Here, people are very comfortable with international students …
I came to the United States because I wanted to be exposed to different cultures. I wanted to work for a consulting firm, but I needed a degree in business since my undergraduate degree is in Chinese language.
I like the way they teach here. Cal State Fullerton is more focused on practical knowledge and practical skills. The faculty in the MBA program give us a lot of work, a lot of homework, but I want to learn. And they are willing to spend time with our work.
I also like the diversity of my classmates. We have some students who just graduated from college, but some students are in their 40s or sometimes 50s. They are really knowledgeable about the industries they work in. I really like that. In the beginning, in my first class, I thought ‘wow, some of the students are my Dad’s age.’ But I like it because they give us a lot of good ideas and it’s real life. I didn’t have any idea about business here. I know about business in Seoul or in Asia, but not here.
You can meet a lot of brilliant students here. Most of my classmates have jobs and when a professor mentions certain topics, they have a lot of ideas because they work in different industries. So it’s good when we have group meetings because we have different viewpoints, and I can learn a lot.
I think here, in America, they are more open to international students, and there are so many Asian communities in Orange County. My classmates and professors are open to everybody. They are very comfortable with international students. Another thing that I really like is that international students can apply for scholarships here, which really helps.
I like the environment, and I feel safe here. Fullerton is really centrally located, and it’s easy to get around. It’s not far from LA. If you want to go there, it’s really convenient. And then the entertainment – we have Disneyland and Anaheim, resorts and shopping. So I think the community is really good. I feel there is more growth here in Orange County and it’s newer.
Sometimes it’s kind of lonely since I am an international student, and I came here by myself. But, if you have friends you can hang out with and have fun, that’s really nice. In the MBA Association, they are open to everybody. Some of the board members are international students, and I was past president of our MBA Association. I was also a member in the Accounting and Finance Associations on campus. I have a lot of good friends, and I can practice my Chinese with them.
I landed my dream job with Ernst & Young. The firm liked my language background and my membership in the national accounting honor society. I am so happy. I wanted to have experiences. I got so much from the MBA program. My parents are so happy. They are coming to my graduation.
