fantods

Hi there, I moved to Boston last year for grad school and did my apartment hunt entirely via internet. I started really early (like, in early March) looking through Craigslist and the MIT/Harvard Housing Group of Facebook for a place to move in August [EDIT: we were able to arrange for a subletter over the summer and I moved in in August]. Great news: it turned out perfectly for me - I love my roommate, apartment and neighborhood. We emailed back and forth and then had a long and very honest Skype session about pet peeves, living habits, house tour, etc. before deciding to move in together. I don't think that house-hunting online is necessarily a bad idea - but DEFINITELY take the time to make sure the place and people will work well for you. What's more, CL and the various university housing facebook groups WILL have options with no broker fees. And if you want to message me directly, I'm happy to chat about cost of living for a grad student in the Boston area. Good luck!

Hi! I was in a similar position this time last year (gearing up to begin a second round of applications). I used the extra time to 1) gain further language skills that would help in my research; 2) apply to outside funding--writing the grant proposals ultimately helped me tighten my SoP a lot; and 3) really, really, really brush up my SoP--making sure to go back through relevant sources, concretely outline my proposed research and supporting experience, my project's theoretical backing, practical utility, etc. It all worked out & I'm heading to my top choice program in the fall! All that said, I'm more than happy to look over any proposals, talk more about my experiences re-applying, or help in any other way I can!! Good luck :-)

Hi there! I'm also moving to Boston in August to start at MIT. Already have housing squared but here if you have any questions or want a pal once you've arrived!

@Medanth013 I heard back from Cornell on the 14th, accepted with no interview