<p>I don’t know. Probably June (?)</p>
<p>I got in with 7500 a year!</p>
<p>Hey can you share your financial aid package??</p>
<p>I hear Jacobs isn’t performing too well of late. I have a friend in Bremen, who told me that it’s going bankrupt.</p>
<p>Well that’s not good news. Can anyone confirm this?</p>
<p>Current student here. Maybe I’m too late to reply this. But no, it’s not going bankrupt. As a new university, it lacks of funding from alumni unlike most other well known universities in the world, but as there are more people graduating and the alumni getting older (which means some will become more generous with money :P) then it will resolve itself I guess. Eventually. In fact, there is alumni scholarship already each year. As outcoming batches grow larger, I’m sure it will get better.</p>
<p>Sorry mate, I registered just because of your post. I am trying to transfer to JUB. Could you maybe provide more information about the current situation? What’s the general atmosphere right now? How is it like for students who receive financial aid/loans? Would you recommend it to people who are into science and engineering (Biotechnology)? I would appreciate your input on this. Thanks</p>
<p>Which college is more social active at Jacobs? Krupp or College 3?</p>
<p>I’m sorry but attending Jacobs University was probably one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made, honestly. I don’t know how else to convey this to you, but please don’t attend this institution. I am a American minority female who was majoring in Computer Science there, so if my background sounds biased to you already, you don’t have to read on. I just want to give my honest opinion. There’s barely anyone there from the US and there are barely any African Americans. The population is mostly homogenous with Germans comprising about 40% of the student population. </p>
<p>It’s so easy to feel isolated on campus and one could literally stay in their room all semester and no one would tell them anything until they have to charge tuition. There is not even certainty behind the existence of this university (it’s only guaranteed to be open until 2017), and the admin is in constant downfall, with people switching in and out, only trying to get money out of the place. The president resigned a few months after he was hired because he was giving more money to his supporters and himself than the school. </p>
<p>The student organizations here are poorly organized, and no one cares about the the USG or the Undergraduate Student Government because they just don’t do anything productive or change the way admin runs things in their favor. </p>
<p>If you think you’re going to travel, think again. Jacobs is just one big bubble and Bremen is so terribly isolated, it takes effort to get off campus to go anywhere.</p>
<p>The health insurance companies also make sure to take advantage of international students. They WILL charge you extra without hesitation even if you have no idea whats going on. Everything you receive in your mailbox (official documents, ANYTHING) will be in German so you better make German friends fast because NOTHING will be translated for you. </p>
<p>Most classes are large so the whole “small classes” you hear about is just false advertising. Grading is strict and the average GPA for most students is in the high 2.0’s. Jacobs has a different grading system from the US with 1.0 being the highest mark (A+) and anything below 3.67 is failing.</p>
<p>The professors are worse than the professors Ive had in the US while taking dual enrollment classes during high school at community colleges. Seriously, they lacked clear subject explanations for most of my classes, except ironically, my German language class. I thought it would get better with time or if I studied more, but neither of those two pathways helped me in the long run. Workload for CS is extremely high but my friends who are GEM, Logistics, BCCB, and International Relations majors all have that same amount of high workload. Lots of essay, lots of peer reviews, long lab hours, it is what it is. Lack of sleep/high course load is all too common, but I think this is pretty cliche for any university, so I won’t hold that against Jacobs.</p>
<p>If excessive smoking and drinking bother you, its very bad here. Personally, I’m not much into drugs/smoke/alcohol so I won’t say anything else related to that scene besides the fact that I see a lot of smokers and beer bottles around. Then again, it is Germany, so beer will be offered to you at least several times in your time here. It’s pretty normal to have beer at parties.</p>
<p>Please just go to a university in America, learn from my huge mistake. I’m transferring to a college in Massachusetts this year and I hope I never have to hear about Jacobs in the future again. </p>
<p>I will admit the people here are great but as awesome as they are, they can’t make up for the lack of quality in academics, teaching quality, administration, and overall organization of the university. And yes, if you care a lot about the dorms, they are nice, spacious, and theres plenty of privacy, but this DOES NOT matter when college just boils down to academic quality and what you are able to learn from the experience socially and mentally. </p>
<p>PLEASE PLEASE stay far far away from this university. I beg of you! If you’re looking to study abroad or save money by studying here for only 3 years (that’s how long it takes to earn a degree), you are NOT going to like what there is here, trust me!</p>
<p>I just don’t want anyone to have to go through all the expenses and stress one comes to possess while at this university. As an American student, I just want to give a fair warning to anyone looking to apply to this university from the US. Look elsewhere. Please. Youll be all happier that you did.</p>
<p>I’m telling you now, if you’re looking to apply to apply to Jacobs because of one of the following reasons…</p>
<p>1) You really love Germany.
2) You want an international/diverse student body.
3) You want great academic quality in teaching.
4) You want a presitgious degree from an institution that is recognized worldwide.
5) You want to explore Europe.
6) Or my favorite, you want to save money and get a Bachelors degree in just 3 years.</p>
<p>…look, seriously, there are ALTERNATIVES. These are some of the reasons I myself applied this year.</p>
<p>If you love Germany, visit again and make sure you love Germany before you decide to study here for 3 years. Weather is dismal/dark most of the time, so if you’re used to West Coast weather, be prepared.</p>
<p>The international student body is great, it is. You really can find people from all over the world here and yes if you feel up to the challenge, you can converse with them and pry all this fascinating information from them (only if you’re up to the challenge). This doesn’t change, however, how people still isolate themselves within their own countries. Georgians with Georgians, Romanians with Romanians, Chinese with Chinese, Germans with Germans, etc. – that’s how it is set up all the time when it comes to the dining halls. You have to either be open minded or you have to be one of the few people from your country to really immerse yourself with others.</p>
<p>The academic teaching quality is not what I expected. Most professors are just not concerned with whether the student understands a topic or not. Research is emphasized here but that doesn’t help with teaching. There are tutoring sessions held by current students on the weekends, but you’re really on your own when coming to understand all the material.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for a prestigious degree, Jacobs is only 10 years old. I only came across it when I looked directly for universities in Germany. Otherwise, it’s pretty much completely unknown in the US. You’re much better off getting a state university degree, for the academic value and price tag.</p>
<p>If you want to explore Europe, it is expensive unless it’s local exploration. Bremen is isolated. Anyone here will tell you do that. Like I mentioned before, you do have to make a large effort to really get out and explore the rest of what Europe has to offer. Hence, the phrase that has been dubbed by students before I entered… “the Jacobs bubble”. It’s hard to pop out of, literally and figuratively.</p>
<p>Now, my favorite reason for wanting to attend Jacobs University… you can save money.
If every other college has rejected you, don’t think you’re going to be saving money here. Remember, Euros are of higher value. 1.33 Dollars = 1 Euro. I received a scholarship and I still had to pay roughly 3000 euros (~4000 dollars) for external expenses (health insurance, travel, dining, laundry, shopping, school, etc.). The 3000 euros is on top of the ~10000 euros (~14,000 dollars) tuition. So overall, we’re taking $18k per semester. That’s $108k for 3 years. If you don’t get a scholarship, it’s a lot more (at least $130k). This is a whole lot of crap ton money for 3 years of schooling. No, sorry, I think I’d rather go to an in-state university in this situation.</p>
<p>You may be thinking this cost is actually pretty decent, but really it’s not. </p>
<p>Now if you’re willing to spend that money from a low-tier university, go right on ahead, but start preparing for a lot of student loans.</p>
<p>The point of this extremely long post is to provide a warning for prospective applicants from the US primarily so they can spare making the same mistake I made. It’s been a hellish experience and I wouldn’t bear to have even any half-good soul to go through what I’ve had to go through. And yes, I realize this is only one opinion of many, but really, how much do you REALLY know about Jacobs at this point? Just at least visit Jacobs before you go making any rash decision, please!</p>
<p>Hey everybody!</p>
<p>As you can see, I have created this account exclusively to tell you another tale about Jacobs University Bremen. Summing up: DO NOT GO THERE!</p>
<p>As twostepsfromit has already stated, all her reasons are totally true. Another Computer Science student here, 1st year, currently trying to transfer to Scotland. During this first semester here, I have found the worst university I have entered during my lifetime. </p>
<p>First of all, lack of academics: yes, what my colleague here has already said, this university has worse professors than 95% of all German public universities and any other above-average university in Europe. The courses are extremely outdated, the professors do not care about any of their students( they will not reply to most of your emails), research possibilities as a student being ALMOST INEXISTENT. Moreover, the core courses, like my General Computer Science, are full of incompetent, sarcastic and frustrated teaching assistants, the professors giving them FULL RIGHTS on the student’s GPA( yes, they grade EXAMS, homeworks, they post homeworks, they grade quizes… thus, the professors end up doing NOTHING). You will also have the chance to see almost all your professors writing on blackboards from their NOTEBOOKS( well, of course, 1-2-3 phrases would not be a problem, but when you write entirely, word by word, from your notebook/ coursebook, I don’t see why I shouldn’t be a professor, right?). This means LACK OF RESPECT and arrogance showed by incompetent, unknown professors to students coming even from 10 thousand kilometers away.</p>
<p>Secondly, sports facilities: yes yes yes, I know that everyone has seen the Sports Center on their website, but most of the time it will be filled with old men from the surroundings of the university playing instead of the students. Even though there is a huge football pitch outside that is free all the time, NO ONE can use it unless there are football team practice( if you just want to play some football with your friends, this is IMPOSSIBLE if you haven’t been selected in the football team together with all the friends you want to play with). </p>
<p>Thirdly, being isolated from everything, being forced to live on your own, 90% of your time in your own room studying, well that is extremely frustrating. All the other reasons here have been covered above!( thanks again, twostepsfromit 
)</p>
<p>Fourthly, this university will close most probably in 2018( or 2019, anyway, the Master Degrees there are starting being closed because of lack of professors, all the good ones having left). So maybe you will not even have the chance of graduating!</p>
<p>Summing up, this university has been, for me as well, the WORST DECISION OF MY LIFE! So please, I truly want you all folks to reconsider your options, think about it very carefully because now you have the time and patience to apply to more universities and eliminate this one from your choices! Good luck!</p>
<p>Choose the university with the ** best fit ** for you. Jacobs is not for everyone.</p>
<p>Remember, Jacobs is 2 times smaller than even some smaller LACs in the US — it surely can’t fit everyone’s social or academic need. It’s like you want to do fashion design yet you choose Caltech oo"</p>
<p>Indeed, there are people like twostepsfromit and asimplestudent — frustrated, disillusioned. Academics can be intense, especially when your high school preparation lacked rigor. or you simply don’t know what you are signing up for, e.g. people choose engineering because of the job prospects, without understanding the engineering curriculum. Same for CS, I guess.</p>
<p>So is Jacobs for you? I’m not sure. Education is an investment. Pick it only if it is the most financially feasible option (e.g. scholarship, grants. Minimal loan — don’t burden yourself before you can even start earning).</p>
<p>If all else being equal financially, are you academically prepared for your intended major? 1. Most international student have completed the equivalent of Abitur/A levels/IB/freshmen level of most US colleges 2. Some are even more prepared: e.g. people with International Physics/Maths/Informatics Olympiad medals. 3. A few majors are not there to cuddle you and hold your hands, e.g. computer science, electrical engineering ---- there are simply too many CS- and EE-wannabes — happens anywhere in any major university — so my guess is there is a need for “quality control” and “wake-up call” for those who are not determined enough. Compare this with the “weed-out classes” in any big public universities like UC Berkeley, Michigan, UIUC.</p>
<p>Finally, the social scene. Jacobs is unique in its diverse student population, but you still have to make an effort to reach out to others, as in anywhere else. Some tend to stay in their own clique or nationality, but I believe this is a natural social phenomenon. It’s up to you how to break the ice. At least I feel it’s still more open and convivial than other universities, for instance in Cambridge and Imperial where I visited during winter breaks. People there (my friends included) tended to stay with their own gang most of the time — eat, sleep, hanging out, even during classes. At the end of their 3 or 4 years, many of them only know those from the same country/cultural background. At Jacobs, you’d have contacts in all 5 major continents after you graduate.</p>
<p>Now, about asimplestuddent’s comments. 1. There are good and there are bad professors. Happens in most universities, even Harvard or MIT or Stanford or Oxbridge, if you ask around. Sometimes it’s also whether the professor’s teaching style or level of teaching suits you — one man’s meat is another man’s poison. For that, I sympathize with you, but I also learned to study from other profs’ online videos or books if that prof is not my cup of tea — it’s the internet age, who says you must have the best professor physically in your class to learn best?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Copying lecture notes from white/blackboards. Don’t hate this, you will appreciate this in any maths-symbol-intensive classes. How much can you understand by scanning through a pdf slide in 30 seconds, versus going through the maths slowly, symbol-by-symbol, via copying? Search around Youtube and you’ll see many profs are still doing things on blackboard. CS might be different, as some areas are more applied, or at least you don’t need to go through some theoretical proofs. But still, if you really detest copying, you can choose not to, and just concentrate on understanding from the blackboard, then phone-snap your friend’s note or, if available, read from the lecture note or recommended textbooks. This is not a uniquely Jacobs situation. It really happens in any university. Learn to adapt to your learning needs.
PS: not all professors copy from their notebook. If you look around, many biochem/earth & space/intro EE/social sciences/etc profs like to flash slides. This actually only happens mostly in maths/physics classes. or if your professor happens to have maths background, like Kohlhase. </p></li>
<li><p>Research opportunities. Like always, it doesn’t come to you. You have to look for it yourself. In my first year, I did a lab-based project with a physics prof, even though I was an ECE student. Before the end of my third year, I had already published a paper. You need to be proactive to ask for opportunity. The good thing is, Jacobs is (very) small, so chances to get a research project is higher.</p></li>
<li><p>Sports. Don’t complain, just look for opportunities. At my time, there was a badminton club, and I played 3 times a week. Not sure if other sports are still available, but you can always create your own club and gather members to use the sports hall, just like how the badminton club was (re-)started. You can also jog along the Lesum river behind the campus. It’s beautiful, have you been there?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I do agree there are some problems with Jacobs that should be worked on. But specific to your cases with the CS program, I guess it’s just a problem of academic fit or expectation. Some CS folks (those who survive) are doing very well, many got internships or jobs at Microsoft, Google, etc and some work in big investment banking firms.</p>
<p>It’s like marriage. If you don’t think Jacobs fits you, maybe you also don’t fit Jacobs. Hope you guys can move on and find a better fit. For the rest, choose yours wisely.</p>
<p>Have any one of you been accepted yet?</p>
<p>I don’t see your right to make us frustrated. There are some of us, including me, who have a lot of knowledge in a particular science( in my case, computer science) prior to university. Many of the people who came to Jacobs have been accepted to many extremely good universities, with hundreds of years of experience and world-wide known professors. Jacobs is 14 years old. Yes, let’s say we shouldn’t look at it through this point of view, but the professors are lacking any possible knowledge, throwing with courseload in us without any sense. </p>
<p>ANY engineering course should come with proper laboratories. Computer Science has Pentium 4s and computers worth 200 dollars, even less hahaha. Is this a university you should choose instead of good US universities, Oxbridge and so on( or even any medium-ranked university, but which RESPECTS its students)?</p>
<p>Yes you are right at some points, especially with the social sense. Indeed, this university teaches you a lot about communication and interculturality, but this is not a thing which can fade all the bad parts.</p>
<p>Before calling other people frustrated, think about the fact that people like you delude young and promising students to come to this ****ty university. Almost forgot: quite a big number of good students in 1st year are already thinking about transfering, so that says a lot :)</p>
<p>Of course, I have nothing to do with you, maybe you are a terrific student, maybe you really like this university, but this is my opinion about Jacobs, and I would really like to expose my arguments to all the people out there who can still decide.</p>
<p>I’ve just received an offer.
Scholarship of 7500 euro and I’m still waiting for the grant.
Anybody else?</p>
<p>Got in with 5000 euro. Don’t know if I am going there or not.</p>
<p>yes, accepted with a 5000 euros scholarship. now, I’m waiting for the grant </p>
<p>Hi all… the latest part of this discussion is pretty much wrong. Jacobs University Bremen is a GREAT place - and I can only recommend it. I am on campus right now. The new semester has just started with a great choice of courses, excellent lab facilities, and a really great bunch of young professors who outperfom most other professors in regular universities. I am studying in one of the life science majors - and I can asure you, it is great.</p>
<p>Why would other people make such negative statements? Imagine you are in high school. And there are those loosers who do not compile with the rules, do not perform well, and finally complain about anything. I guess, those computer science nerds up there might belong to them. Or maybe they just thought that university would be a holiday trip. Well, it is not. But if you are eager to advance, you are eager to gain knowledge, and would like to be successful with it, GO FOR Jacobs.</p>
<p>They claim to know that the university is bancrupt… VERY UNTRUE. Jacobs University has a balanced budget due to the help of the Jacobs Foundation and the City of Bremen. Some communists believe that telling things make them true. Just because, as any other full university, Jacobs has to pay attention to its budget, does not mean that we are doing bad here. We can pay all bills - and we safe on costs where possible… Thus, do not be fooled by those stupid thoughts. Jacobs University will grow and prosper the older it gets. Keep in mind, this university is only 12+ years old - and has reached a great reputation for its size. </p>
<p>Thus, if you plan to study at a wonderful campus, with phantastic fellow students, early research opportunities, and great teachers - apply for Jacobs University.</p>
<p>I can only shake my head and wonder how people can have such a misconception or are so frustrated to tell lies about this great place. If you have the chance, come for an Open House event. Good luck with your applications. Please bare in mind that the selection process is highly competetive. No clue how some of the guys above could come here. I did not see them on campus…</p>
<p>I also got accepted! With a 7500 euro scholarship. Waiting for my financial aid package
I’m still not sure if I’m going here! I’ll need to search for more reviews!</p>
<p>Congratz to the ones accepted :)</p>
<p>Here an acceptance from California Still deciding if I am going there. But Jacobs is for sure an excellent school!</p>