New York, NY

[NOWAYNOHOW]

I have a lot of friends moving to Ditmas Park in Brooklyn and finding places for between $1200-$1600 that are very spacious and near the subway.  It's the Church Ave Q stop -- and I'd recommend it for NYU/CUNY students.  Pretty easy commute, close to the park. 

[juilletmercredi]

Hi.  I'm a Columbia grad student.  I've been here for 6 years.

 

-Campus housing: I will grudingly admit that the campus housing prices are a pretty decent deal for what you get and especially for the neighborhood you're in.  They say they range from $840 to $1425.  The high end is mostly for law student housing, I think; most of my PhD student friends in the shares are paying around $900-1000 a month and they usually have two roommates, occasionally three.  The apartments are average-sized by NYC standards but small by the standards of anyone coming from a place where a box is not the standard.  You can fit a full-sized bed, a dresser, and maybe a desk in most of the shares' bedrooms, and they have living rooms and full kitchens.  The apartment buildings are like regular NYC apartment buildings.

 

Studios are reserved for couples and one-bedrooms for couples with children.  My husband I have a junior one-bedroom/two-room studio thing.  We have a bedroom (big enough for a queen-sized bed and our three dressers, with a little room to move around) and then another room that has the kitchen against one wall and is big enough for our kitchen table and my desk, some storage bins and some room to walk.  Oh, and a bathroom.  We pay $1385 a month for it, which is right in line with what they say their average is.  That includes Internet but no utilities.  Our electric and gas usually runs $100/month.  I'm from Atlanta so I am appalled and I actually wanted to move to Harlem or Wash Heights (where I lived my first 3 years here) but my husband wanted to live close to campus (he goes to Columbia too).

Quality is great.  We have a doorman in our building which is great for getting packages, and an elevator.  I have seen one bug (not a roach) since we moved here in September 2012.  We had a brand new tub and toilet, and a brand new fridge, when we moved in.  Quick maintenance service, very nice super and staff.  There's laundry in the basement ($2/load to wash and dry apiece).  I live right behind the building with my lab in it, so it's excellent as far as travel time is concerned.

 

-In the case that you are a CUMC student, you're not eligible for the Morningside Heights UAH housing.  CUMC has its own housing in Washington Heights.  It is crappy and overpriced compared to what you can get in the same neighborhood, so my advice is to skip it and just go on the open market.

 

If you're looking for your own housing...

 

-Look into upper Manhattan.  Harlem is the neighborhood du jour for Columbia students because it's within easy commuting distance and relatively cheap.  There are parts of Harlem that are actually getting pretty expensive all things considered, as Columbia builds north.  Still, I have some friends who were living in VERY nice renovated apartments in the 130s, 140s and 150s who weren't paying much (I'm talking stainless steel appliances, exposed brick, and decent-sized rooms.  Two of my friends even had dishwashers, which is like the holy grail around here).  One of my friends lived in a very nice 2-bedroom in a brownstone on 135th and she and her roommate were paying like $2,000 together.  Another friend lives in a very spacious and pretty and modern 3-bedroom with 2 other roommates; I'm not sure how much she was paying abut I don't think it was more than $3,000 altogether.

 

I lived in Washington Heights (starts at about 155th-160th St and goes to ~190th-200th St) my first 3 years and I liked it a lot; I was ready to return there when I quit my student affairs job, but my husband insisted on living in campus housing.  I lived at 172nd St. and it was a 20 minute commute to the Morningside Heights campus on the 1 train; there is also a somewhat unpredictable shuttle that goes from the CUMC campus on 168th St to the main campus.  I hate this shuttle for a variety of reasons, so I never take it, but other students like it.  I could also get to midtown Manhattan in about 30-40 minutes, so that was nice for hanging out.  The neighborhood itself is cheaper than Morningside Heights, but there are fewer choices of restaurants and pretty much zero lounges and bars - it's more residential - so if you wanted to hang out you had to go at least to Harlem.

 

Inwood is even further up, above the 200s.  It's really pretty and leafy and you can get apartments super cheap up there, but of course you're talking perhaps a 20-40 minute commute to the Morningside campus depending on how far up you live.

 

I know some people who lived in Queens and Brooklyn and commuted to campus.  I checked out an apartment in Flatbush and it took me an hour and 15 minutes to get back to campus, so I vetoed that.  Some closer neighborhoods of Queens like Astoria might be commutable to Columbia in like 40 minutes, but Astoria in particular is getting pretty popular these days and more expensive - not as bad as most of Manhattan but not necessarily that much cheaper than Harlem and Wash Heights to make it worth it.

 

Columbia has an off-campus housing office that has listings from landlords and great recommendations for what's safe, what's good, etc.  That's how I found my first apartment here.

 

HUNTING:

 

It is very difficult to find an apartment from afar in NYC.  Landlords and companies stretch the truth or even outright lie on Craiglist (the apartment usually exists, but they use coded language to try to make it sound better than it is or do the bait and switch with the price).  On the other hand, though, as a grad student I was pretty loath to pay someone else (aka a broker) a fee to do something I felt I could do myself.  If I were rich or living here permanently I think I might pay a broker to find my new apartment for me, though, just because the process is stressful.

 

Landlords in NYC need to see a ridiculous amount of personal information before you can move in.  You usually need to apply and pay an app fee, around $40.  They want proof of income; your award letter will suffice.  Most landlords will say that you need to make 40x the rent in order to move in.  You will never be able to find an apartment that is your stipend/40 - for me that was an $800/month apartment, which is a epic myth.  Therefore, you will probably need a gurantor.  I felt silly as a grown person, but I asked my father if he would serve as a guarantor for me.  The guarantor usually needs to make 80x the rent.  I'm pretty sure my dad did not make 80x the rent but landlords can do what they want, so my dad provided some extra documentation (like the equity in his house) and they made it work.  SOMETIMES you can get around the guarantor requirement by paying more rent up front, if you have it, or giving a larger security deposit.  There's also a renters insurance company called Insurent that will act as your guarantor for a fee.

 

You also need to have the equivalent of three months' rent up front.  You usually need to pay them a security deposit equivalent to 1 month's rent (you will get this back when you move out unless you tras the place); the first month's rent and the last month's rent.

 

For a hope spot...I came to New York on a Monday with zero prospects and by Friday me and my roommate had rented an apartment.  The process moves very quickly.

 

What I usually recommend:

 

-When you are budgeting for your apartment rent, remember that your stipend amount is pre-tax and you'll need to pay taxes on it.  Total taxes (federal + state) are usually about 20% of your income.  That means that if your stipend is $25,000, your after-tax stipend is really $20,000, which is about $1700/month.

 

-Don't try to look more than 2 weeks out, as someone said above.  Landlords don't want to deal with you; they'd rather rent to someone else who will rent it right now.  If you see a great apartment in June, it will be gone by the time you are ready to lease it in August.

 

-Don't try to live on your own, unless you have a lot of money saved from a previous job, your parents are willing to supplement your income, or you're willing to go into debt just to live by yourself.  Seriously.  A *cheap* studio apartment is $1200 and more realistically you'll pay around $1500-2000 a month trying to live in a one-bedroom.  Even in Harlem.  Even in Brooklyn.  If you see a studio or one-bedroom advertised for less than $1100, it is probably a scam ("sorry, we rented that one, but we have this beautiful one for $1300") or has major issues with it.  Some people really, really can't stand to share their space with anyone else, and that's fine.  But even if your stipend is $30,000, that means after-tax it's really $24,000, or $2,000/month.  It will be VERY hard to afford a one-bedroom apartment in NYC without outside assistance - either an additional job, savings, parents.

 

-Most Craigslist listings with reasonable rental rates seem to be legit.  Always visit an apartment before you sign any papers.  A reasonable rate, IMO, is at least $1100 (but really at least $1200) for a one-bedroom or studio and at least $700 for a share.

 

-If you don't have good credit or don't want to deal with a guarantor, use either the Columbia off-campus listing or Craigslist to look to sublet a room in an apartment.  There are many normal, friendly students and young professionals who use CL in NYC to rent out their second or third or fourth room because they have a sweet deal they don't want to lose just because their third friend went to London for a year.  I found my second roommate using CL, and we're still close friends (she actually was a student at my school, too).  I didn't have to put her on the lease.

 

-If you can afford it, I recommend subletting a room in early August and using ~3-4 weeks to look for apartments.  Use ~1-2 week to get to know the housing market and get a feel for prices and what you get for the price; then use the following ~1-2 weeks to actually find a place and rent it.  I even know people who subletting an apartment for the first semester and then moved over the winter break.  You can often get an apartment for cheaper in December because there are fewer people moving, although there are fewer vacancies.

 

If you have residential life experience (like you were an RA) or if you have any student affairs experience from college or life, consider applying to be a graduate hall director at either Columbia or Barnard.  It's a 20-hour-a-week live-in position that provides free housing, a small stipend (around $500/month) and some meals in the dining hall (75 meals for the year).  In return, you supervise a group of resident assistants (usually between 8 and 13), do some administrative work like manage an area budget and fill out paperwork, and serve on crisis call duty between 5 pm and 9 am about 10 weekdays and 2 weekends a semester.  I did it for two years and it was a total blast; I only quit because I got married and needed to focus on my dissertation, plus Columbia didn't have good married housing for GHDs.  Barnard's GHD housing is better than Columbia's.  Columbia's deadline for GHD applications is March 7; Barnard's application isn't up yet but should be soon (app deadline is usually in March).

[NOWAYNOHOW]

Is $28,000 (pre-tax) enough to live on in Upper Manhattan? Honestly?

 

Not in a million years. But if you expand an apartment search to include parts of Harlem and the Bronx (I am a big fan of the Bronx, and parts of it are beautiful) I think you could make do with roommates and a tight budget.

[Anthrogeek1612]

Hi,

 

I just got accepted to CUNY on a 30,000 dollar fellowship. I'm just wondering if anyone has experience with international students finding housing in NYC? Is it more difficult, are there lots of issues with not having a guarantor? Graduate housing from the Graduate Center seems to be about 995 a month including most utilities. Is this reasonable?

 

[tampopo ramen]

Thanks for the information in regards to housing. I'm considering getting into grad housing at Columbia for at least the first year of the program. I don't think I can manage scouting for housing in NYC while I'm in California. It was a tortious enough experience finding housing in the Bay Area while I lived here--and I didn't have the additional pressures of starting a new grad program. I'll consider the first year in NYC as an oppurtunity to look for housing before the students come back in August. I'm a little concerned about finding someone who will guarantee me, but I suppose I'll cross that path when I get to it.

I'd love more advice on locating house in NYC--especially housing convenient for commuting to Columbia--or info on what areas are good to live in. Do most students gravitate towards Brooklyn?

[gentlechaos]

Ok, another Columbia question. I'm trying to figure out whether it would be possible to financially survive if you don't take the official housing. 

Are there really $800 studios in Astoria? All I've seen on the internet starts from 1500... 

 

And what about the living costs (for an ok like?). Ah, I'm quite lost! 

[gentlechaos]

Hi.  I'm a Columbia grad student.  I've been here for 6 years.

 

-Campus housing: I will grudingly admit that the campus housing prices are a pretty decent deal for what you get and especially for the neighborhood you're in.  They say they range from $840 to $1425.  The high end is mostly for law student housing, I think; most of my PhD student friends in the shares are paying around $900-1000 a month and they usually have two roommates, occasionally three.  The apartments are average-sized by NYC standards but small by the standards of anyone coming from a place where a box is not the standard.  You can fit a full-sized bed, a dresser, and maybe a desk in most of the shares' bedrooms, and they have living rooms and full kitchens.  The apartment buildings are like regular NYC apartment buildings.

 

Studios are reserved for couples and one-bedrooms for couples with children.  My husband I have a junior one-bedroom/two-room studio thing.  We have a bedroom (big enough for a queen-sized bed and our three dressers, with a little room to move around) and then another room that has the kitchen against one wall and is big enough for our kitchen table and my desk, some storage bins and some room to walk.  Oh, and a bathroom.  We pay $1385 a month for it, which is right in line with what they say their average is.  That includes Internet but no utilities.  Our electric and gas usually runs $100/month.  I'm from Atlanta so I am appalled and I actually wanted to move to Harlem or Wash Heights (where I lived my first 3 years here) but my husband wanted to live close to campus (he goes to Columbia too).

Quality is great.  We have a doorman in our building which is great for getting packages, and an elevator.  I have seen one bug (not a roach) since we moved here in September 2012.  We had a brand new tub and toilet, and a brand new fridge, when we moved in.  Quick maintenance service, very nice super and staff.  There's laundry in the basement ($2/load to wash and dry apiece).  I live right behind the building with my lab in it, so it's excellent as far as travel time is concerned.

 

-In the case that you are a CUMC student, you're not eligible for the Morningside Heights UAH housing.  CUMC has its own housing in Washington Heights.  It is crappy and overpriced compared to what you can get in the same neighborhood, so my advice is to skip it and just go on the open market.

 

If you're looking for your own housing...

 

-Look into upper Manhattan.  Harlem is the neighborhood du jour for Columbia students because it's within easy commuting distance and relatively cheap.  There are parts of Harlem that are actually getting pretty expensive all things considered, as Columbia builds north.  Still, I have some friends who were living in VERY nice renovated apartments in the 130s, 140s and 150s who weren't paying much (I'm talking stainless steel appliances, exposed brick, and decent-sized rooms.  Two of my friends even had dishwashers, which is like the holy grail around here).  One of my friends lived in a very nice 2-bedroom in a brownstone on 135th and she and her roommate were paying like $2,000 together.  Another friend lives in a very spacious and pretty and modern 3-bedroom with 2 other roommates; I'm not sure how much she was paying abut I don't think it was more than $3,000 altogether.

 

I lived in Washington Heights (starts at about 155th-160th St and goes to ~190th-200th St) my first 3 years and I liked it a lot; I was ready to return there when I quit my student affairs job, but my husband insisted on living in campus housing.  I lived at 172nd St. and it was a 20 minute commute to the Morningside Heights campus on the 1 train; there is also a somewhat unpredictable shuttle that goes from the CUMC campus on 168th St to the main campus.  I hate this shuttle for a variety of reasons, so I never take it, but other students like it.  I could also get to midtown Manhattan in about 30-40 minutes, so that was nice for hanging out.  The neighborhood itself is cheaper than Morningside Heights, but there are fewer choices of restaurants and pretty much zero lounges and bars - it's more residential - so if you wanted to hang out you had to go at least to Harlem.

 

Inwood is even further up, above the 200s.  It's really pretty and leafy and you can get apartments super cheap up there, but of course you're talking perhaps a 20-40 minute commute to the Morningside campus depending on how far up you live.

 

I know some people who lived in Queens and Brooklyn and commuted to campus.  I checked out an apartment in Flatbush and it took me an hour and 15 minutes to get back to campus, so I vetoed that.  Some closer neighborhoods of Queens like Astoria might be commutable to Columbia in like 40 minutes, but Astoria in particular is getting pretty popular these days and more expensive - not as bad as most of Manhattan but not necessarily that much cheaper than Harlem and Wash Heights to make it worth it.

 

Columbia has an off-campus housing office that has listings from landlords and great recommendations for what's safe, what's good, etc.  That's how I found my first apartment here.

 

HUNTING:

 

It is very difficult to find an apartment from afar in NYC.  Landlords and companies stretch the truth or even outright lie on Craiglist (the apartment usually exists, but they use coded language to try to make it sound better than it is or do the bait and switch with the price).  On the other hand, though, as a grad student I was pretty loath to pay someone else (aka a broker) a fee to do something I felt I could do myself.  If I were rich or living here permanently I think I might pay a broker to find my new apartment for me, though, just because the process is stressful.

 

Landlords in NYC need to see a ridiculous amount of personal information before you can move in.  You usually need to apply and pay an app fee, around $40.  They want proof of income; your award letter will suffice.  Most landlords will say that you need to make 40x the rent in order to move in.  You will never be able to find an apartment that is your stipend/40 - for me that was an $800/month apartment, which is a epic myth.  Therefore, you will probably need a gurantor.  I felt silly as a grown person, but I asked my father if he would serve as a guarantor for me.  The guarantor usually needs to make 80x the rent.  I'm pretty sure my dad did not make 80x the rent but landlords can do what they want, so my dad provided some extra documentation (like the equity in his house) and they made it work.  SOMETIMES you can get around the guarantor requirement by paying more rent up front, if you have it, or giving a larger security deposit.  There's also a renters insurance company called Insurent that will act as your guarantor for a fee.

 

You also need to have the equivalent of three months' rent up front.  You usually need to pay them a security deposit equivalent to 1 month's rent (you will get this back when you move out unless you tras the place); the first month's rent and the last month's rent.

 

For a hope spot...I came to New York on a Monday with zero prospects and by Friday me and my roommate had rented an apartment.  The process moves very quickly.

 

What I usually recommend:

 

-When you are budgeting for your apartment rent, remember that your stipend amount is pre-tax and you'll need to pay taxes on it.  Total taxes (federal + state) are usually about 20% of your income.  That means that if your stipend is $25,000, your after-tax stipend is really $20,000, which is about $1700/month.

 

-Don't try to look more than 2 weeks out, as someone said above.  Landlords don't want to deal with you; they'd rather rent to someone else who will rent it right now.  If you see a great apartment in June, it will be gone by the time you are ready to lease it in August.

 

-Don't try to live on your own, unless you have a lot of money saved from a previous job, your parents are willing to supplement your income, or you're willing to go into debt just to live by yourself.  Seriously.  A *cheap* studio apartment is $1200 and more realistically you'll pay around $1500-2000 a month trying to live in a one-bedroom.  Even in Harlem.  Even in Brooklyn.  If you see a studio or one-bedroom advertised for less than $1100, it is probably a scam ("sorry, we rented that one, but we have this beautiful one for $1300") or has major issues with it.  Some people really, really can't stand to share their space with anyone else, and that's fine.  But even if your stipend is $30,000, that means after-tax it's really $24,000, or $2,000/month.  It will be VERY hard to afford a one-bedroom apartment in NYC without outside assistance - either an additional job, savings, parents.

 

-Most Craigslist listings with reasonable rental rates seem to be legit.  Always visit an apartment before you sign any papers.  A reasonable rate, IMO, is at least $1100 (but really at least $1200) for a one-bedroom or studio and at least $700 for a share.

 

-If you don't have good credit or don't want to deal with a guarantor, use either the Columbia off-campus listing or Craigslist to look to sublet a room in an apartment.  There are many normal, friendly students and young professionals who use CL in NYC to rent out their second or third or fourth room because they have a sweet deal they don't want to lose just because their third friend went to London for a year.  I found my second roommate using CL, and we're still close friends (she actually was a student at my school, too).  I didn't have to put her on the lease.

 

-If you can afford it, I recommend subletting a room in early August and using ~3-4 weeks to look for apartments.  Use ~1-2 week to get to know the housing market and get a feel for prices and what you get for the price; then use the following ~1-2 weeks to actually find a place and rent it.  I even know people who subletting an apartment for the first semester and then moved over the winter break.  You can often get an apartment for cheaper in December because there are fewer people moving, although there are fewer vacancies.

 

If you have residential life experience (like you were an RA) or if you have any student affairs experience from college or life, consider applying to be a graduate hall director at either Columbia or Barnard.  It's a 20-hour-a-week live-in position that provides free housing, a small stipend (around $500/month) and some meals in the dining hall (75 meals for the year).  In return, you supervise a group of resident assistants (usually between 8 and 13), do some administrative work like manage an area budget and fill out paperwork, and serve on crisis call duty between 5 pm and 9 am about 10 weekdays and 2 weekends a semester.  I did it for two years and it was a total blast; I only quit because I got married and needed to focus on my dissertation, plus Columbia didn't have good married housing for GHDs.  Barnard's GHD housing is better than Columbia's.  Columbia's deadline for GHD applications is March 7; Barnard's application isn't up yet but should be soon (app deadline is usually in March).

ok, this helped, but it makes me so so sad. I'm not a fan of sharing rooms/appt-s. 

[roguesenna]

Is $28,000 (pre-tax) enough to live on in Upper Manhattan? Honestly?

completely disagree with nowaynohow. I make about 21000$ pre-tax and I live in Washington Heights. The trick is to have roommates. look up to my earlier post to see my rough budget breakdown.

 

 

Ok, another Columbia question. I'm trying to figure out whether it would be possible to financially survive if you don't take the official housing.

Are there really $800 studios in Astoria? All I've seen on the internet starts from 1500...

 

And what about the living costs (for an ok like?). Ah, I'm quite lost!

 

 

no. an 800$ studio in Astoria is probably a cardboard box.

 

 

gentlechaos: it sounds sucky but it can be okay. just find someone who works a lot and isn't home very much. Keep your things seperate, treat it as a business transaction. Put the lease in your name and if they drive you absolutely insane, kick them out (but if you do, do it diplomatically. this is a smaller town than you might think and you don't want a reputation). If you get lucky, your roommate might even become your friend. And you absolutely don't have to share a bedroom. Find a cheapish two bed and split it with one person or better yet, a couple. see my post above about cost of living, I broke down my expenses bit by bit, so just scroll up a bit.  

 

anthrogeek & tampopo: scroll up. we've answered all your questions within the last couple pages of this thread.

 

 

If you all really want, I can show you a more detailed breakdown of my budget. Actually, that's a good piece of advice. Open Excel (or iWork Numbers) and start a budget spreadsheet right now. Record what you spend on everything month to month (or even week to week, which is what I do because I get paid weekly) and see how much you spend on things. Round everything up (don't round down. NEVER ROUND DOWN) within 1$ (or 1 lb). Thus when you get here you will already have a good idea of your spending habits and how you need to modify them to live here without breaking the bank. Don't panic, just plan.

Edited February 26, 2014 by roguesenna

[cedricyu803]

Hi I am from Hong Kong and just got admitted to NYU on a $26k stipend. 

 

First I am looking for temporary accommodation near the campus. Are there any areas in Manhattan I should avoid because of safety and distance?

How much should I expect to spend on food each week?

 

I will most likely live on campus in Stuyvesant Town. I heard that the housing is bad and noisy. Has anyone here live there before? What do you think about it? And is it safe at night?

 

Besides, is the NYU meal plan worth the price? (~$2400 per semester)

 

Given that my financial package covers the tuition fee and medical insurance, and that the on-campus rent is ~$1200 per month, 

is my stipend enough for me to survive + go to a NY Phil concert every few months?

 

Hopefully the transition from Hong Kong to NYC will be smooth 

[andre180]

I am a prospective Columbia Student, but really do not know which are my best housing options?. Can u help me me this?

[roguesenna]

guys. come on. just read at least a couple pages of the thread before asking such general questions.

[Transientine]

Has anyone heard of their complit phd program? I'd be grateful if you could share any info. that u might have

Edited March 6, 2014 by Transientine

[Speechstudent]

I am looking for any information about Garden City NY. I am interested in the Speech Language Pathology Graduate program at Adelphi....and my family does not live nearby so I have to figure out where to live.

 

I would LOVE to live in Manhattan or Brooklyn but would like to know if I could easily take the train to Garden City. (The train station is 10 minute walk from campus)

 

Any info is much appreciated!

[ke6904]

Does anyone have any advice or info. on the program or the area?

[AcademicX]

Can anyone share their experience with Columbia housing? The rooms seem to be cheap and I wouldn't have to go through the seemingly stressful process of apartment hunting. For the dorm apartments, do they all have communal kitchens? I want to be able to cook to keep my food costs low. Is this housing only for graduate students or would there be undergrads as well? Is it like your average college dorm? Because if it is, I wouldn't mind just getting what I've getting for the past 4 years and save some money. Thanks in advance.

[iPsych]

It would be easy to commute from Manhattan to Garden City via the LIRR but rent in NYC can be crazy!

 

Brooklyn would be a little bit tougher to commute from.  You'd either have to take the subway to Penn to take the LIRR or take the subway to the Atlantic Terminal to get the LIRR and you'd probably have to transfer at Jamaica to get onto the train that goes to GC

[andromache]

Thoughts on living in the Bronx? I've been accepted to Fordham and I'm seriously considering it, and I see a lot of discussion of Manhattan and Brooklyn, but not much for the Bronx. There's no way I could afford to live in Manhattan, but how do Brooklyn and the Bronx compare as to cost of living, safety, etc. As a twenty-two year old woman who isn't really "tough" looking or anything like that, is the Bronx less safe of a place for me? Most of my experience is living in relatively small towns with not much NYC experience, although I'm used to living alone/walking alone/traveling alone.

[babycakes]

Do. not. live. in. the. Bronx. 

[perpetuavix]

Thoughts on living in the Bronx? I've been accepted to Fordham and I'm seriously considering it, and I see a lot of discussion of Manhattan and Brooklyn, but not much for the Bronx. There's no way I could afford to live in Manhattan, but how do Brooklyn and the Bronx compare as to cost of living, safety, etc. As a twenty-two year old woman who isn't really "tough" looking or anything like that, is the Bronx less safe of a place for me? Most of my experience is living in relatively small towns with not much NYC experience, although I'm used to living alone/walking alone/traveling alone.

The Bronx has some really nice areas! I would generally say above I95 is much nicer than below I95. Kingsbridge/Riverdale is pretty nice (and a little expensive, but there's deals to be had). The further east you go, the more residential it gets. Throgs Neck and Orchard Beach/City Island are kind of like being in the suburbs. 

New York is really a very safe city, including the Bronx. If you want to check out crime data for various areas of the city (it goes by precinct, though, not neighborhood so it kind of can obscure a good neighborhood if it's in a bad precinct), this is a fun website:

http://maps.nyc.gov/crime/

NYC real estate is a CRAZY market, but you can make it work. 

[kdilallo]

I'm gonna be going to Sarah Lawrence and I have no idea where to look for housing or what the area is like at all. Hoping to visit before August but not sure if I'll have time. Any help would be appreciated! 

[music]

Would it be ridiculous to commute to NYU from New Jersey? Would the rent savings be cancelled out by the cost of commuting? Any recommendations for areas worth considering commuting from in order to save on rent?

[Sunny1234]

Would it be ridiculous to commute to NYU from New Jersey? Would the rent savings be cancelled out by the cost of commuting? Any recommendations for areas worth considering commuting from in order to save on rent?

 

It could be cheaper, but you're probably lengthening your commute. You'd probably spend bout $10-15 more each day on commuting, from train or bus tickets. The commute could be anywhere between twenty minutes to an hour. You can look into towns like Montclair, Union City, Hoboken, Jersey City, Fort Lee, and Newark. I know people in NJ who do commute to schools in NYC; it's manageable. But a lot of people go to schools in New York City to experience the city, and you won't really be able to do that as much living in New Jersey. Also, it's difficult to live in New Jersey without a car, unless you live in certain downtown areas. If you have any questions, let me know!

Edited March 10, 2014 by Sunny1234

[iPsych]

Thoughts on living in the Bronx? I've been accepted to Fordham and I'm seriously considering it, and I see a lot of discussion of Manhattan and Brooklyn, but not much for the Bronx. There's no way I could afford to live in Manhattan, but how do Brooklyn and the Bronx compare as to cost of living, safety, etc. As a twenty-two year old woman who isn't really "tough" looking or anything like that, is the Bronx less safe of a place for me? Most of my experience is living in relatively small towns with not much NYC experience, although I'm used to living alone/walking alone/traveling alone.

 

I did my undergrad at Fordham! The area immediately around the school is not the safest once the sun goes down (and sometimes even in broad daylight). The safest street to live on is Arthur Avenue (though I would not recommend living further down than 188th street simply because walking alone at night can get a little scary). Like any other neighborhood in the world, you have to be smart when you're out in public.  Don't have your phone or wallet out, try not to walk alone at night and just be aware of your surroundings.

 

I lived on campus in the Bronx for four years and lived off campus on Arthur Avenue for one summer. Throughout my years I did a LOT of commuting (alone) around the Bronx, Harlem and Manhattan and have never been mugged, had my belongings stolen or had my home broken into (though I know people who have had these things happen to them). 

 

As previously mentioned, Throgs Neck is also a good area to live in however I am not sure how easy it is to travel to campus from that area

 

Feel free to message me if you have any questions!

[juilletmercredi]

Can anyone share their experience with Columbia housing? The rooms seem to be cheap and I wouldn't have to go through the seemingly stressful process of apartment hunting. For the dorm apartments, do they all have communal kitchens? I want to be able to cook to keep my food costs low. Is this housing only for graduate students or would there be undergrads as well? Is it like your average college dorm? Because if it is, I wouldn't mind just getting what I've getting for the past 4 years and save some money. Thanks in advance.

I live in Columbia housing.  For single students, there are two basic types on the Morningside campus: dormitory-stye housing and apartment shares.  The dorm-style housing is your typical single room on a corridor with shared bathrooms and kitchens.  I'm pretty sure they all have communal kitchens; I think a few rooms have private bathrooms.  This housing is only for graduate students and non-traditional graduate students in the School of General Studies, who are generally around the same age as grad students.

In the apartment shares, you get a bedroom in a 3-4 bedroom apartment.  You are placed in with other Columbia grads somewhat randomly, although it's gender segregated as far as I know (unless you waive that).  They're fairly decent-sized for NYC apartments and generally have a kitchen, living room and then your rooms.  A couple of my friends have those and I've been in them; they are nice and usually recently renovated, with new(er) appliances, white walls, etc.  They say they don't allow pets but I know plenty of people in Columbia housing with pets, including in my own building.

I personally share a 1-bedroom apartment with my husband, who is a School of General Studies student.  The only way to get the studios and one-bedrooms is married & family housing.

I would ignore anyone who tells you, unequivocally, not to live in X neighborhood/borough because there's a lot of variability in each neighborhood/borough and a lot of that is based upon perception.  My dad's from the Bronx and I have family up there on both sides, and there are nice areas of the Bronx.  In some of them you might benefit from access to a car, though; it just depends on where you live.  Some parts of Brooklyn are just as, or more, expensive than some parts of Manhattan (Park Slope, BoCoCa, DUMBO, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, parts of Fort Greene these days) and some parts are cheaper (Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, Prospect Heights, Lefferts Gardens).  Generally speaking the farther out you go into Brooklyn the cheaper it gets.  If you're willing to consider Bronx and Brooklyn then consider Queens, too - some of the closer neighborhoods (Sunnyside, Long Island City, Woodside, Jackson Heights) are actually cheaper than the trendier Brooklyn.  And Astoria is nice, although can tend to be pricier because of it's closeness to Manhattan.  But "pricier" is still cheaper than most of Manhattan.

As for commuting from NJ, actually NYU is pretty accessible from north Jersey.  You could take the PATH trains in and/or NJ transit.  The PATH train stops at Christopher St. and also 9th St., and you could probably walk or take a bus from there to the campus/building you needed.  The only caveat is depending on what town in NJ you live in, you might need a car to get around within your town - like to get groceries and stuff.  Also, NJ transit doesn't run all night long (and neither does PATH, IIRC) so if you ever wanted to hang out with friends late at night you'd have to find somewhere to crash.

 

As for how much you need to live - I disagree with whoever said you couldn't survive on $28,000 in upper Manhattan "In a million years."  My stipend was a little bit more than that ($32,000) but I saved $200 every month and lived quite comfortably.  But the key is...I had a roommate.  I also lived in Washington Heights.  I would say that it's probably difficult to live alone on that much, but you could swing it depending on how much you were willing to sacrifice.

 

First I am looking for temporary accommodation near the campus. Are there any areas in Manhattan I should avoid because of safety and distance?

How much should I expect to spend on food each week?

 

As for where to live - that depends entirely on you.  Lots of people commute from upper Manhattan or far-out Brooklyn to lower Manhattan every day from work, and you'll be on the subway, so it's just about how much of a commute you can tolerate.  From my place on 172nd & Haven Ave it would take me about 45-50 minutes to get to the West Village nearby NYU.  There aren't many places in Manhattan that I would tell you to wholesale avoid because of safety.  There are certain parts that are safer than others.  I know some people who won't live in East Harlem but I have friends who live there and they're fine.

 

I will most likely live on campus in Stuyvesant Town. I heard that the housing is bad and noisy. Has anyone here live there before? What do you think about it? And is it safe at night?

 

Stuyvesant Town is EXPENSIVE.  Their one-bedrooms start at $2500 and more often they are $3000+.  Their two bedrooms start at $4500 so I guess you could save a little money if you shared with someone but you'd still be paying $2250+.  I haven't lived there, but a friend of a friend threw a party in their Stuy Town apartment and so I have a fuzzy memory.  I think they were pretty nice - smaller than I expected for how much money they cost! - but I definitely didn't like the layout.  It's not well-lit and the sidewalks are winding.  That was the most unsafe I ever felt in the city, and it was 9 pm and I hadn't had anything to drink (and I've been outside at 3 am and pretty drunk).

 

The Stuy Town apartments through the MacCracken program at NYU are less pricy ($1115) but that's because you're living in a converted 1-bedroom with one other person.  They've turned part of the living room into a bedroom, and the apartments are about 580 square feet.  I never liked 1-bedroom flex arrangements and avoided them, but I suppose it could be a somewhat affordable way to live fairly close to NYU without paying a ridiculous amount in rent.  The next closest neighborhood in Manhattan that would be cheap would probably be Harlem. A little ways in Brooklyn (past Williamsburg, probably Prospect Heights) would be closer and still cheap.

 

Given that my financial package covers the tuition fee and medical insurance, and that the on-campus rent is ~$1200 per month, 

is my stipend enough for me to survive + go to a NY Phil concert every few months?

 

Depends.  How much is your stipend?  My stipend my first year was $32,000 and I don't think I could've afforded to pay $1200/month.  Plus you'll have to move in the summer after your first year.

Edited March 12, 2014 by juilletmercredi

[cedricyu803]

I live in Columbia housing.  For single students, there are two basic types on the Morningside campus: dormitory-stye housing and apartment shares.  The dorm-style housing is your typical single room on a corridor with shared bathrooms and kitchens.  I'm pretty sure they all have communal kitchens; I think a few rooms have private bathrooms.  This housing is only for graduate students and non-traditional graduate students in the School of General Studies, who are generally around the same age as grad students.

In the apartment shares, you get a bedroom in a 3-4 bedroom apartment.  You are placed in with other Columbia grads somewhat randomly, although it's gender segregated as far as I know (unless you waive that).  They're fairly decent-sized for NYC apartments and generally have a kitchen, living room and then your rooms.  A couple of my friends have those and I've been in them; they are nice and usually recently renovated, with new(er) appliances, white walls, etc.  They say they don't allow pets but I know plenty of people in Columbia housing with pets, including in my own building.

I personally share a 1-bedroom apartment with my husband, who is a School of General Studies student.  The only way to get the studios and one-bedrooms is married & family housing.

I would ignore anyone who tells you, unequivocally, not to live in X neighborhood/borough because there's a lot of variability in each neighborhood/borough and a lot of that is based upon perception.  My dad's from the Bronx and I have family up there on both sides, and there are nice areas of the Bronx.  In some of them you might benefit from access to a car, though; it just depends on where you live.  Some parts of Brooklyn are just as, or more, expensive than some parts of Manhattan (Park Slope, BoCoCa, DUMBO, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, parts of Fort Greene these days) and some parts are cheaper (Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, Prospect Heights, Lefferts Gardens).  Generally speaking the farther out you go into Brooklyn the cheaper it gets.  If you're willing to consider Bronx and Brooklyn then consider Queens, too - some of the closer neighborhoods (Sunnyside, Long Island City, Woodside, Jackson Heights) are actually cheaper than the trendier Brooklyn.  And Astoria is nice, although can tend to be pricier because of it's closeness to Manhattan.  But "pricier" is still cheaper than most of Manhattan.

As for commuting from NJ, actually NYU is pretty accessible from north Jersey.  You could take the PATH trains in and/or NJ transit.  The PATH train stops at Christopher St. and also 9th St., and you could probably walk or take a bus from there to the campus/building you needed.  The only caveat is depending on what town in NJ you live in, you might need a car to get around within your town - like to get groceries and stuff.  Also, NJ transit doesn't run all night long (and neither does PATH, IIRC) so if you ever wanted to hang out with friends late at night you'd have to find somewhere to crash.

 

As for how much you need to live - I disagree with whoever said you couldn't survive on $28,000 in upper Manhattan "In a million years."  My stipend was a little bit more than that ($32,000) but I saved $200 every month and lived quite comfortably.  But the key is...I had a roommate.  I also lived in Washington Heights.  I would say that it's probably difficult to live alone on that much, but you could swing it depending on how much you were willing to sacrifice.

 

 

As for where to live - that depends entirely on you.  Lots of people commute from upper Manhattan or far-out Brooklyn to lower Manhattan every day from work, and you'll be on the subway, so it's just about how much of a commute you can tolerate.  From my place on 172nd & Haven Ave it would take me about 45-50 minutes to get to the West Village nearby NYU.  There aren't many places in Manhattan that I would tell you to wholesale avoid because of safety.  There are certain parts that are safer than others.  I know some people who won't live in East Harlem but I have friends who live there and they're fine.

 

 

Stuyvesant Town is EXPENSIVE.  Their one-bedrooms start at $2500 and more often they are $3000+.  Their two bedrooms start at $4500 so I guess you could save a little money if you shared with someone but you'd still be paying $2250+.  I haven't lived there, but a friend of a friend threw a party in their Stuy Town apartment and so I have a fuzzy memory.  I think they were pretty nice - smaller than I expected for how much money they cost! - but I definitely didn't like the layout.  It's not well-lit and the sidewalks are winding.  That was the most unsafe I ever felt in the city, and it was 9 pm and I hadn't had anything to drink (and I've been outside at 3 am and pretty drunk).

 

The Stuy Town apartments through the MacCracken program at NYU are less pricy ($1115) but that's because you're living in a converted 1-bedroom with one other person.  They've turned part of the living room into a bedroom, and the apartments are about 580 square feet.  I never liked 1-bedroom flex arrangements and avoided them, but I suppose it could be a somewhat affordable way to live fairly close to NYU without paying a ridiculous amount in rent.  The next closest neighborhood in Manhattan that would be cheap would probably be Harlem. A little ways in Brooklyn (past Williamsburg, probably Prospect Heights) would be closer and still cheap.

 

Given that my financial package covers the tuition fee and medical insurance, and that the on-campus rent is ~$1200 per month, 

is my stipend enough for me to survive + go to a NY Phil concert every few months?

 

Depends.  How much is your stipend?  My stipend my first year was $32,000 and I don't think I could've afforded to pay $1200/month.  Plus you'll have to move in the summer after your first year.

Thanks very much for your comment~

 

commutes of 45-50 min (x2) very day is fine for me:

in my home city I also spend around 2 hours every day to commute between home and the campus.

It sounds fine to live in Brooklyn or upper Manhattan for me.

 

My stipend is $26k per 9 months + $10k summer support,

but I am not sure of how exactly the summer support works,

so let me take a rough estimate of $31k as the pre-tax stipend per year.

 

The MacCracken housing in Stuyvesant Town costs ~$13,000 for 11.5 months

I have not researched on the tax rate in NYC yet, but if I set 10% as the deducted amount of the total income, 

then I have (31*0.9-13)/12~$1250 to spend per month, not including the expenses for moving in summer as you mentioned. 

 

The housing looks expensive, but I will probably choose it to ease me from the headache of finding somewhere to live, 

in addition to adapting to the new environment and grad study.

Hopefully I will survive with the stipend I have