Preparing for Graduate School
Hi! I’m Yinuo Wang, you can call me Betty, and I’m currently a senior studying bilingual broadcasting at the Communication University of Zhejiang. It's a pretty rare major—I don't think it’s only offered anywhere outside of China. I chose it because I like to expressing my ideas, listening to other people's perspectives and exchanging thoughts. I want to be an effective communicator who inspires people through meaningful dialogue.
I studied at Berkeley through the Berkeley Global Access Program in the Fall 2024 semester and then decided to stay for the Spring 2025 semester. What I loved most about BGA was the freedom to choose from such a wide range of classes. In the fall, I enrolled in the Career Development and Coaching Seminar, Methods in Educational and Psychological Research, Special Topics in Sociology of Culture and Popular Culture.
In the spring, I took the U.S. Graduate School Preparation Seminar, Special Topics in Film, Cross-Cultural Communications and Seminar and Research in Sociology.
These courses broadened my vision and helped me prepare for my graduate study. I'm actually considering switching to education for my graduate program in the United States.
Through BGA, I was able to experience a very different academic system compared to my undergrad—and Berkeley is such a prestigious school! But most importantly, the flexibility of the program was so exciting. At my home university, our schedules are fixed and there isn't much freedom to choose. At Berkeley, I got to take classes with Berkeley students, make friends with classmates and enjoy California in general—the sunshine, the weather and the open-mindedness.
I ended up staying for two semesters because I felt a bit regretful after finishing my first semester. I barely socialized, I stayed in my dorm and studied. Looking back, I kind of regret not exploring more. So after talking with the program advisers, I decided to stay for another semester! That turned out to be the best decision—I joined a fashion club, took more classes I was excited about and the whole experience felt complete.
Shifting to an Education Focus for My Graduate Degree
In a couple of my Berkeley classes, I was able to learn the fundamental knowledge of an education major so I could get a preview of what my education would look like in graduate school.
The Methods in Education and Psychology Research course was interesting because I had just finished working on China Family Panel Studies as a field interview during a summer internship. I saw firsthand how surveys were designed and how data was collected. During that, I wondered why they asked certain questions. Then in Berkeley, I this course gave me the theoretical background to understand both quantitative and qualitative methods, which was incredibly valuable for me as a researcher.
My favorite class was Sociology of Emotions. It introduced so many theories that suddenly made everyday life make sense—such as how emotions are formed, how they spread and what roles they play. I realized that emotions aren't just about personal feelings or moods; they also serve important functions within groups. What fascinated me most was how sociology pushes us to rethink things that we usually take for granted—and even flips them on their head with new perspectives.
But at Berkeley, even though some of my classes were in big lectures, we still had a lot of communication and the professors were all really open-minded and supportive.
Interactive Learning
The biggest difference was the level of interaction. Back home, classes are mostly lecture-based—the professor talks and students just listen.
At Berkeley, even in large lectures, there was so much space for discussion. Professions were open-minded and supportive. They encouraged me to share my opinions, challenge older theories and debate with my classmates. It was a very safe and comfortable environment that made me more confident in articulating my own ideas, an essential skill for the future.
Drawn to Museums
I loved visiting museums and traveling whenever I had the chance. I went to Seattle, New York City and Los Angeles.
In Seattle, I visited the Museum of Pop Culture, which tied perfectly with my popular culture class. It felt fresh and engaging; the exhibits on games, horror movies, celebrities and concerts made the theories fro class come alive.
I went to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum—it made me think I'd love to live there someday.
In the Bay Area, I visited BAMFA and the de Young, which is free on Thursdays. I also enjoyed just strolling around campus. The weather was perfect for relaxing on Memorial Glade in front of the Doe Library.
One of my friends from BGA lived at the Clark Kerr dorm and we would often meet up for chocolate chip pancakes at the cafeteria.
In San Francisco, I rode the cable cars, explored Chinatown and even celebrated the Chinese Spring Festival there.
Moving on to Graduate School
Now I’m thinking about applying to a graduate programs in the U.S. to study teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). My Berkeley experience solidified my aspiration to continue my education here.
I'm currently working as a full-time teacher at New Oriental, one of the leading English education companies in China. After earning my master's degree, I hope to gain more experience in course design and build cross-cultural programs that bring students together. Whether I continue my career at New Oriental or explore opportunities in the U.S., I'm open to different paths. I don't know exactly where I'll end up, but I'll work hard to pursue every opportunity that comes my way.
Attend all kinds of activities, meet new people and explore new places.
My Advice to You
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to make full use of resources. At first, I was nervous about approaching professors, but going to office hours turned out to be amazing. Professors weren't just willing to talk about the class, they wanted to know me as a person, encouraged me and gave me valuable advice. I built deep connections with some of my professors.
Outside of the classroom, don't forget to play hard. Go to events, meet people and explore new places. You'll get the most out of the experience that way. In short:
Beyond academics, I truly enjoy meeting new people and learning from different perspectives. If you share similar interests or just want to connect, I'd be happy to chat. You can find me on Linked here!
