RWTH Aachen Feedback from CMU students

As a CMU student living in Germany , I had opportunities and experiences rarely afforded most American students. Living in Europe and coping with everyday tasks in a foreign language is both challenging and rewarding, and dealing with the bureaucracy of a different society makes each day a learning experience. RWTH is an internationally renowned technical university, and many of the professors are known throughout Europe . The German educational system allows students a great deal of freedom to tailor their course of study, and students are expected to use sources outside of class to supplement their education.

In addition, opportunities to add to my education abroad in other ways abounded. While really submerged in the culture, I learned a new way of thinking and found that there are other points of view on international problems and issues that had never before occurred to me. Living with other German students also helped me to learn the language quickly and easily. Because Aachen is such a large university and attracts students from all over the world, I made many good friends whose backgrounds are vastly different from my own. I even got to learn some Swedish. Furthermore, the very central location of Aachen allowed me the opportunity to travel all over Europe . The historic significance of Aachen encouraged me to develop an interest in European history.

The exchange taught me how to be successful in a new and unfamiliar environment, allowed me to be truly independent both socially and academically, and really broadened my perspective on the world. I believe that living overseas and taking classes in German has given me abilities sought after in the job market and will make me more employable in the future. Not to mention, it was one of the best years of my life!

Meredith Welsh

Overall, I think Aachen was a wonderful experience. The classes were, for the most part, very good. I like the German educational system in the way that all students are largely responsible for their own education. There is more freedom in which classes one may take, and few of the professors really follow a book. Students are expected to obtain their own information from any sources that are available to them, and every institute has its own library and center for helping students. In Waermeuebertragung, for example, I used a few different sources and have discovered that they present the ideas from many different points of view. I feel like I am getting a broader view than I usually do at CMU, and the style of learning suits me. I like having more time to actually learn the material. With no real graded homework, we really have an opportunity to learn according to our own learning styles.

The social life here is wonderful. Most of our friends were exchange students, and there was always plenty for us to do socially. There was rarely a weekend without an opportunity to go to some party or other, and there was a weekly meeting of ERASMUS students in a local pub, which is always a good time to practice German. There were also sports and music opportunities here. I shared an apartment with two Germans and an Irish woman, and I had no problems with any of them. The Germans that I lived with were very helpful.

CMU students will not find a more central location in Europe than Aachen . It is near many wonderful cities and borders several other countries. If one wants to travel, all one has to do is jump on a train or a bus, and it is relatively inexpensive. The atmosphere in Aachen is enchanting at some times and dull at others, just like most other places. The atmosphere is quite a bit cheerier in the summer. There are many things to do and people from all over the world. The culture in Aachen is highly based on students, as there are over 40,000 students in Aachen .

Melissa Lott

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