University: California State University Fullerton
City: Fullerton
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: Business Administration, Marketing
Study type: semester abroad
I spent the spring semester of 2010 at Cal State Fullerton in California. All in all, I am very happy to have studied there and would make this decision again and again. It was a great time, both the studies, the nice people I got to know and life in California are particularly memorable for me. See iamaccepted for California State University Chico Study Abroad.
The application process at the university has been significantly shortened and made a lot easier thanks to MicroEdu. It was helpful that if you had any questions, you could contact MicroEdu and get an immediate response. Especially when it comes to choosing a course, looking for an apartment, insurance and the application itself, a few questions and uncertainties arose, which MicroEdu eliminated. About three quarters to six months before the start of the semester I started looking for universities and finding out about them. As soon as I knew I was going to the USA, I started dealing with visa, TOEFL and other bureaucratic matters. In terms of time, everything went really well and I recommend everyone to start planning early enough so that you don’t get stressed in the end. So, I also managed to find an apartment in Germany through MicroEdu and Cal State Fullerton, which was in the immediate vicinity of the university. So I was able to arrive completely relaxed and look forward to my semester abroad…!
The start of the university was then associated with a little more work, since although I had already chosen courses before, these were not safe. So I had to do the first two weeks of university in my desired courses and ask the professor to be included in the course. This required the signature of the professor and the relevant faculty. Due to the fact that I am studying business administration with a focus on marketing, the whole course selection was a little more difficult than for other students. But you have to reckon with that if you want to study in the USA, unfortunately that’s the case almost everywhere. The university and the entire campus seemed pretty big to me, which is also due to the fact that I study at a private university in Germany. However, the relationship to the professors was always very close and not distant at all, as you may know it from other larger universities. You should generally be prepared for a little more work than in Germany. I wouldn’t say it’s more difficult, but you definitely have more to do before and after the courses. Weekly quizzes (tests), reading chapters in preparation or homework are not uncommon and are simply part of some courses. Furthermore, several midterms and final exams are written during the semester. In some courses, weekly presentations, homework and, depending on the course, longer homework, for which there is almost the whole semester time. Overall, however, there is still enough time to enjoy the semester abroad and to explore California. The campus contains everything you need to study in the USA: Starbucks, Recreation center (fitness center) with pool ($25 a month) and library. The entire study period was a really great experience.
In terms of costs, you have to be prepared that life in California tends to be more expensive than in Germany. The CSUF is still rather cheap by American standards. It becomes noticeable when you live alone (i.e. not in University Village) and go shopping and take care of yourself. But you know that beforehand and can prepare accordingly…
As I said, I lived alone in an apartment community, about 5 minutes by bike to the university. It’s a good idea to get a bike, you can rent one at the university, at Walmart or at Target. I got my bike from the CSUF Police Department and was able to use it for the semester free of charge. It is important to note, however, that you should take care of it relatively early, as some “apply” to get a bike, and the bikes are not the very latest – but I don’t think it’s that important for half a year.
Fullerton is located in Orange County, in the greater LA area. Places like Newport or Laguna are nearby and offer really nice beaches. Trips to Las Vegas or San Francisco are also possible without any problems and are really worth a visit. After university I went to Hawaii, Mexico and New York, which I can really recommend to everyone!
All in all, the people you meet there make this semester a unique experience. I’ve made some really great new friends that are “scattered” all over the world.
In short: I would definitely study at CSUF again and would have liked to have stayed longer!