University: San Diego State University
City: San Diego
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: business administration
Study type: semester abroad
- Application Process
All in all, the application process went really well thanks to the great staff at MicroEdu. There was always someone who was available and even if the university or the bank only wanted to issue copies of the guarantees for money, everything was possible within the scope of the possibilities.
Otherwise it was just the running that was to be expected, e.g. to the embassy regarding visa, bank for guarantee, English test etc. Visit mcat-test-centers.com to get information about Griffith University Brisbane.
- Studied and taken courses at SDSU
Studying in the USA is completely different from studying in Germany. You always have something to do throughout the semester. However, this eliminates the pressure and all the learning at the end for the final exam. Whether it’s smaller tests, group work, homework or anything else. However, since each piece submitted is evaluated, the final exam only counts for 10 to 25%. Especially at the end when there is still so much to do with packing, travelling, cleaning/clearing out the apartment/looking for a new tenant, it’s really relaxed. Most professors are also extremely helpful and help with technical questions as well as proving to be helpful when there is a problem with the language, especially at the beginning.
For business students in general, it means that the failure rate for courses on campus (in contrast to the so-called special sessions, which are only offered as part of exchange students, but with the same content and professors) for exchange students has an extremely high failure rate and that it would be extremely difficult to get them. Unfortunately, as exchange students, we cannot register for courses online, so you have to “crash courses” as it is called there.. In this semester it was the case that additional special sessions were offered, so that I was still able to get enough courses without any problems, which then also corresponded to my wishes. I panicked and didn’t crash, so I only had special sessions, but I’ve hardly heard of anyone who spoke properly to the professor and didn’t get a seat if at least there were still places available. Some have even created extra spaces by changing rooms or additional seating.
About my courses: I had Human Resource Management, Project Management, Marketing and Business Plan Development.
Human resource management was a pretty good yet relaxed and easy subject. Attendance, group work, small “homework” and 3 exams, each covering 3 or 4 chapters, were assessed. The lady who gave the course tried very hard, was open and made an incredible effort. She even changed the previously set rules in consultation with the class, for the good of the class. She also preferred the last exam and changed it to an online exam so that it was not during the “hot” phase and you could work in teams with books.
I think project management was the most challenging subject in terms of demands, but at the same time it was also the subject that taught me the most. Lectures rather boring, books dry, professor helpful. After each lecture there were groups and individual tasks. Each time new knowledge had to be applied. I learned an unbelievable amount and especially today project management is an important part of the working world. There were 3 exams. 2 online exams, each covering half of the semester, which can be mastered in groups, but with the help of books and the internet with 100% and an exam in the class. Almost impossible, but it is advantageous that you can get so many points spread over the semester that this exam no longer made so much difference.
Marketing was designed as a beginner’s courseadvertised, but in my opinion went far beyond that. I’ve already attended an introductory course in marketing and I can say that this course in the USA went so much beyond the German introductory course. It was amusing that you can theoretically achieve 106.5% in this subject, i.e. 6.5 bonus points. 4 just by participating in 2 simple experiments. In the end, many were surprised at the good grades. The book can be found on the Internet as a PDF, but you have to get access to what is essentially a test bank. But it is also useful for learning. You have to read at least 1-2 chapters every week and do an online “test”. This so-called “Learn Smart” can be started, saved, answered incorrectly as often as you feel like it. The only thing that matters is that you have reached 100% at the due time. A funny feature was the “read about this” function, which always brought you more or less precisely to the right passage in the book if you had no idea. The points were so easy to take with you. There are also quizzes for each chapter, which are more demanding and also require thinking. These also took place online, so that it was at least possible to get help. The 3 exams in this subject, each covering a third of the semester, had washed up… often cut values of around 50% of the total points. However, the best student’s best performance was set as 100%, which still led to acceptable results. which always brought you more or less precisely to the correct passage in the book when you had no idea. The points were so easy to take with you. There are also quizzes for each chapter, which are more demanding and also require thinking. These also took place online, so that it was at least possible to get help. The 3 exams in this subject, each covering a third of the semester, had washed up… often cut values of around 50% of the total points. However, the best student’s best performance was set as 100%, which still led to acceptable results. which always brought you more or less precisely to the correct passage in the book when you had no idea. The points were so easy to take with you. There are also quizzes for each chapter, which are more demanding and also require thinking. These also took place online, so that it was at least possible to get help. The 3 exams in this subject, each covering a third of the semester, had washed up… often cut values of around 50% of the total points. However, the best student’s best performance was set as 100%, which still led to acceptable results. so that at least it was possible to get help. The 3 exams in this subject, each covering a third of the semester, had washed up… often cut values of around 50% of the total points. However, the best student’s best performance was set as 100%, which still led to acceptable results. so that at least it was possible to get help. The 3 exams in this subject, each covering a third of the semester, had washed up… often cut values of around 50% of the total points. However, the best student’s best performance was set as 100%, which still led to acceptable results.
Business Plan Development was “quite nice”. Too much independent thinking and active participation in class is encouraged. In addition, you have to do 3 homework and a group work. In the right group, group work is great and fun as hell, but the professor rates it horribly. That’s why I advise everyone against this course, since the grades were partially rolled (my guess). I still had a lot of written contact with the professor after the semester and sometimes she revised her grades again after discussions. That alone is a sign. But even if you get confirmation from the class that you are among the best in a presentation, have included all the required points and were able to answer all the questions and the result is below average, I only understand the world to a limited extent. The exams (the only exam that did not consist 100% of multiple choice questions) were partly “unworldly” and could only be answered to a limited extent with the books, lecture notes and business news. So again my tip: DO NOT VOTE!
All in all I am very satisfied with most of the grades and courses.
- On-site support
On-site support was good. There was an office of the American Language Institute responsible for the local exchange program with contacts. In addition, new excursions, events in and around San Diego were offered monthly. In the beginning there were campus tours and people were accompanied to create student ID cards. So I can’t complain about that.
- Accommodation search
I can only recommend everyone, especially if you go to San Diego in the popular period from August to December, to take care of it early, preferably from Germany. If you go with several people, you can share a shared flat or a house together. There are plenty of offers if you get there early enough.
I personally stayed at BLVD 63. An apartment complex that was only completed in mid-2014 with a number of flat shares and mainly students. Without wanting to advertise, check the homepage, it looks like the pictures and that’s fantastic. As a purely European flat share, however, the deposit is quite high (approx. $7500). A lot of people who got into real trouble didn’t know that. In addition, the excerpt is probably quite picky and, if you don’t want to pay or at least have to be really tip top.
- Excursions
Anyone who looks at San Diego on the map knows that there is a lot to experience. Whether it’s Sea World, Gaslamp Quarter or the whole Beach Quarter in San Diego, or you can see the destinations all around with Las Vegas, San Francisco, LA (is very ugly), Hawaii, Mexico… I think the location with all the possibilities in and around San Diego should have something for everyone.
- My special tip for saving
If you are in San Diego from August to December and want to visit Las Vegas, I recommend the week before Thanksgiving. This was a tip from my marketing professor. I think I paid 170 euros for the flight from San Diego to Las Vegas and back (without luggage) plus I think 5 nights at the Luxor Hotel, the cool pyramid on the strip (without any kind of tourist tax). I don’t think it’s cheaper.
Otherwise, have fun, check out the sporting events (especially football and basketball) and the city plus surroundings and enjoy the time.
