19 reviews
3.64 / 5 based on 19 reviews
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ninarosa
Housing
Type of housing: A room exchange
Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice
If returning, I would choose: A room exchange
Why?
independent living, near campus; possibility to meet other people
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Personal comments
Accomodation off campus is relatively easy to find in Sacramento. Compared with bigger cities in the U.S. rents are moderate. Personally, I cannot comment on on-campus accomodation, but from what I have heard the dormitories are not recommendable in every respect. There are mainly double rooms offered, with little space; single rooms are more expensive than off-campus residence.
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ninarosa
Student life
Describe host city:
Students interact with the local community without much university involvement
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Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Activities: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
Generally, midtown is the best area to go for nightlife. Plenty of little cafes which present shows by local bands with little or no cover charge. Good spots are the Fox'n'Goose or the Capitol Garage. A nice cafe, also to study duringb the day, and to meet people, is Weatherstone's.
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ninarosa
Academic
Course recommendations
It is a good idea to consult local students for tips on recommendable courses and professors, since courses vary greatly in quality. Often undergraduate courses offered by professors who also offer graduate courses are more recommendable than others.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
For students who have already completed a few semesters at their home university (for instance in Germany, where there is no separate graduate and undergraduate education) it is highly recommendable to attend graduate courses as well. This should be encouraged rather than discouraged by the academic advisors.
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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ninarosa
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Other
Other sources of funding:
Other
Work opportunities:
I didn't explore any work options
Personal spending habits
Even though the rent was moderate compared with bigger U.S. cities, it was higher than in the student shares in which I had been living in Germany. Travel was more expensive because I had a used car for part of my stay - which I never needed at home in a big German city. Except for the car, local travel was inexpensive (local buses).
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Overall, Travel, Housing:
was more expensive than at home.
Telephone, Food, Nightlife:
was the same price as at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
Personal comments
High fees for having money transferred from home account to local account in the States. It is recommendable to ask one's bank about partnerships with banks in the U.S. which may waive fees.
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ninarosa
Languages
Language of instruction: English
Was learning English a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my English
How much did you improve your English?
My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Since my language proficiency was already good before studying abroad I did not have any problem communicating. However, the study abroad experience helped a great deal to perfect my written and oral expression: to the variety of expression, vocabulary and pronunciation.
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ninarosa
Overall
I wish I had known...
No, I was well prepared.
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In my opinion:
I loved it but I'm not sure everybody would.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
Don't go there if you plan to do serious graduate research. The university is mainly recommendable for undergraduates. Also, it is not a university which gives you the typical American campus experience. Many people commute to classes and have their social life somewhere else. If you would like to experience some real experience of life in a medium-size American city though, Sacramento is not the worst spot. In contrast to big cities like San Francisco, it does not yet display the standard international big city "scenes." People who look for the California experience may find it a little boring however.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
A plus about Sacramento and California State University are the numerous internship opportunities offered by the state government and institutions associated with it, often in cooperation with the university.
Moreover, Sacramento is located quite well for all sorts of travelling. The drive / bus ride to San Francisco takes only an hour and a half. Spots to go for hiking are the Sierra Nevada, with Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park.
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