karochka

I emailed Suri, since I got her email from an automated response through Apra after initially applying, but I received a response from Dr. Ray.

Agreed -- what I did was read through the reviews. People don't tend to lie about things like mice and roaches -- I was able to narrow down my searches by ditching places with overwhelmingly negative reviews, and figure out which problems we could live with.

When looking for an apartment, check out www.apartmentratings.com. They have a lot of info about management and vermin in different complexes -- the kinds of things you want to know! Still, take it all with a grain of salt, since people tend to comment and rate only when they had a bad experience. I've moved across county a couple of different ways. Someone mentioned Amtrack -- this was a REALLY affordable way to move a lot of stuff for the cheapest price, as along as everything is in boxes. You can also bring your bike(s)! But also, renting a UHaul truck (small) is a pretty affordable option all things considered. We've done both successfully. Any time you are traveling with pets and/or a baby: plan in lots of stops, and figure out where you are going to sleep in advance.

After complete silence ever since applying, I caved and email the department today. I received a reply back almost immediately -- rejected from the PhD, but accepted into the MA. I have kind of an unusual educational background -- Undergrad from UMD in Russian with a minor in English, and a Masters in Education (Curriculum and Instruction, concentration English) also from UMD. I've been a high school English teacher in the area for 4 years, and just this semester made the leap to two community colleges in the area teaching freshman level English. Obviously, I want the PhD so that I can further progress to full-time faculty at some point! My true passion is teaching. At any rate, the decision to accept the MA offer is tempting, since I might need more solid English cred to get into a PhD program than what I have. As an in-state student, the tuition is reasonable. Still, if it doesn't fit somehow with getting a PhD, it might not offer a lot of benefit. Since I've been a student here AND am a current resident, I'd be happy to answer any questions people have about the area!

Don't discredit College Park itself! I got my grad and undergrad at UMD, and live in College Park with my husband and young daughter. We bought a house for a GREAT price in 2011, and are happily settled here. College Park itself is a wonderful haven in Prince George's County if you pick the right neighborhood -- nearby Greenbelt is also a lovely little community. Bethesda is VERY expensive, and the commute from a place like Baltimore would be long and just a huge pain. Hyattsville is also undergoing a resurgence of sorts in the arts district. These areas are within 5-10 minutes of UMD, and are inside the Beltway, but are not at all like living in DC. Rent is still expensive, but it is possible to also buy in these areas (someone else going to UMD expressed interest in buying). The surrounding, richer counties are very expensive. An advantage to buying in College Park is that the prices are lower, you might still be able to find something reasonable even though now prices are rising again. It just isn't possible to find a house for under $250,000 in Silver Spring/Bethesda/Rockville areas. I would be happy to answer any questions about the College Park area! I just was offered the English MA in lieu of the PhD program (which is sad and exciting all at one) -- I'm still weighing my options.