California State University Long Beach Review (7)

California State University Long Beach Review (7)

North America

In general, I can say that studying abroad at CSULB was really worth it. I’ve really experienced a lot, got to know a lot of nice people and also learned a lot. The climate is wonderful and life under palm trees is not without it!

Preparation:

After it was clear to me that I would study in the USA, I needed about 1 year of preparation time before I left. It is important that you take care of all formalities in good time. Above all, the TOEFL test should be completed as soon as possible, as the waiting times can be extended up to 2 months. The required number of points varies from university to university, so just ask MicroEDU.

Very expensive! Before you hold your visa in your hand, you can easily lose $ 300. As long as you have all of your documents together for the interview, there shouldn’t be any problems. After a successful visit to the consulate, the visa is normally in the mailbox one week later. Visit jibin123.com to get information about 10 reasons to study in turkey.

Travel Insurance:

Is very important! No studies without travel insurance! Travel insurance is essential, please note the exact information provided by the university. I was personally insured with MAVISTA. Is very inexpensive and the registration can be done very quickly online. Here, too, the contract is in the mailbox a few days later.

Bank:

A total must is a credit card, larger sums of money CASH are sometimes not accepted (I’m talking about over $ 50). There is a great offer from the Comdirect Bank. The credit card allows free withdrawals from any foreign ATM. The special thing about the Comdirect card is that the amount is deducted directly from the account and not at the end of the month. I can only recommend it personally, as you are so good at controlling your finances.

Phone:

With the German cell phone, of course, it doesn’t work in the long term. So I first got a SIM card from AT&T, which can then be topped up accordingly. But after a short time it became too expensive for me, because in the USA you also pay for incoming calls. I then switched to Metro PCS in the next month. Metro PCS is a fairly new company that makes free phone calls and text messages possible for $ 40 a month. You have to buy a cell phone (about $ 80) but you get the first month for free.

Reside:

As you may know, life in California is quite expensive, so it is definitely advisable to look for a shared apartment. Don’t worry there is more than enough! Nevertheless, it is important to take care of it in good time (e.g. via www.craigslist.com).
I advise you against the campus apartment, because 1. it is totally overpriced and 2. I had the impression that as a campus resident you do not get much of urban life.

For my part, I lived in the Beverly Plaza Apartments during my stay. The apartment complexes are fairly close to the university and 90% of them are occupied by students. In addition, a pool and tennis facility are part of the complex. Right next door is a plaza with several shops and restaurants. Of course, it is also ideal that the free university bus departs the route every day. I can only recommend BVA to everyone, I really loved it there.

Studies:

Definitely different from Germany. You get a lot of homework and have so much to do, but ultimately the exams and professors are very relaxed. The employees from the American Language Institute took good care of us on site. I got a lot of personal support with questions about my studies, about the city, and even when looking for a flat. And even so, one does not go under at the CSULB, for that there are far too many offers of advice and information or general help.

CSULB campus life can be enjoyed very well. There are plenty of cafes, fast food restaurants and kiosks, several chill lounges with TV stations, a game center, a bowling alley, a hairdresser, a fitness studio and so much more. In addition, the university offers many activities, such as the poetry slam, model contests, excursions, sports, etc.

Generally:

Be sure to visit the orientation week. There you can find out about everything you need to know about studying and living in Long Beach. You also get to know a lot of different people and you can make contacts that can also exist beyond the orientation program.

On the whole, I personally got used to the atmosphere in Cali very quickly. The people are often very relaxed and open. There is always something to do in Long Beach and if not, you can take a little detour to LA (Downtown) or Hollywood and visit one of the thousands of TV studios, among other things. My personal tip the Jimmy Kimmel Show!

I really enjoyed my time over there, and I will definitely fly over there again at some point.

California State University Long Beach Review (7)