University: San Diego State University
City: San Diego
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Study type: semester abroad
Preparations
The preparations were uncomplicated and, in my opinion, much easier than many feared in advance.
Thanks to MicroEdu, I had precise checklists that I could work through point by point and didn’t have to worry about forgetting something important.
So, after I got accepted to SDSU, I applied for my passport and paid the tuition fee. With that taken care of, the next thing I did was get international health insurance, apply for new credit cards, and book my flight. And then it could start. Visit mcat-test-centers.com to get information about Lincoln University.
Accomodation:
I already took care of my accommodation when I was still in Germany. There were various groups on Facebook on the subject of looking for an apartment, which has already put me in touch with other exchange students. In the end we were a group of seven people and we lived in a nice house right in the college area, near the university. I had a shared room and paid $575 for it, which is relatively cheap by California standards. We were lucky with our landlord, he was super uncomplicated and always there when we needed help.
Studied at SDSU
At SDSU I only took business classes and had a total of 4 courses.
1. MGT 460 Business Plan Development
Overall, I highly recommend the course. My lecturer was Ms. King and our task was to develop an idea for a startup over the course of the semester and present it in a final presentation at the end of the semester. However, the workload was relatively high. An interim presentation every few weeks and additional works that had to be uploaded to the online portal. There were two multiple choice exams that weren’t too difficult.
2. MKTG 371 Consumer and Buyer Behavior
This is the only course I would not recommend and would not take again. Although the content was very interesting, the lecturer, Ms. Olson, gave, in my opinion, unusually difficult exams. Some of the material that was covered in class was not put online and the lecturer asked the students unnecessarily difficult questions in the three exams.
3. MGT 358 Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
Unfortunately, this was the only course I had with Americans. The course, taught by Ms. Zheng, was fairly easy and felt more like a school subject.
4. MGT 475 Leadership in Organizations
I can also recommend this course with Mr. Nicholson. There were also projects and group work in this course that required a certain amount of time. There were two multiple-choice exams that weren’t too difficult either.
The university itself is fantastically beautiful and cannot really be compared to a German university. We had a large pool on campus alone, a huge gym with indoor basketball courts and a large climbing wall, several football fields, a large basketball stadium, a bowling alley, the “Aztec Lanes” and a large bookstore selling everything from stationery to the latest electronics to to sportswear offers everything your heart desires. There were also two large Starbucks, a weekly culinary market with food from all over the world and many other restaurants such as Panda Express or Rubious.
Life in San Diego
Life in San Diego isn’t exactly the cheapest. Still, in my opinion, a car is essential for exploring San Diego. Since there were seven of us, we decided to start by renting two cars from Dirt Cheap Car for $375 each for the San Diego area. Best car rental company in my opinion, they are super friendly and have no under age fee. This means that under 25s don’t have to pay a surcharge like most other car rental companies.
Later, when we had more time, we rented a car for all of California and the surrounding states.
When it comes to partying and going out, San Diego is paradise. Every day of the week there is something going on somewhere and something to do. I liked the clubs and bars downtown and especially the party bus that always drove from the College Area and Pacific Beach right in front of the clubs. When we wanted to party a little more casually and less chic, we preferred to go to Pacific Beach. There are countless bars that have great deals, especially on Taco Tuesday.
But even during the day there are countless possibilities. For example, we tried stand up paddling and paddled through the sea next to seals and a dolphin.
Since the sun shines every day, it is of course a good idea to visit one of San Diego’s beautiful beaches. I particularly liked Coronado Beach and Mission Beach.
Another must is the hike to the Potato Chip. The way up was quite strenuous, but once we made it we were all glad we made it.
There are also numerous shopping opportunities in and around San Diego. I especially liked Fashion Valley and the shops downtown, as well as the many outlets in San Diego and Los Angeles. We also made a few day trips to Los Angeles or Orange County and drove to the wonderful Disneyland for one day, since it is only an hour or two depending on the traffic.
Of course we not only explored San Diego, but also the rest of California. We drove up the coast through Los Angeles, Malibu, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz to San Francisco. Since the route is quite long, I recommend planning two days for the journey.
We also visited the national parks Sequoia, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon and the Antelope Canyon. We made further trips to Tijuana and to Phoenix in Arizona. Finally, I visited relatives in Denver, Colorado, which is where I flew to.
My personal highlight, however, was the trip to Las Vegas. I fell in love with this incredible city and the many clubs and casinos that stay open all night.
Conclusion
In summary, I would say that I would do a semester abroad in San Diego again in a heartbeat if I had the opportunity. I have not regretted a second and miss the time almost every day. The people there are as friendly and open as I have never experienced anywhere else. So we made a lot of American friends and had a great time. I will definitely come back again.
