University: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA
City: Santa Barbara
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: project management
Study type: semester abroad
Santa Barbara – an unforgettably beautiful time that I always like to remember. From the sunsets on the Pacific, the huge campus, the varied courses and open students and professors, everything was great! See mcat-test-centers for Swinburne University of Technology SUT.
In the field report, I try to give you tips that should help you with your preparation, because I am sure that you have already decided on this university. : b
Apartment
Finding an apartment was a bit complicated. While most American students and their friends have already chosen an apartment in the university town of Isla Vista a year in advance, exchange students can still hope to get a place in a shared apartment via the Facebook group “UCSB Housing”. Alternatively, rooms are also offered by the university. However, these are first given to Americans. No matter where you choose a room, be prepared to share it with one or two other students. You should expect at least $700 a month. I was lucky enough to get an apartment from the university. It was well equipped, modern and even had a small gym. If you arrive without an apartment and still need cheap accommodation for the first week, then the best thing to do is take a look at the “Student Hotel”. The rooms are temporarily provided by the university for this purpose at a relatively low price. However, the cheapest motel in the area costs over $100 a night.
Be prepared that the rooms in Isla Vista can be very dirty. Nonetheless, the university, student life, the beach and the weather undoubtedly make up for it all. stop California!
Courses
The range of courses at the university is huge. From natural sciences to marine research to theatre, there is almost everything to be found. In the first two weeks of the semester, the so-called “ class crashing ” takes place. You attend all the courses you want to enroll in. Most of the time you get the courses you want. However, it is advisable to take other courses for the first two weeks and do your homework there.
The learning effort at the American university is somewhat different than in Germany. While in Germany studying is mainly carried out through long face-to-face lectures, the lectures in America are limited to a maximum of one to two hours per teaching unit. However, there is homework such as writing essays or reading books every week. You should plan about three hours per lecture for the assignments. There are grades for oral participation in class and for regularly handing in homework. Contrary to what is often the case in German lecture rooms, it is viewed very negatively if you talk to the person sitting next to you during the lecture and nobody actually does it.
Course fees are very high and vary from $300 to $1000 per course. On the other hand, the quality of the teaching is very good and you can expect a lot from the lecture and the professor. There are so-called “lectures” in which the professor gives the lecture as normal. In addition, there are “sessions” in which tasks are performed. If you still have questions, the professors are usually very friendly and will answer questions after class or during the weekly office hours.
Mentality
Americans are generally very open and love to make small talk. They are very helpful if you are looking for something or have questions. On the other hand, they are often accused of being very superficial. But I think it’s good that the people you meet for the first time tell a lot about themselves without having a solid friendship in mind right away. The conversations are often very entertaining. Apart from that, you can of course also find good friends among the Americans. But you have to keep one thing in mind when making acquaintances: Americans often say “I will call you later” or “yes lets go surfing tomorrow” at the end. But that is often just a phrase. Only when you have made a time do you know that you are really meeting. Just a different cultural understanding. In California most people are very liberal and up for nature adventures and parties. It is worthwhile to have the experience, especially with the Americans, but also to maintain contact with international students. Among the exchange students I have made very good friends for life who are great to travel with over the holidays.
Destinations
If you’re as enthusiastic about the outdoors as I am, then it’s best to get the annual pass for the national parks in America. It’s worth it if you visit at least three parks and the pass is valid for the entire car. Included are Yosemite, Sequoia and Grand Canyon, among others. I also highly recommend the Excursion Club at UCSB, which offers great deals from surfing to hiking for its members each week. You should only be careful when traveling because of the forest fires, since it is very dry in California. You can find out about the location of the fires at any time on the Internet.
In Santa Barbara you can enjoy the best location. In two hours by car you are in the metropolis of Los Angeles and two more hours south of San Diego. If you have a long weekend (like Thanksgiving) to spare, San Francisco is your best bet! In addition, in Santa Barbara you can relax on the beach after studying or go for a good bike ride. In addition, there is much more to experience. I am sure that you will have an unforgettable time and take home more experiences than days.
Overall, I really enjoyed the semester abroad and would want to repeat it at any time. I was able to learn a lot and made friends for life. The only downside to UCSB is the relatively high cost of housing and studying. Nonetheless, worth a semester if you get the chance. Have fun packing your suitcase and dreaming!
Many thanks to MicroEdu at this point. It was really a great help in the preparation!