University: University of California Los Angeles
City: Los Angeles
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Study type: Summer Sessions
Application process
Applying through MicroEdu was easy and convenient. Especially thanks to Melanie’s support as a contact person, questions were answered quickly and competently. The necessary forms could be filled out without any obstacles thanks to the existing documentation and so nothing stood in the way of the summer session. Visit existingcountries.com to get information about California State University Chico student review 2.
When looking for accommodation, it quickly became clear that the official UCLA housing would be used. The advantages were the simplicity of booking and the low search effort. The disadvantage was certainly the higher price. The further selection between on-campus and off-campus fell on the latter. The independence that this offered, which simply could not be achieved on campus, was clearly in the foreground. Accordingly, I took care of lunch myself and did not use a meal plan (a certain number of meals per week in the canteen). I chose the Studio Apartments option at University Apartments (Off-Campus) and went to a twin room to practice some English as well. My expectations were met and I shared a nice little apartment with an American student. We had our own bathroom, kitchen, dining table, bunk bed and two desks. The apartment was on Gaylay Avenue, directly across from campus. I would still choose this option because everything was very neat and cozy and off-campus you could throw one or the other small party.
Studies
Studying at UCLA was interesting and was complemented by the very beautiful and spacious campus. There were several libraries, but I only visited one regularly. There was a computer room including a printer. I now simply add the gym to my studies. This was very centrally located and offered a wide range of options such as squash halls, a climbing wall, cardio equipment and a weight room. Of course, all this is free for students. I used to stay in the weight room regularly.
Courses taken
I took two courses in the summer session, which couldn’t be more different. The MGMT 88 course was a seminar dealing with the topic of networking or relationship building. Here the students were very much involved in the lessons and group work with presentations was standard. This had the advantage that many acquaintances were made and a lot of English was spoken. Through active participation you could achieve a very good grade, since there were no exams. There were also two ungraded assignments and a book had to be read.
The other course was social networking. This was more about the theory of social networks. It quickly became clear that this course would help us more. Demanding assignments had to be handed in regularly, which were graded. In addition, there were two exams (midterm and final), which also required a lot of learning. Finally, there was a project with a final report and presentation, which was also graded. Compared to the other course, this reduced the free time considerably if a very good grade was to be achieved.
On-site support
On-site support was not really necessary. At the beginning of the summer session there was an information event in which all the necessary information about the process and the like was given again. Due to the support I received from MicroEdu, I was already well informed.
Leisure and excursion possibilities
Possibilities for excursions are plentiful. I was in a car with some guys. With two courses, the probability is relatively high that you have a long weekend. Accordingly, the typical destinations such as Las Vegas and Death Valley, Grand Canyon, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and San Diego are realistic and definitely recommended. LA with the Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, Walk of Fame, Universal Studios, Beverly Hills and the Griffith Observatory (great view over LA at night) should not be missed either. For those who like to go shopping, the Camarillo Premium Outlet (1 hour from LA) is recommended. There was a large selection of brands, some with significantly lower prices than in Germany. Another highlight was an amusement park called “Six Flags”. This has an enormous number of roller coasters, which are divided into different load levels. Accordingly, there was a lot on offer for everyone.
Do’s & Don’ts
What you should definitely do:
- Get an American SIM card because communication via SMS or phone calls is very important if you want to meet other groups. In addition, a data flat rate is an advantage if you need information from the Internet on the go.
- Thinking about a Hawaii vacation: The flight is only five hours from LA and the chances of getting anywhere near Hawaii that quickly are slim.
- Get customer cards from the big grocery chains: These were free and only had to be applied for. As a result, there were sometimes very strong discounts on various products.
What not to do:
- Attend too many courses, otherwise you won’t get anything out of the great environment, the many opportunities and the nice people there.
- Don’t go to an American home party. While these are not like the well-known scenes from the movie American Pie, it is an interesting experience.
- Avoid Asian culture. Especially in the summer session there were a lot of nice and interesting people who were happy to get to know Germans.
Conclusion
Attending a summer session at UCLA was the right decision. I learned and experienced a lot of new and interesting things, made many friends and just had a great time! : -)
