Study in San Diego State University (3)

By | September 22, 2021

I have just finished my “finals” and want to take the opportunity to report on my experiences here in San Diego and of course at San Diego State University as soon as possible.

First of all, I arrived here at the beginning of August, which is ideal if you want to take a little vacation before starting your studies. San Diego, with its weather and great beaches, is of course made for this. The semester here officially started on August 26th, but my courses didn’t start until the beginning of September. So there is enough time to take a few surf courses or to explore the area. San Diego itself is a really liveable city, very clean and, in my opinion, also very safe. You can go out very well here in the evening and with Seaworld, the chargers (NFL team), Balboa Park and almost daily other concerts by well-known bands and artists, you can experience a lot here. In addition, with its geographic location, San Diego offers many more options. Los Angeles is a 2 hour drive away, so you can just drive over there for a day or a Lakers game. It is 5 hours to Las Vegas (and that will surely interest some) and to get to San Francisco you should plan 9-10 hours by car. Everything sounds more than it is when you are used to German dimensions, but in America it is really a stone’s throw away. I also took the chance to fly to Hawaii. Was a five and a half hour flight and not cheap but definitely worth the cost. Everything sounds more than it is when you are used to German dimensions, but in America it is really a stone’s throw away. I also took the chance to fly to Hawaii. Was a five and a half hour flight and not cheap but definitely worth the cost. Everything sounds more than it is when you are used to German dimensions, but in America it is really a stone’s throw away. I also took the chance to fly to Hawaii. Was a five and a half hour flight and not cheap but definitely worth the cost.

But what you should definitely have done before traveling is to look for a place to stay and organize a car. I initially spent the first week in a hostel and can only recommend the Point Loma International Hostel. Very clean, not too big, you meet cool people and you don’t feel like you are in Mallorca because, unlike other hostels, there are not only Germans here.

In terms of housing, you should try to be active as early as possible. Depending on the time and demands on the location and equipment of the accommodation, you can plan up to $ 1000 and more in rent for a room. Of course, it is also cheaper, but in general the rental prices cannot be compared with those in Germany.

In my opinion, a car is also essential here in San Diego and if you already have a GPS in Germany I would recommend bringing it with you. Otherwise, you can buy it from $ 150 here. With its 1.3 million inhabitants, San Diego is spread over a huge area, so that it is just under 15 miles from the university to the beach and an estimated 14 miles to downtown. Especially when looking for an apartment you will be grateful not to have to rely on the “trolley” and not have to fiddle around with a card. I would definitely buy the car itself! I rented a car with my roommate, although the car could have been bought for the same money. You will get your car at the latest when the next semester begins and the next Germans just leave again. The only advantage of a rental car is that you don’t have to worry about repairs and insurance. To rent one should contact either “dirt cheap car” or “bargain car rental”. These are the cheapest car rental companies here and yet very customer friendly. Read more student reviews on Anycountyprivateschools.

Studying at the university itself begins here with the “crashing” of the courses. As mentioned in several other reports, this is quite an ordeal. Often you have to apply for a few places with twenty, thirty or forty other foreign students. In addition, as a foreign student, you will be given the lowest priority after the regularly enrolled students. As a result, the “crashing” course is quite a game of chance and often depends on the professors’ mood and arbitrariness. You should definitely have more than 4 courses to choose from and be prepared for minor disappointments. In the end, with a bit of luck, I got my 4 courses. Studying in the “classes” is different than in Germany. That means an average class size of around 40 students with oral participation and several exams per year. In most subjects, at least in business administration, you write 3 exams and usually have to prepare and present a group work. The level of the courses is really feasible if you have no problems with English (compared to Münster), but because of the many exams you have to put more work into the subjects and attendance is compulsory.

Have fun in the states!

Study in San Diego State University 3