was a bit skeptical about sharing a room. But that’s quite normal for the USA and you quickly get used to it. The rooms were fully furnished. You only have to take care of bed linen, dishes, etc. yourself.
Food is relatively expensive in the US. But if you want to live in the dorms, you automatically have to buy a meal plan in the canteen, the restaurateur. We always took food with us to the apartment and almost never had to buy groceries.
University / study at the host university
The choice of courses is huge. For your student visa you have to attend at least four lectures of 3 units each. You can choose courses from any subject. You can also choose courses such as golf, tennis, surfing (Kinesiology Department) or American history, politics and much more. The Mihaylo College of Business is brand new, well equipped and the only department in which there were no budget cuts – in short, the pearl of Fullerton. The level is significantly lower than in Germany, but the workload is quite high due to a lot of homework, compulsory attendance, papers and midterms during the semester. With a little effort you can get good grades.
The places in the courses have to be secured on site, since American students have priority here. A few weeks before the start of the semester abroad, you only have the option of specifying a selection of ten courses that you would like to choose. In the beginning I was only sure of one course and had to find three more courses within the first two weeks, i.e. “crash”. That turned out to be relatively easy and after the second day I already had my four courses: three finance (working Capital Management & Computer Applications, International Business Finance, Financial Forecasting & Budgeting) and an Economics course (Principles of Macroeconomics).
Contact possibilities / everyday life and leisure time
At CSUF there is a new, large gym with a swimming pool: the Recreation Center. For me as a sports fanatic it was absolute paradise. A two-story fitness center with machines and weights. I also played basketball regularly and took part in the intramurals. All students have the opportunity to register a team for different sports. So I played basketball once a week with my American roommates and soccer with internationals other than Gerzilians in a league. I also occasionally took yoga and fitness classes. You can also climb. The fee for the Recreation Center is US$ 120 per semester, which was extremely worthwhile for me.
In addition, the university has a well-stocked library, food courts, billiards and bowling in the Titan Student Union. Students can attend Titans basketball, baseball, volleyball, and soccer games for free.
What to see and do
California lives up to its reputation here. In Fullerton you are 30 minutes from the beach, 30 minutes from LA, 90 minutes from San Diego, 3.5 hours from Vegas and 7 hours from San Francisco. Outdoor enthusiasts can expect an abundance of national parks, surfing in the ocean and skiing in the mountains, party-goers can choose between West Hollywood or house parties and chillers can enjoy the pool or beach. Outlets invite you to cheap shopping, for all athletes; “There is every imaginable range of sports here” and YES, the range of courses is huge! It rained a total of five times during the semester – do I need to say more why you are guaranteed to have a good time here?
Miscellaneous / Conclusion
I will always remember my time here at Cal State Fullerton.
