Who's going to BLCU for full year program in Fall 2009?

[Song You Shen]

Ok, so who all is going to BLCU this coming Fall for the fulll year program? Where are you coming from? What classes you thinking about taking?

I'm going for the full year; coming from San Francisco State University (California). I'm gonna try to take classes like "Chinese Business" (business vocab) and some other core requirements like "Classical Chinese" and "Chinese Poetry." What about you?

Edited April 15, 2009 at 07:00 AM by roddy

[jordanlee]

I'm applying now for the 12-week intensive course starting in the Fall. No idea yet what courses I'll take - do I even have the option? Obviously, I've just started looking into this.

I'm coming from Boston, MA (but was raised just North of you in Vancouver, Canada).

[gubokai]

I'm considering the year program at BLCU.

A few questions:

-- are you looking at Beijing Normal University as an option? If so what's your impression? BNU doesn't have long or short term programs, the only difference with 1 yr i believe is you pay for the entire year upfront, and you're elligible for an X-Visa instead of an F visa.

- Some have said that doing the short term (1 semester program) and then renewing for a second semester is a better option because you have more flexibility with choosing classes. As far as i can see the only drawback to this is you have to pay another application fee (reduced), apply again, and will likely have to renew your student visa after six months. Also i'm not sure what the difference in class choices you have for the long term vs. short term.

- I've heard with the one year program, if you don't like your teacher you're stuck with the same class for the entire year if you don't change before the add/drop deadline (which i think is 2 weeks). Doing a six month program you'd get a different class each semester.

Any other thoughts?

[gubokai]

Hey guys,

I submitted my applications to BLCU and BNU a few weeks ago and just got the notification from BLCU that my admission notice had been sent out. I'm relocating to Beijing in early August and I'm planning to check out both unis once i get there.

I don't know what your impression is but BNU tends to be more highly recommended on this forum compared to BLCU -- people say it's a more academic environment, class size is smaller, and fewer % of western students. Also people say that the area around BNU (Jishuitan, Xizhimen) has less foreigners overall compared to the Wudaokou/BLCU area, for better or worse.

However i'm still considering BLCU because i think that it might give me more flexibility/diversity with course options. Does anyone have thoughts on this?

Also, it would be great to hear others' thoughts on the year program vs. the short term (semester) programs. what are the differences?

Thanks

[blink]

hi, I'm also going with BNU. I have a friend who went to BLCU and was disappointed in general. He said he ended up switching to a tutor from an outside company with a few friends and didn't do BLCU classes after the first semester. I'd say the great thing about doing the semester instead of a year is that it allows you those options- to switch schools if you find out the one you go with first isn't for you etc

[gubokai]

blink, thanks for the insight. are you new to BNU or returning student?

i just got my admission packet for BNU. Will be there in August to settle in.

Are you going to do the dorms or are you looking for an apt near BNU, and if apt then do you know what are the better areas to live in within 15 min. walk of the campus?

thanks, hope to see you there in the fall.

[greenarcher]

I'm going for the 1 semester program. How do I know if BLCU received my application form or not?

[gubokai]

try emailing them = zhaosh1@blcu.edu.cn.

i sent my application May 15 and received the admission notice and visa application in the mail today Jun. 7. so the turnaround was 3 weeks -- way faster than i thought. Their website says you should give them 4-8 weeks.

[blink]

gubokai - it'll be first time at BNU so I don't know much about the area, but what i've read here. I liked the idea of getting an apartment off campus, but figured it would be hard to find a place for a single semester, so I'm going to stay in the dorms. Hopefully I'll get into the #3 international student apartment which has suites i.e. you share a bathroom and livingroom, but get your own bedroom.

[zvesdochka]

I'm applying for 1 year program ))

[greenarcher]

I just got my acceptance letter. It states that I should register for a dormitory upon arrival.

I want to reserve a room for Dorm 17 in advanced. Which number should I call? The number they provided is for the Housing Service Center (Dorm #2 2nd floor): 86-10-82303300.

I can't see the Conference Center in the map they provided. Where exactly is it?

[NeEl_RoR]

Im going to join the One semester program which starts in sept 17.....Anyone else doing the same?

Will i be having modules/subjects too?

[Keiana]

I'll be starting on Sept 17 for 1 semester

[jordanlee]

Hey all,

Wanted to see if I could connect with anyone before arriving in Beijing in September for the 12-week intensive course. I'm thinking of booking my flight to Beijing for the weekend before registration (Sep 12/13). I'll be flying in from New York, but stopping over in Vancouver for a short while to visit family.

When are you guys planning to arrive and where are you coming from?

[JDavies]

When is registration? Just an idea, but it might be worth booking your flights a week before your registration date in order to account for the possibility of being quarantined.

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/21354-h1n1-quarantine&highlight=quarantined

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/21253-h1n1-rules-for-china-visitors-translation&highlight=quarantined

Edited July 23, 2009 at 02:45 PM by JDavies

[pennylane]

I have been accepted and about 80% sure that I will go- just need to sort things out at my home uni first.

all very exciting- i love wudaokou!

i thought semester satrted on the 7th but from this it looks like the 17th, yes?

by the way, where did you find out about subjects Song You Shen?

[Lorde]

Hey there~

I just received the letter last saturday and since then it was pure chaos...we didnt know if i got the scholarship or was just accepted at blcu, turned out to be both....

(really clever..^--^..sent all formal things completely in mandarin..if i could read that well, i wouldnt need to go to china for a year)

SO, I will spend one year there aswell..^--^..nice meeting people!

......as a scholarship student (confucius institute) i hope i will get out of dorm 1/2 as quickly as possible.....i heard...things...

by the way, i am from northern germany and study chinese and japanese, although china has the front row..hehe

do you know in what dorm you will go?

and does ANYONE have an exact price list so i can lookup the difference i will need to pay?

anyway..happy to be going there!

:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap

[KatieK]

Hey, i'm going to the same program and came unto the website for the same reason... although i lived in China for 4 years, that was un shanghai and i want to at least have a person to connect with when i first get there...

I dont know if your still paying attention to this thread but if anyone else want to connect with people and maybe set up a way we could all meet.... name is Katie, contact here....

[KatieK]

Just realised i didnt even answer your question.

My family live in shanghai so im coming up by plane from shanghai on the 14th/15th. i wouldnt worry too much about the quarenteern (cant spell) but its a real possibility. but if you come too early then you can be sure they'll let you in that early or you might end up bored for a week....

[vwsc06]

I'll be enrolled at BLCU for the year program starting September 09. I'm being lazy and getting things arranged through an agency. Still not sure whether or not I want to opt for the 30hr or 20hr course. What do you guys think? Are the content of the classes different? To my understanding, all the 30 hours/wk is just 10 additional hours of private tutoring.

I'll be living in an apartment and again, according to my agency there are three grades of apartments (Student/Local/Luxury). I'm not too picky and don't want to be seen as the spoiled foreigner with the super nice place. But at the same time I don't erally want to be living in a rundown apartment. I've already sort of committed to the agency, but in retrospect it probably wouldve been a better idea to just do the apartment part of it by myself.

In any case, my name's Vincent. I was born in Hong Kong, left for Indonesia at age 6, where I lived for a year before moving to the U.S. I finished my undergrad degree at the University of Pennsylvania a year ago and am looking to progress as far as possible in my Mandarin studies this year as I would like to be able to use the language in some capacity of whatever it is that will ultimately be my career.

Best,

Vince

Edited August 24, 2009 at 03:54 PM by roddy