My Time at Berkeley Global Access
Jiayue Tang from China reflects on her classes and internship before returning home to finish her studies
I’m majoring in financial engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. I grew up in the capital of China, Beijing, and came to Shenzhen for my undergraduate studies.
I really love studying abroad to experience a diverse campus. I have been to Australia, the United Kingdom, and Singapore through exchange programs. It is not just visiting these schools as a tourist, but taking a deep dive into the local culture and study style.
Experiencing Berkeley
Choosing the Berkeley Global Access Program for the spring 2023 semester was my first opportunity to visit the United States, and everything felt brand new. I was excited to experience the academic atmosphere at one of the world’s top universities.
For my courses, I selected Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, Principles and Techniques of Data Science, and International Marketing.
All of these courses aligned with my interdisciplinary needs. Berkeley’s computer science courses are well-known, and I found the course material to be comprehensive and user-friendly. The teaching assistants were incredibly enthusiastic and responsive, providing detailed support on the forums. Also, thanks to the data science course’s discussion, I met my best friend in Berkeley, Hillary. We would study, have lunch, eat ice cream, talk for hours together — such a nice memory.
Visiting students
Outside of class, I want to express my gratitude to my landlord, The Berkeley Group, for providing me with a wonderful place to live. It accommodates tenants from various countries who are all participating in visiting-student programs, such as those coming from Italy and Norway. Because we shared a kitchen and a bathroom, we ran into each other every day, leading to a wide range of interesting conversations. We also had fantastic cooking exchanges and movie nights!
These international friendships are incredibly valuable. It’s a unique opportunity to learn from each other, share experiences, and create lasting memories. These friendships can last a lifetime and provide a global network of support and camaraderie.
For traveling, I explored San Francisco, Las Vegas, Death Valley, and Monterey. During spring break, I ventured to Mexico with friends. Each place had its unique charm. I particularly enjoyed chatting with the locals.
Rewarding internship
My internship experience was the most delightful surprise. I applied for the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP) research project at the beginning of the semester and had heard that it’s challenging for visiting students to be accepted. It was also my first research experience, but thanks to Professor Matteo Benetton at Haas (Berkeley’s business school), I made it!
I primarily worked on a banking loan research project in the finance field and obtained interesting analysis results. I had weekly meetings at Haas with the professor and Ph.D. students to discuss and advance the project, which felt incredibly rewarding. We continued our collaboration over the summer (and beyond)!
Extracurricular
My top five Bay Area things to do while attending Berkeley were to:
- Fall asleep on the grass
- Visit Google
- Explore the SFMOMA art museum
- Spot squirrels on campus
- Watch the naked run at the library (unforgettable).
My advice for students starting next semester are:
- Find a safe, quiet, and reasonably priced housing option.
- Familiarize yourself with the campus buildings and their names.
- Remember — work hard, play hard!
Jiayue Tang
여러분에게 최상의 프로그램 찾기
당신에게 가장 적합한 학교를 찾을 수 있도록 당신이 무엇을 찾고 있는지 알려주십시오.
유용한 기사
Check Out These Schools
Truckee Meadows Community College
Typical cost per Semester: $5,000—$10,000
Berkeley Global
Typical cost per Semester: $15,000—$20,000
Edmonds College
Typical cost per Quarter: $1,000—$5,000
Study in the USA와 미국에서의 모험을 시작하세요
미국 교육 자금 조달, 주택 등에 대해 알아보기
도움자원
'Study in the USA' 전문가로부터 직접 미국 문화와 교육에 대하여 배워보세요. 더 읽어보기