University: California State University Chico
City: Chico
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: Electrical engineering, information technology
Study type: semester abroad
Winter term 2010 in Chico, CA – Awesome!!!
I wanted to spend one of my last semesters in a city that wasn’t too big. There should be something nearby to spend the time with. The tuition fees should not be too high compared to other American universities. Another selection criterion was the teaching conditions. See mcat-test-centers for Russia higher education.
All of this applied to Chico. There you have the best training opportunities, especially in engineering. The tuition fees are currently (2010) about 4000 dollars.
If you are interested in the outdoors and sports, Chico fits the bill perfectly. The nearby national parks and the nature around Chico offers all kinds of possibilities (biking, kayaking, hiking, rafting, climbing, skiing, etc.)
The city has about 90,000 inhabitants and is therefore relatively familial.
In the evening it offers many opportunities to go out (bars and house parties as you know it from various films).
New friendships can be made very quickly and this promotes nightlife all the more.
The course works best with 3-4 courses, although I tend towards 3 courses. Because the homework is very time-consuming and annoying (like in our younger years).
The professors are also very helpful. You can ask anything and get a very detailed answer and personal explanation.
Apartments are very easy to find in Chico (about $500 a month).
The application should be submitted well in advance, i.e. about six months in advance. Make sure that you choose the right courses and clarify them with your professors. Otherwise you have completed the courses and you cannot have them credited at your own university.
Also make sure you have one or two more courses available, because the courses are often already full.
However, the professors always try to enroll the foreign students in the courses.
You should also write a letter of motivation and possibly bring a certificate of grades from the courses you have taken with you.
I have never needed this myself.
Traveling in the US is very easy, just make sure you carry your passport and I20 with you at all times, otherwise you may run into problems.
Especially in Chico the people are very friendly. You are always asked how you are and if you don’t have enough change, someone is always there.
Food is generally very expensive on the North American continent compared to Germany. Especially if you want to eat a little healthier, you have to pay more for it.
Most Americans go to (fast food) restaurants very often to fill their stomachs.
Special offers (all you can eat, etc.) are recommended.
A staple food in Bavaria is beer. If you want to enjoy it here, you don’t have the best options.
Chico has a very well known brewery, which brews mostly English style beers (Pale Ale, etc).
German brew beers are distributed more in the Midwest.
Bars in Chico often give out for very good prices (mostly on Thursdays).
It is definitely worth buying a bike to get around.
You can get this either at Walmart very cheaply or from a yard sale.
At night you can take a taxi, walk or cycle, because buses no longer run in the evening/night.
To explore the surrounding area, there are enough buses, which are free for students. They operate on schedule. You can even have your bike transported on a special device.
If you have planned longer trips, it is best to take a car. The prices are not too expensive and you can go everywhere.
Probably the cheapest and best rental station is Enterprise, which offers good rates especially for Chico State students.
If you are not very active yourself, Adventure Outings offers a good opportunity to get closer to the Californian landscape. The prices for this are really not very expensive and you quickly find friends on such trips.
One of the largest parks is in the middle of Chico. The Bidwell Park. Especially in summer you can do a lot here. It offers many swimming opportunities, which are often used by students in particular. These small pools can be easily reached by bike.
Anyone who wants to go jogging is also welcomed here. There are a lot of trails meandering through the park.
All in all Chico offers a lot more than bigger cities and is more familiar.
Have fun with your semester abroad in Chico.