If you are in Columbus and having difficulty finding housing, take a drive/walk/bike through the area that you are interested in. Some landlords only put up signs and don't really advertise any other way. Also - when you call about a unit make sure you ask if they have any other within a price/bedroom range. Some good neighborhoods to live in:
-Clintonville
-Victorian Village
-Short North
-Italian Village
-Harrison West
-Grandview (on the other side of Olentangy, but still really accessible on foot/bike/bus)
-Anything between high st. and n. 4th st. that is north of lane is likely to be better than direct campus area (although honestly the farther north you go the better).
Slightly farther but still good places to live/not super super far (most people end up getting some kind of bike and riding to campus or taking the bus - its free for students)
-Old Town East
-German Village
-Marion Village
Neighborhoods/key words to avoid that will be far commutes
-Worthington
-Dublin
-Grove City
-Linden
-Hilltop
-North Side
-South Side
-Hilliard
-Upper Arlington (although the closest out of the rest of them)
-Canal-Winchester
-Anything on a E or W street that is numbered higher than 500.
There are lots of other little neighborhood/suburb areas that are on the far side for a commute, but those are the major ones.
