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Now for the important question: Who's buying the hoodie?

Strange question. Coming from NYC, I'm used to bringing my entire financial life with me for apartment hunting. What kind of documentation do I need to bring when I apartment shop? Is there a rule of thumb about needing a guarantor?

Everything is negotiable, within reason. A lot depends on what you have in the bank -- BRING YOUR '09 TAX RETURN (Yes I have friends who needed to show their tax returns as proof). I know it sounds crazy, but your landlord will know more about your finances than your lover. The guarantor thing depends on a) what you have in the bank. If you don't make a lot but your bank account can pay the years rent you'll be fine your credit score. the higher it is the more likely they are to be nice c) how much are you willing to front. The rule of thumb is security deposit and first months rent, but if you tell them you'll pay the first 4 - 5 right away they'll overlook a lot of stuff. Also keep in mind that you may have to pay by certified bank checks and some landlords only accept from banks with locations in New York City. Bottom line call ahead or try to find a no fee broker if you feel you won't be able to survive on your own. The reason NYC is the craziest is that you normally can't evict a tenet out for 6 months so young renters tend to pay for the first half of the year then don't pay the second half of the lease.

With three people The Village may actually be affordable. The Fin District is generally a nice area, but it defiantly has more of a 9 - 5 vibe. If you are the type that wants to be able to walk out your door and walk down the street to enjoy the NYC nightlife, then it may not be the best choice. If you don't care as much about it, the Fin District can be a great area.

I think it depends on the route, you can check it out here http://www.metrotransit.org/ For those who are already in Minneapolis, how did you find your apartment? Looking online or did you use an apartment broker?

Also, everyone keep in mind that we are in the midst of a recession. (Don't know if this was previously mentioned) As a native NYCer, I can tell you that there was this mentality that even if everyone else has real estate go down, NYC will still go up and for the first few months of the recession this held true. Now prices are falling steeply (The NYTimes just wrote an article on this). My friends were able to renegotiate leases for a lot less and I have other friends that moved from studios to 1 bedrooms for only $20 more a month. This is definitely the time to shop, since you may be able to get something with a doorman. Lastly, NYC has a lot of No Fee Brokers which may be invaluable for many of you. You may be better of with one if you don't have the best credit history or can only go to NYC for a few days to apt hunt. It is important to note that NYC is the most insane real estate market, so if you like the place you have to jump quickly because it may not be available for that much longer, however the recession is changing all the rules. Long story short, it's a buyers market and you can definitely haggle a little.

It's very possible and if that's the case you can recognize be by my login name tatooed prominently across my forehead. This is going to sound like a dumb , but the Management PhD seems like it would be in the Carlson School. If that's the case, it may be more likely that we are in the same classes.

I'm in your boat, NYCer going to Minnesota. It wasn't until I visited, that I felt more comfortable with moving out to the Midwest. I just hope I'm able to get a good placement post-grad and will be able to move back East.

Let me make it clear. I clicked accept on the thing there is no deposit. I was freaking out about nothing.

I asked my department and they don't require a deposit. Some programs do.

Go T_ruth!

This is going to sound pretty stupid, but have you guys officially accepted your offer of admission via applynow? Does anyone know if the minute you select 'yes' if they require you to pay the deposit?

Like with undergraduate institutions, grad schools search through reviews of programs and use the quotations that suit their programs the best. Also, like undergrad, programs are ranked through various third-parties - such as US News and World Report http://www.usnews.com/sections/education. Note: Make sure you look at grad schools/programs in your area because a great institution may have a sub-par program. Your best bet is to do some outside research. If you are currently an undergrad, talk with your professors/advisors in the field about what you want to study and see what they reccommend. (Keep in mind they may be partial to their alma matas)

I'm in here and will most likely go (in the Carlson school). The portal is a great resource, but a lot of the information needs to be updated i.e. they still list last year's orientation dates.

Look in the city guide - a lot of the info is there viewtopic.php?f=27&t=246

It depends. The reason they want joint finances is they want to see theoretically where your money is coming from. If they see that as a couple they aren't going to be able to make tuition payments no matter what, they may give more money, while if the significant other can easily "take the financial hit" they aren't going to give you anything. Just remember when you divide you assets for the purpose of FAFSA, it's based on percentage. The best advice I can give you is use the law to your advantage and try to bring down you assets to as little as possible. If you can honestly say they are your partners, your school will think of you as more desperate for finaid and therefore (hopefully) give you a better package.

Most apartments have a weight limit, which is probably below the 50 lbs. Sometimes they will let you have the dogs if you pay an extra fee.

Another NYer here, ready to chime in. First off, I began visiting grad schools in the midwest a few months ago and I realized why us New Yorkers tend to get a bad wrap. It's not that we are rude, its that be are trained to tune people out. It seems that when people approaching you in most places, people assume they need help. In NY we assume you are asking for a handout. To be fair, NYers are more than happy to help give out direction (we understand that even though it's a grid system when you get to areas where the numbers turn into letters and street names it can get a bit confusing). It's cliche, but I think the "if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere" saying is dead on. NYC is intense. The rent and cost of living is painfully high. People insist on self-reliance. And the city, in general, is very in your face. The biggest thing about NY is that it doesn't really sleep. I've lived in DC and spent some time out west and most cities tend to stop around 11 and nightlife becomes nearly impossible. The NY subway never stops (although it does go hourly) and cabs are plentiful. Just hold on to your student ID as long as humanly possible and abuse your student discounts as long as you can.

Thank god I'm not the only Heroes addict. I think they are doing well. I think they are trying to re-create season 1 a bit (and at times too literally see Parkman's drawings). They've been focusing on 2 - 3 Heroes an episode which has helped to drive the plot and the character development. So far I'm pretty pleased.

The person above has basically covere most of the things you will need to ask. As for the cost of living, it sounds really stupid, but go into a McDonalds and look at the price for a Big Mac meal. The Big Mac meal is standardized so that you get the same thing everytime you order it, no matter where. The key difference is the price of the meal goes up and down based on the cost of living in the area. As a NYer I can tell you that I have found that "my" Big Mac meals are approximately 50 cents higher than other areas. Some NYC specific questions you should ask/consider. 1. Are you bringing a car? (not really needed in Manhattan) If not, does the program provide an additional transportation stipend? 2. Do they help with housing? NY (like every major city) has its wonderful and not so wonderful areas. Do people tend to live in Manhattan or do they go for the cheaper rent in Brooklyn. 3. Look into the safety procautions at the schools. I'm sure they are fine, but TC, in particular, gets a little sketchy if you venture too far at night. 4. Since you are doing edu, you may want to find out what school districts you'll be working with. The NYC public school system very much reflects the city. Some placements are more desirable than others.

Several people have heard. You may want to browse the Governmental Affairs section viewforum.php?f=15

Minnesota uses ApplyNow. Below the information is where it says "Application Submitted". It will turn into a link that says "Decision Made." If you click it, a generic letter (acceptance/rejection) pops up.

Don't worry, you aren't the only one. On one of my applications, I've found a couple of errors -- especially in the parts where I'm describing why I'd be a good fit for the program. When I reread mine, I think they are horrible and makes me wonder if the school's that accepted me even read it.

Last years results for my programs seem to indicate mid-March, so I'm going on the premise that they are coming then. If they come earlier, great.

I can't answer the question of getting it back, since that seems like it is up to the school and something you should find out from the POI. The idea of the deposit is to reserve your spot and you have to put down a deposit so Columbia knows that you are taking them up on your offer. I'm sure you aren't the first person who's had this question, so getting an answer from your department should be pretty simple.