My future in LA (?) (Bakersfield, Montclair: co-op, houses, unemployment rate)

[YoungRed]

Hey, I'm 20,'bout to be 21. Originally I'm from CA, but i attend college out-of-state as in-state. I'm in the middle of trying to get back home,to a CSU, and claim my residency. Is having my I.D. good enough or do i have to have all of the following: driver's lincense, voting registration, etc...? i would also like to know how hard it is to claim independency in CA. Do i have to go through court and everything, or do i just give them good reasoning and prove that i can take car of myself?

[Fontucky]

GermanGuy, your English is excellent.

[GermanGuy1990]

Originally Posted by katenik

i wasn't speaking of your academic rank, of which i know nothing. i was referring to the schools, themselves. put it this way: universities in the US can be categorized as local, regional, or national.

national universities attract the top students from all over the country (and the world), and are, in many respects, the most desirable to attend. you can go anywhere in the country with a degree from one of these schools, and it will mean something in the job market. think: harvard, yale, columbia, stanford, cal, UCLA, UVA, UMich, U of Chicago, etc.

regional schools have solid reputations in the part of the country in which they are located, but aren't as well known outside of the state or region (south, midwest, northeast, etc....it's a big country!). thus, if you leave that region before gaining some work experience, potential employers aren't necessarily going to be impressed with your academic credentials because they might not know much about your school. in some cases, they will never have heard of it. tulane university in new orleans, and the university of MS ("ole miss") are quintessential regional schools. in the south, having either one on your resume could be enough to get you the interview; in the rest of the country, no one cares that you went there unless he did also.

local universities may or may not be very competitive, but are not well known outside of the immediate area. in CA, many state university campuses and some small private colleges fall into that category. if you attend such a school, you'll be able to say you have a degree, but your experience and interpersonal skills will do the heavy lifting when you search for a job.

caveat: a regional or local school might have a national reputation in a particular field of study. in this case, it might be more attractive than a national school to students interested in pursuing that field of study.

Thanks for the detailed answer! You're too kind
When I found that study course in Bremen, I was pretty sure that it was the right one.
But after having read your answer, I was unsettled.
I mean, is it unimportant how good I am at school / university?
Is it only the university I go to that counts?
According the website of the university in Bremen, this study course promises a great future working in international "Top-Management-Teams".
Here's the link: Hochschule Bremen - Betriebswirtschaft / Internationales Management B.A.
and the flyer: http://www.hs-bremen.de/mam/hsb/flyer/1-bim.pdf
Sorry, but I couldn't find the english version

@Fontucky: Thanks a lot, if that was a serious compliment

[Fontucky]

Of course it was a serious comment.

[gypsy456]

I am European, so I can understand why you would like to move to the USA at this age.
However... why not finish your study in Germany.
You will have so much more chance of finding what you are looking for.
Not to say you should not pursue a dream, but at your age you can still postpone it and shape things so they can truly become a dream coming true.

If you would come here now.. well, the economy is not at its best, it might be hard to get a VISA so you can stay unless you want to use the Visa Waiver Program (and leave every 3 months in order to get a new stamp in your passport).

Maybe just finish your study and continue to come here on a holiday, get to network with people.

Either or... good luck !

[GermanGuy1990]

Originally Posted by gypsy456

I am European, so I can understand why you would like to move to the USA at this age.
However... why not finish your study in Germany.
You will have so much more chance of finding what you are looking for.
Not to say you should not pursue a dream, but at your age you can still postpone it and shape things so they can truly become a dream coming true.

If you would come here now.. well, the economy is not at its best, it might be hard to get a VISA so you can stay unless you want to use the Visa Waiver Program (and leave every 3 months in order to get a new stamp in your passport).

Maybe just finish your study and continue to come here on a holiday, get to network with people.

Either or... good luck !

Thanks for the advice!
I already said that I want to study in Germany.
The Problem is that the job perspectives aren't that good, if I study the degree course I chose.
Just read my last answer please

[Jay100]

I would recommend spending a semester as an exchange student at either UCLA, Pepperdine University, or University of Southern California. Then if you find it to your liking, apply.

[jzt83]

You can also take courses at UCLA during the summer to get a flavor of the area.

[GermanGuy1990]

What do you guys think about the university in Boston?
here's the link:
www.northeastern.edu

This university has got a partnership with a German one (Reutlingen). That means that I'll study two years in Reutlingen and afterwards two years in Boston.

Is this combination better than the other one? (Bremen + University of Missouri - St. Louis)

[katenik]

northeastern is a fine institution. not the creme de la creme, but definitely right below it.

the university of missouri is probably best if you already live in missouri, and plan to stay there, but i doubt that many people are traveling from around the country to attend. you have to understand that there are very few state-supported universities that have broad appeal outside of their respective states/regions. university of CA (primarily berkeley and UCLA), university of michigan, and university of virginia top that list. certain campuses of the state university of NY (SUNY) are also very well-regarded, as is the university of wisconsin. i could add a few more, with regard to particular programs, but, beyond that, state universities vary in quality of academic programs, from pretty good to adequate to just a notch above high school. i've been a member of academic communities in CA and on the east coast, and i've never heard anything specific about the university of missouri, which indicates to me that it's just another run-of-the-mill state school, which doesn't mean one can't obtain a decent education there. however, unless you have a VERY good reason for choosing it, i wouldn't travel from another continent to do so. being an international student is very expensive, so you should try to get the best education/experience you can for your money. i don't think you could go wrong with northeastern.

you should take a look around this site: Best Colleges - Education - US News and World Report

some people resent that these lists exist, and will tell you that they "mean nothing." however, i know that the institutions, themselves, as well as many national employers, take the rankings very seriously.