Why Fullerton?
Of course there are still several universities in California where you can certainly gain great experience, but I was and still am convinced of Fullerton. First of all, the proximity to Los Angeles is unbeatable! Los Angeles is a very diverse city that could be explored for weeks, day or night.
Fullerton itself is relatively small but comparable to other places of study, such as San José, for example: During the day it is relatively sleepy, but it is all the more fun at night;)
The financial aspect naturally also influenced my decision: In contrast to other American universities, Fullerton is relative cheap in terms of tuition fees!
Your website not only offers help with problems that concern the university, but also initially helps to establish contacts (Facebook groups, etc.), as a lot of Germans use the offer. This is particularly advantageous when you go to the semester abroad on your own. However, with Fullerton it should be noted that many people already know each other, which is why I would not necessarily recommend going to Fullerton all alone and without accommodation.
Application process
The application process in general is relatively simple and your website provides me with a list that summarizes what should be done and when. Once you’ve ticked off this list, nothing stands in the way of your stay.
Education
The dreaded “course crashing” was not that wild for me personally and I had all the courses I needed together relatively quickly. However, you shouldn’t have any illusions that you can get into the very popular courses straight away. That’s why it’s better to take everything you can get at the beginning so that you can choose later.
All in all, the course was a little different than in Germany, as you always had to hand in something or do group work in between. On the other hand, there was no great stress at the end of the semester. All in all, I would estimate the workload to be higher than in Germany, but at the same time the requirements are lower … After all, most exams are carried out with a multiple choice test. Check mcat-test-centers to see more reviews from current students.
Overall, the courses are more practically oriented, that is, you always make a direct reference to practice, exactly what I think, which is sometimes missing at German universities. In addition, the professors always tried very hard to build a personal bond with each student. Another plus in my eyes.
The CSUF International Office took very good care of the international students and they were always very helpful and open.
Accommodation search
I have already looked for my accommodation in Germany and have decided on the Homestead Apartments. The facility is definitely highly recommended and is only 10 minutes by bike from the university. It takes 20 minutes to walk. This accommodation is also very popular with other Germans. If you really want to improve your English, I would recommend a different accommodation to everyone, because you only speak German “at home”, so to speak.
There is one drawback, however, namely that downtown Fullerton (where most of the nightlife is located) can only be reached by taxi / car. However, you get to know each other quickly at one of the four pools, so you can drive in groups.
Leisure and excursion possibilities
Since my courses at the university only ran from Tuesday to Thursday, I also had enough time to explore California, Nevada, Hawaii, Florida and New York.
Here, too, the Fullerton site has turned out to be very good. LAX Airport always had good offers to explore the rest of the USA. Various car rental companies also get on very well with international students, so I was somewhere else almost every weekend. You only need half an hour to the next beautiful beach or if you are more in the mood for a party weekend, you can be in Las Vegas within four hours.
Of course, Fullerton also has pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants to offer, so you don’t necessarily have to spend the weekend elsewhere. However, one should use the time and try to see as much as possible!
Conclusion
The semester abroad was a great experience for me and I have only positive memories of my time in Fullerton! It was a very cool time that I will remember for a long time and I can only advise everyone to do a semester abroad. I got to know California as one of the most beautiful states in the USA. The weather was always mild and I only had rain twice during my entire stay. Even in November there were days when it was still over 30 degrees. So definitely the right choice for summer lovers!
