michpc

Honestly? There are really way too many variables and no absolutes. If was planning to get a phD at someplace like UVM, I would consider trying to buy as rentals are very high comparatively in Burlington. However, someplace like Boston you'd have to buy way out in the suburbs at some god-awful apartment complex or something. My only legitimate piece of advice? 9 month leases tend to be for undergrads, because they usually go home during the summer, therefore a place with a 9 month lease near campus will probably be undergrad central, and if you don't want all night partying nearby, that's probably a bad choice.

A friend who used them was happy with their on-time performance for the pickup an drop-off. Another advantage is that you can keep them on the street for multiple days, so if you want, you can spread out your loading a little bit, instead of doing it all in one pop, which can be nice! I'm not sure about permitting in Boston proper, but I've seen them sitting in the street for days around here in Cambridge. Not sure about the prices though. I believe UHaul has a PODS-type system as well now, so that's worth looking into for cost comparison.

double crossed

game time

I'm totally stressing about doing this, especially if schools I end up rejecting were ones that were pressing for earlier decisions...

Personally, I think I would enjoy the drive as a sort of road trip. Take a few days to do it instead of just flying down 95 as fast as possible. It may be a wash in terms of the cost of driving vs. shipping, although I'm not sure if you factor in airfare too, so it's a question of whether you think driving would be fun or awful, haha. From experience, driving those big trucks (Penske in my case) is kind of nerve wracking, and I don't think I'd want to do it long distance. I've heard good things about the PODs though, and I think they're reasonably price if you want to go the move-yourself route. Of course, it will be July and likely hot as hell on both ends of the journey, sooo.... my thought is pick your budget and see what fits into it; what you're willing to sacrifice (driving instead of flying?) and what you're not (help moving when it's 90 degrees out?). Personally, I think that the act moving my actual belongings in and out of a truck/POD is the thing that kills my sanity the most in the moving process.

My favorite sandwich: turkey, mayo, lettuce, swiss, green peppers, and red onions on a toasted everything bagel.

It is nice to know exactly when you're going to know, either way.

You don't have to make your whole statement of purpose about that sad event (I'm sorry to hear about that, by the way), but many SOP prompts I've seen ask you to explain any part of your application that you think may belacking, and I think it's worth mentioning something if you can elegantly work it into the whole. It should help that the classes are a field unrelated to what you ended up doing. I like to think that admissions committees can understand that when we graduate from high school, we're still kids trying to figure things out, and not put much weight on those early classes before we've made a more solid decision about what we want to do with our lives. I certainly wouldn't let it discourage you from at least trying if the rest of your application is strong. Kick butt on the GRE, get quality recommendations, create thoughtful and well-written statements of purpose, and go for it.

I'm not on any admissions committees, so I can't say for sure, but it might depend on what types of classes they were. If they were related to the field you want to pursue, that could definitely be detrimental. I think it will reflect poorly, but this is something that you have the opportunity to explain in your admissions essay, if you have a good explanation. by the way, it's "affect my chances".

preservationista, I will be attending Penn's open house on the 4th. I took a peak at their fall open house agenda, and if spring's is the same, it seems pretty comprehensive. Any thoughts on Clemson/College of Charleston and UVM?

television set

You'd be surprised. I haven't been to a college library since my undergrad (class of '06), so I can't comment on that, but at the public library where i worked on most of my applications, you had to go to the quiet/study rooms to avoid loud, rude people talking to others and on their cell phones, not to mention children running around and screaming, etc. Once I realized that, i avoided it on the weekends at all costs because generally the reading and study rooms were totally full and if you were lucky enough to find a seat in a more common area, it was way too loud to concentrate. Kind of sad.

No idea about their specific programs. Maybe it's because I'm from the Northeast, but I think McGill is pretty well known and well-regarded around here.

meal ticket

Unfortunately, I'm no help; I'm in the midst of decision hell also! I can say that I think Cornell has quite a good reputation, actually, and that it's a well-established program. Will you be attending Penn's open house?

I agree with Starmaker on everything said. I haven't heard of Parkside, but the location is nice for families, being right on Fresh Pond. It is true that complexes like this are more likely to be deleaded, but if you have time to do hunting in person, it's worth it to look harder. I can't remember if I mentioned this, but Boston.com also has some apartment listings, which won't go as fast as Craigslist.

I know I'm not arch, but I applied to Cornell's HPP program, and also got an invite to that open house with no other communication...after emailing I found out that I was wait listed there.

Don't assume it's a rejection! I totally thought that too, and then I got an acceptance. I'd say, wait a few more days, it's not like it's weeks or anything.

electric slide

$2000 should be reasonable budget, though you may be looking a little smaller than your current place. First floor apartments tend to rent a bit cheaper since, obviously, quieter top floors are more desirable for most. No stairs at all might be tough, but I'd note that in all the areas I've lived in, I see that most people leave strollers on their front porches (which quite a lot of buildings have). Davis definitely has families, but its proximity to Tufts can make it a touch loud sometimes. The closer to the actual square you are, the less of that you'll find though. If you're looking at Davis, I'd consider Porter Square too, as the proximity to a couple supermarkets is really convenient. You can also look at "North Cambridge", which is the area between Davis/Teele Squares and Mass Ave. Inman is a bit more urban than the rest of the areas mentioned, and I've found a lot of dumpy apartments in that area, but the location is great, so probably still worth looking, and I would include Kirkland an Union Squares in that area as well. East Watertown is definitely worth looking at, as it's also close to Fresh Pond, and there is a bus that runs down Mt. Auburn Street straight into Harvard Square. Shopping: for grocery stores, it's hard to avoid chains, but you will find lots of smaller independently owned shops, and chain restaurants are definitely few and far between. Of the areas you mentioned, Inman and Davis have the most restaurants. Unfortunately I can't really speak much to finding a deleaded unit as I don't have kids, so it hasn't been a factor for me. I think it will take a little more legwork, as just generally speaking, rentals in this area are dominated by young professionals, most of whom don't need to worry about lead, and therefore a lot of landlords of older buildings don't bother with deleading. I hope this is helpful!

ooh, I'm jealous! I can't wait for some good outdoor, warm weather sipping; soon enough!

inner circle

The standard fee around here is the equivalent of one month's rent. Sometimes you can get a half fee by having the landlord split it with you. These fees are kind of a scam anyway, since the agent is really working for the landlord, not you. But sometimes you can't get around it.

it's a good IPA all the way for me.