uffdaok89

I am interested in applying to PhD in Creative Writing programs for Fall of 2014. Does anyone know if you must have a Master's in English before applying for a PhD? I have a BA in English and will have a Masters in Education, but not an MA or MFA in English/CW.

I wouldn't want to live right on Regent Street if I were you- it does seem to be pretty noisy and full of undergrads. But, there are neighborhoods around that area that are just fine. I live south of Regent St., in a neighborhood near St. Mary's hospital (kind of between the Monona Bay and Lake Wingra) and my neighbors are a combination of grad students, Chinese restaurant owners, and old retired couples. It's probably a half-mile or so from Regent St. but much quieter, and pretty close to the UW Arboretum, bike path, and lots of ethnic restaurants. I have one roommate and we were able to rent an entire 2-story, 2-bedroom house for $1100/month, which is not bad at all, plus we have our own washer and dryer and a large kitchen with tons of storage. My first choice in terms of a neighborhood would have been the Near East side (Atwood neighborhood) because I lived over there for years and really liked it- feels very residential and very much like a small community even though you're only 2 miles from the Capitol square, plus you have Lake Monona right there. BUT when searching for rentals, apartments on the east side (Jenifer St., Oakridge, Spaight, etc.) were $1200+ per month, so we decided to just rent a whole house and not have to worry about having upstairs or downstairs neighbors. This was just my personal experience! Also, in terms of public transit... I rode my bike up until about December. I like to bike as much as possible and yes, it's pretty easy to get around on our fantastic bike paths! BUT I am not one of those hardcore cyclists that will ride in 12 inches of snow when it's 10 degrees out. Anyhow, I've lived in Madison for about 10 years and I only had a car for about 2 of those years, and I didn't use it very much. I take the bus everywhere. It is true what someone said about the buses tending to run east to west. For example, to get to my job (Near West side) to my house (Near South side) I have to take 2 buses. But just about every bus goes down University Ave. and W. Johnson Street, so if you live in the area and are traveling around campus, you should have no problem getting around. If you live in the Willy St. or Atwood neighborhoods, you can get to campus in 20 minutes or so. Madison proper isn't very spread out and it's easy to get around- especially if you're living just east or west of the Isthmus. Avoid renting an apartment right near the Capitol square because they are expensive. Areas slightly away from the Isthmus tend to be more affordable and less densely populated. I just wouldn't recommend living out in Fitchburg, Monona, or another small city outside of Madison, as it could be isolating, and wouldn't give you a very good idea of what the city of Madison is actually like. Nice areas I would recommend: Atwood neighborhood, Willy St. neighborhood, Monroe St. area, Bay Creek neighborhood (a little further out, on Monona Bay, but very nice), East Johnson St. neighborhood. I will also add that I lived in the East Johnson neighborhood last year and was able to rent a 3-bedroom house with 2 roommates for $1050, and we were a short walk from Tenney Park, Lake Mendota, pizza, really good coffee at Johnson Public House, and a 15-minute walk from downtown. Also...winter does kind of suck. I wouldn't gripe about it, but our winters just drag on and on here. I would like to say that you get used to it (I've lived in Wisconsin my whole life), but it never really stops sucking. I suppose you just have to have a good attitude about it and find things to do, or take up a winter sport or two. I think the general consensus on Madison is..."It's a great university city with a lot to offer... beautiful spring, summer and fall seasons...but the winter sucks." Anyway, if anyone has more questions about Madison, I could try to be of some service!