anyone else at beida?

[dev]

just curious

[lylestyle]

I'll be there starting this fall for a year!

[dev]

dont get ripped off by the damned taxi from the airport

great campus btw. get into 1-3号楼

[lylestyle]

I'm doing a homestay, but might do the dorms after the first semester. Just out of curiosity, how much should I pay for the cab ride, and how much is a "rip-off" price? I know the airports they will try to charge you an arm and a leg, I'll try to bargain with my rusty chinese. What Chinese level are you at in Beida, and are you taking only Chinese classes? Also, I am 95% sure I'm going to the Beida Chinese study for foreigners, but I also got accepted to BLCU's program. Would you chose Beida over BLCU? Thanks for your help.

[keith]

Sorry to barge in but I'm planning to go to Beida for the 2005 spring semester.

Hope to meet some of you guys there!

[keith]

Hi Dev, just wondering if I could ask you a question...

Do I actually need to take the HSK exam to get accepted into Beida? I want to study just the mandarin programme, not any of their Master degrees...

Thanks.

[UC_nostradamus]

I'm not studying at Beida, but I hope to be! I am currently a student at the University of Chicago and would like to study Chinese in China. I hear that UChicago has an agreement with Beida for exchanges. I would like to spend 2005-2006 there if possible. I tried navigating their website, but I would like some more info/input on the whole application/studying abroad at Beida process. What's the difference between the Mandarin study program, and just being a visiting scholar? I really have no idea about the whole process. Can one take extra courses (say, in Chinese history or something like that) at Beida if one is in a language program? Any thoughts/suggestions? Do they offer any courses in English (silly thing to go to China to take an English language course, but I may be interested in take a course or two relevant to my major)?

I do plan on talking to the study abroad advisor, but just would like a heads up so I at least think I know what i'm talking about!

Thanks!

[ChouDoufu]

Do I actually need to take the HSK exam to get accepted into Beida? I want to study just the mandarin programme, not any of their Master degrees...

If you are just studying mandarin, you do not need to take an HSK. You can study mandarin chinese at any University that offers it without taking the HSK. If you want to study a seperate major (econ.. history.. etc..) then you need to take the HSK and achieve a score that is consistent with the schols acceptance standards...

[imron]

I was at Beida from 2002-2003.

A taxi from the airport to Beida is maybe 70-80 RMB depending on what type of taxi you take, and what the traffic is like. Most of the sharks that approach you at the airport will try to charge 300 RMB Anyway, just ignore them, take a 1.60 or a 1.20 taxi from the taxi queue, and make sure the guy turns on the meter. That way if you do feel a taxi driver has ripped you off or taken a long way round, then when you arrive you get an automatically printed receipt with the driver's number, the distance travelled, and the cost of the fare. If the driver has cheated you, he'll rather give you a cheaper fare than give you evidence that could cost him his job. You have no such luck if you bargain for a fare (no meter, no automatic receipt) and in any case, unless you're familiar with Beijing you'll probably be the loser in any bargaining deals you make.

Alternatively you can catch the bus for 16 RMB that goes to the city centre. It stops off at numerous places along the way, and you could probably take a taxi to Beida from one of those stops.

As for classes, as far as I'm aware, they are all taught in Chinese - regardless of level. The reason for this is that a good proportion of your classmates wont be native English speakers, so by teaching in Chinese everyone starts at the same point. Don't let this put you off though! It's great for your 听力 and not only do the teachers know how to accomodate for the different levels of the students, but you'll also be placed in classes where everyone else is around your level.

At the start of the semester you take a placement exam which decides what level you are placed in. The Chinese language program has 3 levels - beginner, intermediate and advanced. You are assessed differently for spoken Chinese and written Chinese, so it's possible that you could be in an advanced spoken class, and a beginner writing class, or any other combination, depending on your ability.

If you score well enough on the placement test you don't need to take the Chinese language program classes, and can instead take normal classes (i.e. with other Chinese students). If you have achieved a certain level on the HSK then you can skip the placement exam and they will place you according to your HSK results.

As for the difference between Beida and BLCU, personally I would say that Beida is a Chinese university that has a language program for foreigners, wherease BLCU is more centered around teaching foreigners Chinese, but also has Chinese students.

I know people at BLCU who hated it there, and wished they were at Beida. I also knew people at Beida who hated it there and wished they were at BLCU, so I guess it all depends on what you're looking for.

BLCU has much more of a "party" atmosphere, and if you can forgive the sweeping generalisation, I would say go to BLCU if you're more interested in your social life, and Beida if you're more interested in studying.

Personally I thought the Beida program was really good, and would recommend it to people looking to study there.

[imron]

Oh, I also meant to add, that at Beida, if you are placed in the intermediate or the advanced levels, then you also have a choice of several electives, including things like Chinese History, Learning Chinese through movies, intensive reading, newspaper reading, classical chinese etc.

[keith]

Thanks guys, it's really useful info. I thought it was weird to ask someone who wants to study mandarin to take the HJK...

I am planning to go to Beida for their 2005 spring semester. Does anyone know when the best month I should apply?

Also, should I apply directly to Beida or go through an agent? (I can read Chinese)

[imron]

Apply directly. It's not too difficult, and you avoid expensive agent fees.

Check out: http://www.oir.pku.edu.cn/oirEn/studyab.htm for more info.

If you're only planning on going for one semester, then the "short-term" programs are probably of more relevance to you. Otherwise you'd probably want to look at the "general visiting student" stuff.

Sometime around early November is the best time to apply for the Spring program, and sometime around early April is best for the Autumn one.

Now, the more observant amongst you might note that on this webpage it says you need to include a certificate of Chinese proficiency along with your application. What they don't mention is that you only need to supply this if you have one! If you download and read the actual application form, it is more clear on the matter.

Anyway, they are more than happy to accept people with little/no formal Chinese training, and I know because I was one of them I'd been living in China for a year before I applied at Beida, and though I could speak and read basic Chinese well enough, I'd never formally studied it.

[keith]

Now, the more observant amongst you might note that on this webpage it says you need to include a certificate of Chinese proficiency along with your application. What they don't mention is that you only need to supply this if you have one! If you download and read the actual application form, it is more clear on the matter.

Yes I noticed that too, and I was well confused by that. I wish they would say so earlier something like " it's not compulsary but if you have it it would be nice to include it"...that would be nice.

I studied Traditional Chinese in Hong Kong for quite a few years when I was younger, but that was before I relocated to the UK. I really hope my knowledge in Trad Chinese can be transferred to the Simplified format, else I think I'll struggle.