Fate would have it so that I for my semester abroad at the San Diego State University go. Not only the many varied beaches and the different parts of the city enchant you again and again , but also the SDSU campus invites you to linger in the Californian sun , whether in the restaurant or in the park with the turtles.
Application process
I received a lot of information about my three favorites about courses, city, and accommodation, and ended up choosing San Diego State University. Thanks to the friendly support of the CoCo employees and the quick processing of my application , I received the acceptance for the SDSU just a few weeks later. Now it was called: Visaapply, search for accommodation and book a flight. Once I had any questions, I could always to the quick response from CoCo leave that by e-mail and telephone in every way supports have. Since I decided at short notice to do a semester abroad, everything had to happen quickly for me. The visa application including visa visit to the embassy claimed some time, so you should with its plan to begin as early as possible so that in the end everything went smoothly expires. It is best to do so at least six months in advance, so there is a greater chance of getting cheaper flights.
University & campus life
The SDSU campus is an absolute dream for every German student . There is everything your heart desires: Starbucks, several restaurants , a huge book store with SDSU clothing , a large gym, tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool and a large event hall where concerts and basketball games take place. The university life is compared to German universities relaxed . As a master’s student, I took three courses in which I regularly do online quizzes, group projects and assignments had to write. In addition, there was a midterm and a final exam in almost every course . So the overall grade consists of several individual grades , which I personally find very positive. I took the following courses:
BA628: Operations & Supply Chain
This course with Robert Showghi was a lot of fun because the professor explained his topics in an interesting way and with many examples . In this course we had weekly online homeworks, which made up a small part of the overall grade, as well as a group quiz, a midterm and a final exam. This course gave me new input for the marketing and management area , which enriched me personally .
MKTG761: Product Innovation Management
The course with Paula Peters was very complex, as we had a large group project with monthly fees over the entire semester . In addition, there were other individual assignments and a group presentation, which did not help me much in terms of content. However, no exams were written in this module . If you like that, you’ve come to the right place.
MKTG772: Strategic Brand Management
That was by far my favorite module . I had already chosen this course as my special session course in Germany and was very satisfied with Professor Miro Copic . Mr. Copic is an experienced, very professional and fair lecturer who gives a very structured lecture . He has also invited to five guest lectures in which guest speakers from different industries were present. In this course we wrote a midterm, a group project and a final exam. I can only recommend this course to all marketing students. Check anycountyprivateschools to see more reviews from current students.
The accommodation
I lived in an off-campus apartment (BLVD63) , which was the best decision as you could quickly get in touch with international students . Furthermore, you could use your free time between lectures at the pool or in the gym . Of course, you would have had the option of living on the beach . However, compared to my accommodation , from which you could reach the campus in 20 minutes on foot or in five minutes with the free shuttle , you had to plan significantly more travel time.
Life in San Diego
San Diego has definitely become my favorite city. My expectations were far exceeded because you have everything you need in San Diego. Due to the consistently good weather , you always have the opportunity to go to the most beautiful beaches in California , enjoy the salty sea air, improve your surfing skills and drink a margarita in one of the many beach cafés while watching the beautiful sunsets . Downtown also has a lot to offer, as there are hip districts like the Gaslamp Quarter next to the beautiful harbor which is also part of the things-to-do. Not only is there one restaurant next to the other, but you will also find incredibly good (piano) bars that reflect the typical American ambience .
“The West Coast will forever be the best coast!”
I was already here 13 years ago and had already seen a lot. Nonetheless, I was once again enthusiastic about the diversity, the cities and the national parks . I already knew after the first few weeks that it would be difficult for me to say goodbye. In the short time I still used the opportunities on my days off to explore the west coast unsafe . Therefore, we traveled a lot with our rental car in and outside of San Diego. In less than 30 minutes we reached the Torrey Pines or the Potato Chip Rock, where you could hike to breathtaking viewpoints . After about an hour, you were in the middle of the desert from San Diego where we saw nothing but sand dunes far and wide. In addition, I was in Los Angeles for 3 days in the second week , used the weekends in between for the Yosemite and Joshua Tree National Park and towards the end I flew to Seattle , Vancouver and San Francisco. So I can only confirm the diversity of the USA and Canada in terms of culture and nature , which simply impressed me .
Tips & suggestions
San Diego, or California in general, is very expensive . You should definitely take this into account in your planning. A room usually costs between $ 800 and $ 1100 per month and the groceries are also more expensive compared to Germany. Furthermore, I would recommend a room / apartment / house at the booth , especially for master’s students , as you don’t have to go to campus that often if you take the courses well. Even if life on the beach is definitely better, I was satisfied with the BLVD63 and would particularly recommend it for bachelor students due to the short distance to the SDSU.
Conclusion
The California lifestyle is best lived in this city. Even if San Diego is one of the expensive cities, due to the beautiful beaches, the fascinating city and the dreamlike campus , I can only recommend everyone to choose the San Diego State University for the semester abroad if you want to use your English while surfing, traveling, studying or Improve partying and still want to enjoy the sun’s rays at over 20 degrees in December .
