fauxtog

well, it was supposed to happen last summer. i heard a rumor it will open this summer. the website says it should start in 2011, with service extended to venice/robertson by 2012. http://www.buildexpo.org/about/faq/

i don't recommend it. it's not any cheaper, in fact i think it's pretty over priced, considering the location and the amenities. first of all, all the grad housing is embedded in what is referred to as "frat row." so you will be living next to frat houses. and if you know anything about USC greek life you will know that you don't want to live there. i've only been inside one grad housing complex and it was kind of depressing. plus it's not like you will be living alone, you will get matched with 1 to 2 roommates, not of your choosing. for the same amount of money you can get a decent one bedroom apartment in koreatown or a really nice house share in echo park or silverlake. like i said, come early this summer, sublet for 1-2 months and feel it out.

i'm currently a grad student at USC so I thought i'd offer my two cents. i've lived in LA for about 9 months now and I've already moved once. if you can swing it, i highly recommend moving to LA over the summer, subletting a place for like 1-3 months so that you can get a feel for the city, transportation, day to day life, neighborhoods. LA is huge and it can be a bit of a challenge to find your niche (at least in my experience). most grad students i know (myself included) live in either koreatown, westlake/macarthur park, echo park/silverlake, or directly north and west of campus in the west adams area. i live on the cusp of koreatown and macarthur park. it's not the worst neighborhood to be in, but it definitely has some downsides. pros: easy commute to campus (i take the bus and it's 30 min or less depending on timing), grocery stores within walking distance, easy to get downtown, adjacent to silverlake, los feliz and echo park. cons: not much "life' around here. if you're looking for a neighborhood with cafes, bookstores, pedestrian friendly, this is not it (but silverlake and echo park and los feliz are close enough to bike or 10 min bus ride). westlake/macarthur park is kind of a rough area. i wouldn't say that i feel unsafe, but you certainly have to be aware of your surroundings when walking at night (true for any big city, but especially so for macarthur park area). i also know some people who live south of exposition and they really like it. but that has even less going on than koreatown/macarthur park, so you def need a car to go do anything. if you're looking to live alone and have reasonable rent, koreatown is your best bet. you can find some reasonable studios in echo park/silverlake, but they're definitely pricier. i live comfortably in a one bedroom. i also don't have a car so i don't have the extra expenses and i chose this area b/c of the short commute. what else....a know a few folks who commute from culver city/santa monica. but that sounds like a total drag b/c the 10 (freeway) is a nightmare. in fact, all LA freeways are a nightmare. makes me so glad i don't have a car. honestly, public transit is pretty good around here, and i say this as someone who was born and raised in boston and lived in san francisco for most of my adult life. all tolled, if you're on a wicked tight budget your best bet is to live with roommates. you get more bang for your buck (nicer house, nicer neighborhood, cheaper rent), but then you also have to deal with roommates. i prefer to just do my own thing and i can afford to live alone, so i do. but i do sometimes wish i lived in echo park. hope this helps. good luck out there.

Are you going? What program are you from? What receptions do you plan on attending?

can you folks recommend some good listserves that are relevant to the following topics? american studies ethnic studies queer/gender studies professional opportunities in the humanities (grants, fellowships, etc) thanks!

can you folks recommend some good listserves that are relevant to the following topics? american studies ethnic studies queer/gender studies professional opportunities in the humanities (grants, fellowships, etc) thanks!

ASE at USC and i couldn't be happier about it.

hold up. my criticism of sfai is based on my personal experience being an MFA student in the photo department (which is their strongest department next to new media). here's a recap of what i am critical of, which i feel are valid complaints: 1) grad studios are very far from the undergrad building, and you do need to be at both campuses for classes, library use, etc. 2) the grad studios were sub par in that there were major issues regarding the structure itself: overflowing toilets were the norm, as were frigid temperatures (average 55 degrees indoors). my friends in the painting department couldn't paint because their hands were so cold and wearing large gloves made it impossible to work. as for me, i couldn't stand being in the darkroom in that building because it was just too damn cold to have my hands in and out of cold water and chemistry. so i did the majority of my work in the undergrad darkroom, which was actually much nicer because there were private rooms. but that meant i had to split my time between chestnut and 3rd street every single day. 3) the faculty are quite disgruntled. and by disgruntled i mean uninterested in their students becuase they are so busy worrying about whether or not they will get paid and/or have a job at the end of the semester. to provide further criticism, the administration didn't seem to know its ass from its elbow. there just seemed to be a breakdown in communication from student to admin to faculty. i can't compare to CCA b/c i've never seen their studios or encountered their faculty, but i do go to Thee Parkside quite often where many CCA grad students hang out and I never hear them complaining (whereas any time i went out with my cohort, the conversation was almost entirely a long drawn out group rant about how bad the program was). just my two cents.

or they're just super busy (most likely the case). if you don't hear back after a total of 7 days ping them again (maybe call this time?)

i think the size of the wait list depends on the program, as well as how many spots they have and how many people they originally admitted

Hey folks, I'm resurrecting this topic. Can someone offer additional information on the following: Historic West Adams neighborhood: expensive? reasonable? close to USC? Commuting from Culver City/Santa Monica = a total drag? The Expo Line (light rail under construction), I've heard various reports about when it's slated to begin service from Downtown (through USC) to Culver City, some say mid 2010, other say 2011. Does anyone know anything about this? If you wanted to commute by bike, what would be the best/closest neighborhood to live in that is relatively safe and quiet? And lastly, I'll be transplanting from San Francisco, land of cheap farmer's markets. I've heard the Santa Monica farmer's market is pretty expensive. Can someone recommend other farmers markets that are reasonable and easy to get to? Thanks!!

Hi Rat, these are important questions. I was in touch with the faculty I was interested in working with well before application season began (late Spring 2009). So I have been on there radar for a while now. As soon as I found out that I was wait listed I knew it was important to remind them how interested I am in their programs. I wrote brief, concise and honest messages to all of the adcomm faculty who had notified me, and was sure to thank them for the notification, as well as my other POIs. two adcomm faculty at the 3 schools I was/am wait listed at offered phone dates, which I gladly took them up on (oddly enough, USC was the only school I did not talk on the phone with after I expressed my interest in staying on the wait list, but I did exchange very nice emails with the DGS and another POI on the adcomm). I made a note of a) expressing my interest in the program and was sure to be scpecific about why i wanted to attend the program (faculty, resources, etc) alerting them to my wait list status at the other schools (too make it seem like i'm desirable) and c) updating them on new revelations (that i had been invited to participate on a panel at an upcoming ethnic studies conference). I did all of this without 1) sounding desperate or 2) being pushy. These emails were crafted, but not over thought. And during my phone conversations I stayed calm yet enthusiastic, and also gave them a better sense of who I am as a person (humor, outlook, spoken communication, etc). in many ways i feel as though these phone calls were just as much about them getting a read on me as i was in gleaning info on them. ya dig? so, all that said, if you have not been in touch to reiterate your interest, you should do so ASAP. as for asking where you stand on the wait list: i wasn't ashamed to ask this, because it's very important for you to know this, especially if you're weighing other offers. be sure to ask politely (i recommend phrasing it more as how the wait list functions, rather than "what are my chances, doc??!?!"). FYI, all three programs said the same thing: the wait list is not ranked, there are three people on the wait list, we have x number of spots and we admitted y. a little math and presto! you know what your chances are. good luck to you! i know it sucks being wait listed, i was wait listed across the board (with one rejection). but just stay positive and do your homework and something should work out. if not, then definitely re-apply next year b/c your chances will be much, much better. there, i've harangued you long enough. GOOD LUCK!

i'm sending those good vibes your way, nenanubes! and to everyone who is on a wait list somewhere: stay positive! anything is possible there are three long weeks left for decision makers to make their decisions. sit tight!!!

i just learned i've been accepted with funding to my second choice program i was very good about being in touch with faculty, both on and off the adcomm, and expressed my interest without sounding desperate or pushy. and it paid off keep the hope up you guys! anything is possible between now and may!