Exchange Report Spring 2015 Li Nicole Cheuk Ting,

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1 Boston College Carroll School of Management Exchange Report Spring 2015 Li Nicole Cheuk Ting,

2 Basic Information This is the first time I left home and stayed in the United States for a long period of time. I studied at Boston College for my academic exchange. Boston is Massachusetts capital. Many prestigious universities are located at Boston. These institutions make it an international center of higher education, and the city is considered to be a world leader in innovation for a variety of reasons. Boston College offers different degrees through its nine schools, such as Boston College Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Carroll School of Management, Lynch School of Education. Apart from the academic excellence, the sports teams of Boston College, especially the Hockey team, always win in the national inter- university competitions. Boston College sports teams are called the Eagles, and their colors are maroon and gold. Monthly Activity Log January School started. Similar to HKUST, there was an add/drop period in Boston College so that students could have a feel of different courses before they enrolled the classes. Besides, I travelled to New Hamsphire with my new friends to ski a few times in January. Pennsylvania was also the state that I have visited during January. The capital city, Philadelphia is full of historical spots. Walking along the street in Philadelphia can allow me to understand its instrumental role in the American Revolution and Declaration of Independence. February New York and Boston are not far apart. It just takes four hours to go to New York by bus. It was my first time to be in New York, which is the most famous metropolitan in the world. Times Square is really a nice and crowded place full of billboards and large screens broadcasting advertisements. In such a hustle and bustle city, many fashionable brands set up branches in this city. It is a right time to utilize your money in New York to buy as many souveneirs as you can.

3 However, the mid- term exam was approaching in late February. I had to start preparing my exam. Times Saquare March Most of the precious moments happened in my Spring break holiday. I went to Florida to spend my 10- day Spring break with my friends from Macau. Both Miami and Orlando are located in Florida. We spent five days in Miami and another five days in Orlando. Miami, is home to glamorous South Beach, famed for its colorful art deco buildings, white sand and surfside hotels. Moreover, I tried a new sport, sea kayaking in the National Marine Park. It is quite difficult to do such rare sports in Hong Kong. I rode the kayak along the lakes and the seaside using a paddle. A wide selection of jellyfish, marine animals and plants could be identified along my 3- hour journey. I had a more in- depth knowledge about the bio- diversity in the park. The Miami Beach In Miami, I could get in touch with the natural beauty of the United States, but in Orlando, it is the hub of theme parks. Chief among its claims to fame is Walt Disney World. Only this Walt Disney Park is eligible to Watching NBA in Miami

4 be entitled World as it is comprised of four parks, including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and two other water parks. April As Boston College is a catholic school, students can enjoy a one- week Easter holiday. (There is no public holiday for Easter in the United States!) I travelled to Washington D.C.. The capital of the United States is the home of numerous monuments and museums. I recommend the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum which is a place to understand the history of Holocaust and the knowledege to prevent genocide. I also went to Baltimore, a city in Maryland and next to Washington D.C.. This place is well- known for its seafood. However, there was chaos in May because of racism. After my trips, I prepared my second midterm exam as most of the courses in Boston College required two midterm exams. The National Monument May This is last month of the semester. On 1st May, my friends and I planned to go sightseeing in Chicago. It is also a metropolitan which is quite similar to Hong Kong. There were many skyscrappers such as the Willis Tower and Trump Tower. A famous dish in Chicago is the Deep Dish Pizza. The pizza is about 1.5 inch thick, with large amount of cheese and tomato sauce. The semester came to an end when I returned to Boston from Chicago. Then, the final exam started from 4th May to 12th May.

5 View of Chicago from Willis Tower General Exchange Information Visa Procedure The visa can be applied from the website ( You have to pay the required visa application fee and book an interview appointment at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong. Orientation Activities & International Services Every year, about 40 students from different parts of the world will join the exchange program of Boston College to study in this university for one semester. Some of the students come from Brazil, Italy, Australia and Japan. This is a great opportunity for students to expose themselves to a new culture. Within this exchange period, each exchange student will be matched to a local student who acts as an International Assistant. My International Assistant and I had lunched every week and we went shopping sometimes. Accomodations Most of the students in Boston College live in off campus housing due to the limited number of dometry within the school area. It is quite convenient to live off campus because the school offers fee shuttle bus in the neighbourhood near Boston College. Living off campus can avoid buying the meal plan from school which provides similar food everyday and can let you cook by yourself.

6 Courses The learning atmosphere in Boston College is quite intense. The workload of each course may be heavier than that of HKUST. Students are also competent and hard- working. Attendance will be taken for every class. In order to get a pass, students cannot skip more than 5-6 classes. Moreover, participation is highly emphasized in Boston College. We are encouraged to speak up every lesson. Course Equivalent to Workload Detail ACCT Acct midterm exams, The course incorporated Financial 1 final exam, both GAAP and IFRS Accounting weekly concepts clearly. It is easy Studies/ assignments to understand the Theory II similarity and contrast between these two accounting standards. ECON Money, Banking and Financial Markets ACCT Financial Statement Analysis MFIN Corporate Finance Fina 3304 Pop quiz every week (sometimes, every class), 2 midterm exams, 1 final exam, weekly assignment Fina 4204 Fina 4104 Group assisgnments (Harvard Business Case Studies) twice a month, 1 midterm exam, 1 group project 1 midterm exams, 1 final exam, weekly assignments, group project This is quite difficult for exchange students because the course mainly focuses on the US economy. HK students may not be familiar with the financial policy of the US government. However, this is a valuable opportunity to understand the largest economy in the world. I love this course the most as Professor Feldman used practical examples to cultivate student the sense of critical analysis. Working on the cases in a group allowed me to collaborate with the local students. This course teaches a series of technical knowledge such as the 1 approaches to value a stock and the importance of corporate governance.

7 Social clubs and Networking opportunities There will be a fair held in the college during February. Students can join as many clubs as they like. No fees will be collected when students join the club. Food In order to search different cuisines in the United States, I recommend to use a mobile app, Yelp for reference. It is user- friendly and similar to Openrice. Climate Although going to exchange is a fun experience, I had to overcome many difficulties. The weather was piercing cold when I first arrived at Boston. Adapting to the severe weather, which was about - 20 degree Celsius, was not easy for Hong Kong students. Also, there were many blizzards in Boston this year that broke the historical record of all time seasonal snowfall. The storm dumped rain, sleet, and snow leaving hundreds of thousands without power and as much as five feet of snow on the ground. The snowstorm lasted for four months till April, which indicated the seriousness of the blizzard this year. View outside of my apartment during the blizzard

8 Items to Bring Passport Towels Boots (for snow day) Internet cable Lotion (very dry in winter) Sunglasses Visa Formal suits Sports shoes (for workout) Multisocket Some food (for the first few days if you are not familiar with your neighbourhood) Inusrance aggrements Down Jacket Slippers Adaptors Chargers Laptop Campus map (google map) Camera Clothes Lip balm Portable mobile charger Medicine Gloves Cap