Details

• United States of America
• MACEMS-17
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

I was selected through the CEMS/ MiM program. To be best prepared for the exchange, I recommend the following: 1. Talk to someone from WU who also spent an exchange semester at Cornell (or at least at another US school). You can find people by talking to your program managers or through research on LinkedIn 2. Be informed about important deadlines (e.g. enrollment, insurance payment, mobility grant application) 3. Conduct research about offered courses prior to enrollment (pro tip: use "scheduler" function offered by Cornell to build your own preliminary schedule) 4. Reach out to other CEMS students to find accommodation together (Cornell program manager sends out Link to sign up in a Excel document to find other students who are also looking for a room) 5. Book flight and secure accommodation in advance (for me AirLingus had a very good offer from Vienna to NYC but check Skyscanner to compare across several airlines and platforms) 6. Make sure to get all vaccinations in time (some require several shots - therefore start early)

2. Accommodation

I shared an apartment with 5 other international exchange students. We found the apartment through Ithaca Rental and they even offered us a 5 month lease which is not common in the US. I have found my roommates through a document which the host school sent out for students who are looking for rooms. The apartment was located in Collegetown and I would highly recommend the area since it is close to the university and some restaurants. Apartments in downtown tend to be a bit cheaper but require a bus to commute to university daily. Ithaca is in general a very safe town, so I find it hard to mention any areas to avoid because of safety reasons.

3. Academic life at host university

The best thing about an exchange semester at Cornell is definitely the wide variety of classes taught by world-class professors. Particularly in the financial area I found it very enriching, as I felt the offering was much larger than at WU. However, it is also possible to take classes outside of the business area if you don't need the credits. Therefore, I recommend taking a look at the entire class roster of all different schools and faculties in order to also try out something new. In general, the classes are taught in a very interactive way and you can score good on participation if you come prepared and ask lots of questions. The professors are usually also very approachable and offer many opportunities for exchange. Definitely make use of the office hours and try to engage with them as much as possible. In regards of infrastructure, Cornell offers a lot of inspiring study spots across its historic and beautiful buildings. My favorite ones were Uris and the Law Library but there are plenty of places to discover and I highly recommend exploring every corner of the campus.

5. Every day life in the host country

Usually I would start my day around 8am with a short walk to university since I had classes everyday. Normally classes start at 10am, but this depends highly on the course selection. There are also a few classes that start earlier and a lot that start later throughout the day. Since I took a bit more coursework during the semester I would spend time on campus until around 7pm where I jump around between classes and libraries, making sure to grab lunch or coffee with friends. Afterwards, I usually went to the gym before cooking dinner at home with my roommates. During the week, I would usually study again from 9:30pm until midnight but on the weekends we sometimes also went out to one of the three bars in Collegetown or invited friends to our home. Although I did not use public transport very frequently, I was very pleased with the connections and it was even included in our student fees. Therefore, it was very convenient when going to downtown or to one of the sport facilities on the other side of the campus.

6. Testimonial

For me this exchange was transformational and enriching in any possible way, but I think it was particularly special for two reasons: 1. The academic opportunities are incredible. The class offerings have something in store for everyone and there are so many student clubs and extracurricular opportunities available. I am beyond grateful for how my professors supported my through this journey and enabled me to maximize my learning experience. It can also be very challenging at some points but it is worth every second of it! 2. The people - for me, it was particularly my roommates who made this exchange so special. Living with 5 different international exchange students from 5 different countries with completely diverse backgrounds helped me look at life from very different angles and opened my eyes in so many ways. However, it did not stop with my roommates or the cohort of my program. I met very interesting and inspiring people in many of my classes - whether they were experienced MBA students or undergraduate athletes, each and every one contributed to this semester full of insightful and encouraging encounters.