From Cabin Crew to a Silicon Valley MSBA: My First Two Months at Santa Clara University

Hi everyone! I’m so happy to meet you through this WeChat article, and I hope my experience can be helpful as you make your own school decisions.

My name is Bin Jie, and I’m a Spring 2026 MSBA student at Santa Clara University (SCU).

Before applying, I actually didn’t know much about SCU either. At the time, I was determined to study in California, so I only applied to four schools: UC Irvine, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and UCLA.

I started preparing my application materials on my own in January 2025 and later received an offer from UC Irvine, along with a $7,500 MSBA scholarship, as well as an offer from UC Davis, which came with a $20,000 MSBA scholarship.

Later, a friend who was studying at San José State University in the Bay Area recommended SCU to me. She told me it was a great university located right in the heart of Silicon Valley and suggested that I give it a try.

After doing more research online, I found that SCU’s MSBA program was ranked No. 9 in the U.S. News specialty rankings. On top of that, when I was working as a cabin crew member for Cathay Pacific, I had flown to San Francisco many times and made several special trips to visit SCU and explore the surrounding area. The campus was beautiful, the weather was sunny, and I fell in love with the place almost immediately.

After visiting both San Francisco and Los Angeles, I realized that neither city was really the best fit for me. San Francisco felt a little too cool, while Los Angeles was a bit too hot. The climate in Silicon Valley, on the other hand, felt just right.

Having traveled to many cities across the United States, I genuinely love the Bay Area. I’m not particularly drawn to the hustle and bustle of New York, the seriousness of Boston, or the more laid-back atmosphere of Los Angeles. Instead, I really appreciate the Bay Area’s clean architectural style, open spaces, and the people here, who tend to be straightforward yet warm and helpful.

Application Experience

For English proficiency, I scored 7.5 on IELTS. I took the test three times, and my main strategy was simply to practice as many questions as possible.

Choosing the right test center was also important. I took my IELTS exam in Japan, where the cost was roughly half of what it would have been in China, and I personally felt that the test was relatively manageable there.

I also scored 321 on the GRE and took the exam twice. After repeatedly practicing questions on the computer, I gradually became more comfortable and efficient.

At first, I was worried that taking the entire exam on a computer might affect my performance, but in reality, it didn’t. From my experience, the more you practice, the better your results are likely to be.

After Arriving at SCU

I’ve now been here for a little over two months.

Finding housing in Silicon Valley can definitely be challenging. I spent almost a month staying with a friend and commuting about an hour and a half each day to and from school. Still, I believe everyone can eventually find a place that works for them.

Now, let’s talk about one of the most important things: SCU’s resources.

The university offers an incredible number of activities and events. Unlike at some large public universities where students may need to compete for limited opportunities, there are so many events here that you may actually need to plan your schedule carefully just to keep up.

Many events also provide free food, and they can be great opportunities to meet accomplished professionals and industry experts. Of course, whether you can turn those encounters into meaningful, long-term connections depends on your own initiative and communication skills.

The university theater offers students free performance tickets, and the campus gym is also free to use. There is even a huge swimming pool.

Dining on campus is not cheap—Silicon Valley prices are pretty comparable to New York—but students can load money onto their campus cards and receive tax-free pricing at dining locations. Each academic year, students also receive a certain amount of free printing credit.

In addition, our program director frequently sends emails sharing information about upcoming campus activities and off-campus events.

Students can also sign up to volunteer at major events around the Bay Area. There are many on-campus job opportunities as well. A lot of my friends already have campus jobs, and positions such as TA and RA roles are available.

As long as you are motivated and willing to put in the effort, I really believe SCU gives you the resources to pursue the goals that brought you here in the first place.

By the way, our school mascot is the Bronco—a black horse. I like to think that every SCU student is just like the Bronco: eventually, we will stand out and make our mark.

About the Courses

I personally came into the program without a coding background.

Over the past two months, I’ve learned Tableau, Python, and R, and so far, the difficulty has been completely manageable. The professors are also very patient.

There is a large Asian community in the Bay Area, and many professors can speak Chinese and are happy to explain things in Chinese when needed, which can be very helpful for Chinese-speaking students.

As long as you stay engaged and put in the work, I really don’t think academics will be a major problem.

A Few More Thoughts

Employment is definitely one of the biggest concerns for international students, and the job market can be challenging. But some of my friends have already started receiving job offers, so please keep believing in yourself.

International students may sometimes be at a slight disadvantage when it comes to language, but you will always have strengths in other areas that make you stand out.

SCU also offers plenty of competitions and hands-on activities. I’ve participated in a Hackathon and a Showdown, and I really enjoy the sense of achievement that comes from working on group projects.

I’m also looking forward to meeting more people, taking on new challenges, and continuing to grow here.

SCU has already brought me so much happiness, and I’d love to welcome you here someday!

The campus is truly beautiful. When I arrived for the spring quarter, the wisteria was in full bloom, along with huge roses in all kinds of colors—and, of course, our iconic “Big Pineapple.”

Enjoy the campus views! ❤