Sanjana_M

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.