2009 UC BERKELEY SUMMER SESSIONS

It was a fantastic experience for me to join the UC Berkeley Summer Sessions in July 2009.

I got to know this program from Sesame Consulting, the official registration center in China. After discussion with my parents, I decided to attend the program in my summer vacation. The whole application progress was quite smooth. I was so excited when I was issued the US visa because my US dream had become true.

The study in UC Berkeley was much more difficult than I expected. The education system was quite different from China. Presentations, small class tests, group assignments were the components of students’ final results. Students were encouraged to express their own opinions and ideas in the class. Discussion was the important part of the study. I really enjoyed the group discussion because we could exchange ideas and came to a proper conclusion. Through the six-week study, I gradually adapted to the US study environment. My communication skills and logical thinking had been improved a lot. I also had opportunities to communicate with professors, who were very nice to international students. When I came back to China, I had honor to receive a recommendation letter from a professor.

Apart from academic study, I took advantage of leisure time to visit San Francisco and Los Angeles for pleasure. The golden bridge, universal studio and city walk left me deep impression. I appreciated the local conditions and customs; meanwhile, I made many friends from all over the world.

The summer session was very short, but it enriched my life and it was a precious experience to me.