Jilin University

[roddy]

This topic is for discussion and reviews of Jilin University. Accommodation, courses, on-campus facilities and activities - anything to do with Jilin University goes in here. If there's a lot of discussion about any one particular topic we might split it into a new thread and leave a link here.

[Alex Whiteman]

Hello,

I'm writing this thread after looking up some info on both Jilin Daxue itself, the city it's located in and it's alternatives.

Basically I'm considering taking a year off to travel and study Chinese Full time.

Most of my questions can probably be answered by someone who has studied or is studying Chinese where I'm (so far) planning to go.

I'll get to the points:

Jilin University - Academics

a) I've heard the classes are all taught in Chinese. I've recently had a full time (but short) course with very little English spoken in them. What saved me was that the books had these succint explanations in English - just enough to understand the main grammar points - so that I could study on my own without any problem. I ended up doing rather well. So. . . what are textbooks used at Jilin Daxue like?.

b) By the time I begin taking this course I'll probably have already passed the HSK II, but not with a very high grade. What level of fluency can I expect after a year studying full time?

c) While I'm there I might as well give the BCT exam too a try. Does the university in question offer specific courses for this? How do I prepare? I suppose that, as with HSK, there are books for it but I haven't seen them yet.

Jilin University - Comfort

d) The way some of the available online info is written seems ambiguous to me a bit. To be clear: I want a single room with a western style bathroom (private); much like at a hotel. So, which "dorm/hotel" is the right for me? "Friendship Hotel" or "Nanhu Hotel"? What are the differences? any problems of booking a type of room and then getting another one?.

e) Since I'm at it, do any of those dorms have western style beds? I endured a Chinese one for a month and that was crazy/fun and "part of the experience" and so on. Not sure I can endure a whole year without sleeping sideways - ever. No biggie, still, if there aren't - but I'll begin thinking ways round the problem. . .

f) Swimming pool and/or gym. I'm not pulling your leg. I value my fitness very much (I train up to 6 times a week if I'm doing well). So what can you tell me about those? I suppose there's also other people who want to keep fit while they study and that they go round this problem somehow. Maybe by paying a more equiped gym downtown? What about some martial arts courses in the Daxue? i'd love it if they had such thing.

g) Food: If I read right, I've read a post or blog somewhere commenting positively and saying there were plenty of alternatives; even different cuisines. Then some other blog saying eating the campus food was "unwholesome" or somesuch. . . What's your opinion?.

h) Social: I like the idea of coming to a large uni with a large foreign student population (even if not western). I also assume that people going to a place like that (-30C in winter or something) will be more or less intelligent who a real interest in studying and meeting like-minded others.

So, just to confirm: Do people generally get along and make friends there?

In my one-month Beijing-experience thing - ok it was a much smaller school - but all I saw was two major cliques based on nationality and language. I was lucky to be there with 3 people from my country, so we also had our little group to discuss things with. Then there was this girl one who happened to have a completely different nationality from everyone else and, guess what, the result was that she was just left alone most of the time (in my limited view).

So here comes my other issue: age. I feel young, but i'm not that young, I'm 32. In my mindset, it's perfectly reasonable for someone around my age to take a year off from his/her profession and do something like this - but I'm not too convinced on how the environment will react to me.

Aside from not been too keen on being looked at as "the strange old man of the group", on my part, and proof that I'm really not that young after all is that, last time, I was not comfortable between people being noisy, talking loud over the teacher's explanation and basically acting like they just got out of high school. As a general rule, I sure get along with people in their mid and late 20s. . . but no much younger (other than exceptions).

So, what to expect? what are the demographics? At a place like Jilin I'd expect a slightly older crowd. - but I'm not sure.

Misc

i) I understand the dialect spoken in Changchun is good for learing Standard Mandarin. Just confirming. Someone told me the exact opposite of that last weekend; must have been confused.

j) HYCC: Did you use this service? Was it necessary? What was your experience?.

k) I know the chances in Changchun might be much more limited than in Shanghai or Beijing. But being there a year anyway I tought I could possibly do some networking amongst expatriates. Hopefully to get a job there or wherever. Not much into teaching languages; my fields are Management and Finance (bachelor's and master's degrees, respectively). Nothing much, seeing if I can do something like an internship or junior position somewhere; just for the experience.

l) Last but not least: the budget.

Doing a very rough calculation I estimated mine somewehre between 15.000 US$ and 20.000 US$ for the whole year.

That includes the plane tickets which for me are over/about U$4.000.

Is this more or less correct?

[WestTexas]

Doing a very rough calculation I estimated mine somewehre between 15.000 US$ and 20.000 US$ for the whole year.

That includes the plane tickets which for me are over/about U$4.000.

Is this more or less correct?

This seems high. How much does the school cost? Why is your plane ticket so much? I found round-trip tickets to/from Houston from Beijing for 7k RMB, or slightly over $1000, and I think it's cheaper than that from most places in Europe.

If you are 32 and have the money, you should rent your own apartment. It sounds like you won't be happy with on-campus accommodations.

Most campus food at Chinese unis is bad, in my experience.

Not sure what you mean by 'Chinese style bed'. If you are just talking about the mattresses being hard, you can get a big foam pad to put on top that will help.

I also assume that people going to a place like that (-30C in winter or something) will be more or less intelligent who a real interest in studying and meeting like-minded others.

Maybe you shouldn't make assumptions about people from other countries living in a country you are not from. I don't quite get your logic of 'super cold winter = serious, intelligent, and sociable students'.

To be honest, your list of desires is rather long. By having such a long list of things you want, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Changchun is not Beijing. If Changchun is a second-tier city, it is close to the bottom of that tier. If you are going there to learn Chinese, maybe you should concentrate on that and not be concerned about a gym, the foreigner social scene, or internships.

[Alex Whiteman]

WestTexas][/color] Why is your plane ticket so much? I found round-trip tickets to/from Houston from Beijing for 7k RMB' date=' or slightly over $1000, and I think it's cheaper than that from most places in Europe.

[/quote']

Because I'm further away. Maybe it's not proportional but those are the prices we get. Depending on the airline and so on, they go down to a little over US$ 2000 but no much less.

My estimate is indeed rough. I have the details somewhere in a spreadsheet. I'm probably over estimating all the miscellaneous costs. I'll have to work on that and see what can actually be identified and quantified rather than throwing a lump sum on top.

That said, yes, my air ticket does drive my costs up.

WestTexas][/color] If you are 32 and have the money' date=' you should rent your own apartment. It sounds like you won't be happy with on-campus accommodations.

Most campus food at Chinese unis is bad, in my experience [/quote']

When I was in Beijing I felt the accomodations were ok-ish - except for the things that did not work (weather-wise, that can be a concern here). Accomodations at Jilin uni look good as far as the pics go.

They say renting is cheaper than a single room at the uni but I think I would be more comfortable in the later (being in the same building as the classrooms, for one). That, assuming, as I said, that I get my own private space.

I liked the food too. That's why I wanted to know more about the particular case of Jilin Daxue.

WestTexas][/color] Maybe you shouldn't make assumptions about people from other countries living in a country you are not from. I don't quite get your logic of 'super cold winter = serious' date=' intelligent, and sociable students'. [/quote']

Sorry, if it sounds that way but I didn't mean that connection.

I meant that if people go to a place like that, there's a good chance their number one priority will be studying and what it entails - as there are better places to have fun and cause trouble. (Jilin seems like an awesome uni without too many distractions around.)

WestTexas][/color] If you are going there to learn Chinese' date=' maybe you should concentrate on that and not be concerned about a gym, the foreigner social scene, or internships.

[/quote']

Thank you for your opinion, studies are indeed my priority but I also care about all those other things. As for the gym: "Mens sana in corpore sano" - that's all I have to add. Anything else, PM, as this thread is not really about me.

[roddy]

Merging into the existing Jilin University topic (which you might not have found, as I'd misplaced it in the index.)

[Alex Whiteman]

Thank you.

I really wasn't sure where to post it (as you say, I hadn't found this thread).

Here's my questions, abridged, no explanations, for people who don't have time reading my long post:

(Please reply if you have at least one or two of the answers, everything helps.)

Jilin University - Academics

a) Do the textbooks used at Jilin Daxue have at least some English in them? (still need it).

b) I'll be HSK II when I start. What level of fluency can I expect after a year studying full time? After 6 months?

c) Can the university help me prepare for the BCT exam? are there books for this?

Jilin University - Comfort

d) In which dorm can I get a single room with a priuvate (western) bathroom? "Friendship Hotel" or "Nanhu Hotel"? What are the differences? Any problems booking?

e) Do any of those dorms have western style beds?

f) What can you tell about the swimming pool and/or gym? Martial arts courses at the Daxue, any chance?

g) How's the food? i've heard you can choose between different restaurants/cafeterias.

h) What are the demographics? Do students from different nationalities mix and get along with each other? I'll be 32 by then so I'd prefer a (slightly) older crowd.

Misc

i) I understand the dialect spoken in Changchun is good for learing Standard Mandarin. I just want to confirm this.

j) HYCC: Did you use this service? Was it necessary? What was your experience?.

k) Any chance getting a job in Administration/Finance somewhere (in English)?. Maybe sending my resume to companies in Beijing or Shanghai? Once I'm done studying of course.

l) What's the budget (bulk sum) for a trip like this. My airplane ticket is at least 3000 US$, other than that I don't expect to have above average expenditures.

Thanks.

[laowang]

I would like to answer some of your questions. Hope it helps.

Jilin University - Academics

a) Do the textbooks used at Jilin Daxue have at least some English in them? (still need it).

Yes there some English in them at some lower levels.

b) I'll be HSK II when I start. What level of fluency can I expect after a year studying full time? After 6 months?

Roughly to say you will be HSK 4-5 a fter a year study.

c) Can the university help me prepare for the BCT exam? are there books for this?

BCT preparation classes will start depending on BCT students numbers. There are books for BCT. Or you can go to private Chinese schools to study BCT.

Jilin University - Comfort

d) In which dorm can I get a single room with a priuvate (western) bathroom? "Friendship Hotel" or "Nanhu Hotel"? What are the differences? Any problems booking?

You can get a single dorm with a priuvate (western) bathroom either at Friendship Hotel or Nanhu Hotel. There are different depending on your Chinese level. Cooking will be OK but you have to wait, because you have to use the public kitchen, no kitchen in your own room.

e) Do any of those dorms have western style beds?

I am not sure about the western beds. You need some blankets or foam mattres on it.

f) What can you tell about the swimming pool and/or gym? Martial arts courses at the Daxue, any chance?

Near Friendship Hotel, there is one swimming pool. If you are on Nanhu Hotel campus, you have to Friendship. It is about 15-20 minutes bus. You have to skip into Martial arts courses if you are lucky.

g) How's the food? i've heard you can choose between different restaurants/cafeterias.

Yes you have too many choices for Chinese different food.

h) What are the demographics? Do students from different nationalities mix and get along with each other? I'll be 32 by then so I'd prefer a (slightly) older crowd.

Chinese students are young from 21-26. Foreign students are from 20-60!

Misc

i) I understand the dialect spoken in Changchun is good for learing Standard Mandarin. I just want to confirm this.

Yes Changchunnese speak good Mandarin.

j) HYCC: Did you use this service? Was it necessary? What was your experience?.

I am the HYCC guy. HYCC is necessary if you want things easy. It is not necessary if you can manage all by yourself.

I helped a lot students form the world!

k) Any chance getting a job in Administration/Finance somewhere (in English)?. Maybe sending my resume to companies in Beijing or Shanghai? Once I'm done studying of course.

A job in Administration/Finance will be difficult for you. If you are a native English speaker with a white face, teaching English will be easy.

l) What's the budget (bulk sum) for a trip like this. My airplane ticket is at least 3000 US$, other than that I don't expect to have above average expenditures.

Changchun is building more roads in the past 2 years, so traffic is not good now. It might take another 2 years to finsih.

[laowang]

There is a gym near the north gate of Jilin University (Friendship Hotel Campus) which is cheap and you can find Chinese dance, martial arts etc. On Nanhu campus, you no options for the gym but a small one in the Nanhu Hotel, which is open for the foreign students.

[Alex Whiteman]

Awesome. I hadn't checked this thread in a long time, hence the late reply. Thank you.

[Guest Sayuri]

Does anyone knows the correct e-mail address of Jilin Daxue?
I send e-mails to their official e-mails but got no answer...
And question to you forumers: how do you think how many chances 

to be enrolled under the support of China Goverment scholarship i have if i have HSK　４？
I want to get master's degree in Jilindaxue

[betta.c]

Hi, does anyone have any advice / info on the Jilin Huaqiao Foreign Languages Institute?