When it became clear to me that I didn’t want to spend a complete semester abroad, I looked for alternatives on the Internet and came across the MicroEDU website and the associated offer of summer sessions for me. After carefully reading the information offered there , I also made an appointment in the office in Münster to clarify any questions that were still open. I received excellent advice at the appointment, so I finally decided on the summer school in Los Angeles.
All the documents I needed for my application to the University of California Los Angeles were provided by MicroEDU, complete with information sheets on the application process. The questions that arose were also answered quickly ! I was also provided with information during the summer session, so I could, for example, explain to my fellow students how to order an overview of grades. A big thank you to CoCo!
I was able to prove my language skills with my high school diploma and a language course, so that I didn’t have to take another test and that saved me a lot of time. The only annoying thing about the application process is the visa. In advance you have to fill out a one-hour questionnaire online and then you can or must make an appointment at the consulate. I decided on Frankfurt and sacrificed a whole day to get there. Fortunately, there were no problems with the application and after stamping several times, handing in documents and answering a few small questions, my appointment was over after 20 minutes and I had the approval for my visa. Unfortunately, it was stuck during the postal strike, but thank God it arrived at my place before departure. Therefore it is essential to apply for the visa in good time !
On August 2nd we finally started with a direct flight from Düsseldorf to Los Angeles! When I arrived in LA, I met one of my roommates at the airport, whom I had already contacted in advance. Together we took a shuttle bus to UCLA ($ 10). I had booked a 3-bed room in the dormitory (Rieber Hall) on campus. In the beginning it took a lot of getting used to, there was always something going on for three in a 9sqm “large” room and also in the bathroom, which was shared with the entire female floor. But you got used to it quickly and in retrospect I can say that I miss the time with my roommates and that it is now almost too quiet to be alone! According to AbbreviationFinder.org, UCLA is the abbreviation of University of California Los Angeles.
Now to my schedule
MGMT180: Management Interpersonal Communication
An absolutely recommendable course! In a small group of around 40 people, we learned how to communicate properly. I took this course every Monday and Wednesday and looked forward to it every time. In addition to the theory that we learned from videos, books and stories from the professor, we also applied it each time in small groups. As a result, you had direct practice in the things you had learned and you also got to know your fellow students and their different cultures better.
ECON106P: Pricing and Strategy
I can only recommend this course to a limited extent. My professor was Chinese and unfortunately you can tell that in his English. In addition to 2 exams, we also had to submit problem sets, which were also assessed. Actually a good thing, since the final grade doesn’t just consist of an exam (as in Germany). It was unfair, however, that the majority of my course also came from China and submitted it in Chinese and had questions answered in Chinese during the exam. The course would have been easier for me if I had been able to complete it in my mother tongue.
Overall, English was easy to learn. Everyone was easy to understand and always helpful with vocabulary questions.
I had booked a meal plan with 15 meals a week, which was enough. I went to Covel or Feast about twice a day to eat. There was always a nice meeting point with the whole clique and it was always a culinary highlight!
On the weekends we organized various trips to San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. During the week there was still plenty of time for me and most of the others to explore Los Angeles! After the lecture to the beach: an absolute dream! Most of the time we were traveling by bus or Uber, of course having a rental car for the whole time is practical, but you can absolutely do without! We only rented a car on the weekends for our big destinations. Another highlight was the university team’s football game!
After 6 wonderful weeks it was time to say goodbye again. It was very difficult to say goodbye, thanks to the great people we had met there, of course the weather and the feeling of having settled in well in Los Angeles. I can recommend everyone to also attend a summer session and am happy to answer any questions!
PS: A little tip: Cosmetics are very expensive in America ($ 11 for a deodorant), so stock up on enough at home!
