San Diego, CA

[nevermind]

5 hours ago, elsueñodelretorno said:

Hi there!
Not sure if there is anyone out there to read this, as I see that this topic hasn´t had much activity in the past year, but here are my questions in case anyone can answer:
I have been admitted to a Ph.D. program at UCSD. The program looks awesome to me, great fit, great professors... Academically I´m loving it. But I´d have to teach every semester and they would give me 20K (pre taxes) per academic year with no summer aid. How do you see this to live in San Diego? I´ve been researching a little bit and I thought that  could live in Hillcrest (I´m European, a very urban person. Probably would feel miserable at La Jolla and, at least the first year, I won´t have a car) sharing an apartment (have seen very nice rooms on Craiglist for $600-800) and take the shuttle to campus. How difficult do you think my life would be on this stipend, 20K/year?
I appreciate all of your comments, thanks a lot!  

 

I live in North Park and take the Hillcrest shuttle to the UCSD campus. I don't have a car, so that saves on insurance payments. (If i need to go downtown or something, I take Lyft). I pay $750 to share an apartment with my boyfriend (total $1500) and it works for us. The no $$$ for summer kind of blows. I'm using my research stipend for my first year to pay for my bills (we don't actually get money from July through October) while I'll be gone this summer. You'll scrape by but it's not an extravagant lifestyle here. 

[elsueñodelretorno]

53 minutes ago, nevermind said:

I live in North Park and take the Hillcrest shuttle to the UCSD campus. I don't have a car, so that saves on insurance payments. (If i need to go downtown or something, I take Lyft). I pay $750 to share an apartment with my boyfriend (total $1500) and it works for us. The no $$$ for summer kind of blows. I'm using my research stipend for my first year to pay for my bills (we don't actually get money from July through October) while I'll be gone this summer. You'll scrape by but it's not an extravagant lifestyle here. 

 

Thank you very much! Your lifestyle is exactly what I had thought of: Hillcrest, shuttle, a shared apartment, no car, Lyft when needed... So, in your opinion, it´s not horrible? I skyped with two current grad students from my program and they were like: "this is so difficult". 

[nevermind]

Just now, elsueñodelretorno said:

Thank you very much! Your lifestyle is exactly what I had thought of: Hillcrest, shuttle, a shared apartment, no car, Lyft when needed... So, in your opinion, it´s not horrible? I skyped with two current grad students from my program and they were like: "this is so difficult". 

 

It's tough, but I've done it before so it's not terrible for me. I was making a lot of money working before I came back to graduate school, so I knew what the tradeoff was going to be. I don't know. Everyone has their own standards of living and for me, it's not bad. I don't really buy anything extravagant (food is probably my number one expense outside rent), and I don't have a ton of time for social activities. It's only 5 years out of your life, so it's not a long-term thing.

[elsueñodelretorno]

16 minutes ago, nevermind said:

It's tough, but I've done it before so it's not terrible for me. I was making a lot of money working before I came back to graduate school, so I knew what the tradeoff was going to be. I don't know. Everyone has their own standards of living and for me, it's not bad. I don't really buy anything extravagant (food is probably my number one expense outside rent), and I don't have a ton of time for social activities. It's only 5 years out of your life, so it's not a long-term thing.

 

I see. I was also doing a decent salary (40K) until last Christmas, so I´ll have to "sacrifice" some things, like living by myself (tragic, but I´m assuming it. Grad school is worthy. Period). I was used to not worry about money at all and that´s about to change  
Also, I´d be totally new to the city, international student, no romantic partner... So I think that sharing an apartment will be good for me as a way to have some human contact. San Diego and UCSD are welcoming places? I´d like to make friends, obviously. 
Thank you very much!!

[nevermind]

48 minutes ago, elsueñodelretorno said:

I see. I was also doing a decent salary (40K) until last Christmas, so I´ll have to "sacrifice" some things, like living by myself (tragic, but I´m assuming it. Grad school is worthy. Period). I was used to not worry about money at all and that´s about to change  
Also, I´d be totally new to the city, international student, no romantic partner... So I think that sharing an apartment will be good for me as a way to have some human contact. San Diego and UCSD are welcoming places? I´d like to make friends, obviously. 
Thank you very much!!

 

I think making friends is totally up to you. There are plenty of ways of getting involved on campus and there are departmental things that you can participate in (some fields/cohorts are more social than others), but there are opportunities. You will probably have to make an effort.

[elsueñodelretorno]

13 minutes ago, nevermind said:

I think making friends is totally up to you. There are plenty of ways of getting involved on campus and there are departmental things that you can participate in (some fields/cohorts are more social than others), but there are opportunities. You will probably have to make an effort.

 

Sounds logic!

Thank you very much! I´m attending the Open House in March and am so excited about it! Thanks again!

[heyou]

When is the best time to start looking? Outside of La Jolla which are the safest and most affordable neighborhoods that are easy commutes to UCSD (I will have a car, but prefer public transportation. I am open to driving to school, however.)

[geologyninja13]

I was accepted to San Diego State University, but with a stipend of 9,900 per YEAR. Can I live in San Diego on that without taking out student loans?

[kayyyyy_]

3 minutes ago, geologyninja13 said:

I was accepted to San Diego State University, but with a stipend of 9,900 per YEAR. Can I live in San Diego on that without taking out student loans?

Are you talking purely for rent? Depends on your circumstances if you want roommates or not. Most apartments range 1 bedroom in SD from 1,000-2,000 a month.. 

[nevermind]

2 minutes ago, geologyninja13 said:

I was accepted to San Diego State University, but with a stipend of 9,900 per YEAR. Can I live in San Diego on that without taking out student loans?

Without other sources of funding, it's not likely. I think that puts you below the poverty line, so you might be eligible for food stamps or some other assistance. But housing is extremely expensive here (I share an apartment with my boyfriend and we pay $1500 a month...so my share is $750), so your stipend *might* take care of housing, but not anything else. :/

[siitrasn]

On 2/23/2017 at 2:36 PM, heyou said:

When is the best time to start looking? Outside of La Jolla which are the safest and most affordable neighborhoods that are easy commutes to UCSD (I will have a car, but prefer public transportation. I am open to driving to school, however.)

Summer is a good time to start looking around La Jolla since it's got a huge student population and leases will be up last Spring/Summer. I know UCSD has on-campus grad housing, but if you're looking for neighborhoods off campus I remember Hillcrest being particularly popular. Also, there should be buses that take you from a bunch of places around La Jolla to campus via the San Diego public transport system. (Source: undergrad at UCSD)

[nevermind]

5 minutes ago, siitrasn said:

Summer is a good time to start looking around La Jolla since it's got a huge student population and leases will be up last Spring/Summer. I know UCSD has on-campus grad housing, but if you're looking for neighborhoods off campus I remember Hillcrest being particularly popular. Also, there should be buses that take you from a bunch of places around La Jolla to campus via the San Diego public transport system. (Source: undergrad at UCSD)

 

This is true. Hillcrest is a good option. I live in North Park and it also seems to have a large grad student population. Parking at UCSD can kind of be a source of frustration from what I've heard...I take a bus to the HIllcrest shuttle (it goes from the UCSD Medical Center up to the LaJolla campus), which is a bit of a hassle, but I get work done on the bus, so it works out. (If I'm particularly lazy, I take a Lyft to the UCSD shuttle.)

Hope that helps!

[siitrasn]

4 minutes ago, nevermind said:

This is true. Hillcrest is a good option. I live in North Park and it also seems to have a large grad student population. Parking at UCSD can kind of be a source of frustration from what I've heard...I take a bus to the HIllcrest shuttle (it goes from the UCSD Medical Center up to the LaJolla campus), which is a bit of a hassle, but I get work done on the bus, so it works out. (If I'm particularly lazy, I take a Lyft to the UCSD shuttle.)

Hope that helps!

Yep, North Park is a good area as well! Totally slipped my mind.

Parking is an absolute nightmare at UCSD, with a lot of the cheaper parking spots (B spots?) being far away from buildings way out in the parking lots. It's a huge campus so you'd be walking a bit from where you park, unless you get lucky. Although, since I graduated in 2012, I heard they've built a a new parking complex near Sixth or something like that.

Also, as nevermind mentioned the shuttles can be pretty convenient. I don't remember 100% since it's been a few years, but don't they have wifi so longer commutes can be time to work?

Edited March 22, 2017 by siitrasn

[nevermind]

27 minutes ago, siitrasn said:

Also, as nevermind mentioned the shuttles can be pretty convenient. I don't remember 100% since it's been a few years, but don't they have wifi so longer commutes can be time to work?

 

If it does, it doesn't work that well. I use the hot spot on my phone to connect to wifi if I needed it. Usually, I just read.

[Ufffdaaa]

To anyone accepted to UCSD, you should ask your department to nominate you for SHORE (priority on-campus housing). Rent in San Diego is crazy, so getting a 2 bedroom for $1200 is insanely affordable for the area. If you don't have priority housing, you typically have to wait 12+ months for an on-campus apartment. SHORE also gives you a month-to-month lease that lasts for your estimated time to degree plus one year (for example, MA is 2 years + 1 extra = 3 total years). 

Living on campus is "cheap" and convenient. It's really difficult to find a parking spot on campus, so the campus shuttle is a life saver. I have a faculty parking pass (so I pay ~$100/month and can park in ANY spot), and I still have to circle the lots for 30+ minutes sometimes. 

[posi+ivity]

On 2/13/2018 at 5:23 AM, Wooshkuh said:

To anyone accepted to UCSD, you should ask your department to nominate you for SHORE (priority on-campus housing). Rent in San Diego is crazy, so getting a 2 bedroom for $1200 is insanely affordable for the area. If you don't have priority housing, you typically have to wait 12+ months for an on-campus apartment. SHORE also gives you a month-to-month lease that lasts for your estimated time to degree plus one year (for example, MA is 2 years + 1 extra = 3 total years). 

Living on campus is "cheap" and convenient. It's really difficult to find a parking spot on campus, so the campus shuttle is a life saver. I have a faculty parking pass (so I pay ~$100/month and can park in ANY spot), and I still have to circle the lots for 30+ minutes sometimes. 

Hi @Wooshkuh, I might be attending UCSD this fall, and I am applying for campus housing. I'm currently on the department's waitlist for SHORE, and given the cost of housing in San Diego I am really hoping I get it.

I assume from your post that you are currently attending UCSD for your MA. Would you mind sharing your thoughts about the different housing options on campus? Some of the students there have been giving me quite differing reviews. I'm considering Mesa, the Rita Atkinson, One Miramar, and Coast (although I am aware that it is quite difficult to get into and that it's not part of SHORE). I've been told to avoid the Single Graduate Apartments (buildings too old, 4 people in an apartment, too much like dorms) and Mesa Nueva (too new, too crowded, also too much like a dorm). Do you also know which ones are furnished and which ones aren't?

[Ufffdaaa]

1 hour ago, posi+ivity said:

Hi @Wooshkuh, I might be attending UCSD this fall, and I am applying for campus housing. I'm currently on the department's waitlist for SHORE, and given the cost of housing in San Diego I am really hoping I get it.

I assume from your post that you are currently attending UCSD for your MA. Would you mind sharing your thoughts about the different housing options on campus? Some of the students there have been giving me quite differing reviews. I'm considering Mesa, the Rita Atkinson, One Miramar, and Coast (although I am aware that it is quite difficult to get into and that it's not part of SHORE). I've been told to avoid the Single Graduate Apartments (buildings too old, 4 people in an apartment, too much like dorms) and Mesa Nueva (too new, too crowded, also too much like a dorm). Do you also know which ones are furnished and which ones aren't?

Mesa, One Miramar, and Mesa Nueva are all together on the other side of the 5. However, you can easily hop on the bus and take that over to campus. Rita Atkinson is on campus and it's furnished. However, last time I checked, you can't park anywhere near Rita Atkinson. So, that's a pain. Coast apartments have the best location (with views of the ocean), but you won't get in there. 

I lived in One Miramar (OMS) for two years and enjoyed it. My husband and I had a two bedroom apartment. The bathroom situation is a bit weird. There's one room with a toilet and a sink and another room with a sink and a shower. Almost all of the units in OMS have a balcony (or patio on the first floor). Also, there's a lounge, some green space, and a ping pong table. You can walk over to Mesa Nueva and use the pool there too. The biggest downside is that you have to park in the parking ramp and walk to your building. 

Mesa is old, but spacious. There are parking lots around the buildings, which makes parking there somewhat more convienient. The units at Mesa all have balconies/patios too. 

Mesa Nueva is brand new, but it does feel very crowded (like everyone is on top of you). Also, the studios are extremely small. So, I would encourage you to think about that carefully before committing to one. They have a parking ramp over at Mesa Nueva, so the parking situation is similar to OMS. 

Let me know if you have other questions! 

 

[posi+ivity]

On 3/16/2018 at 2:38 PM, Wooshkuh said:

Mesa, One Miramar, and Mesa Nueva are all together on the other side of the 5. However, you can easily hop on the bus and take that over to campus. Rita Atkinson is on campus and it's furnished. However, last time I checked, you can't park anywhere near Rita Atkinson. So, that's a pain. Coast apartments have the best location (with views of the ocean), but you won't get in there. 

I lived in One Miramar (OMS) for two years and enjoyed it. My husband and I had a two bedroom apartment. The bathroom situation is a bit weird. There's one room with a toilet and a sink and another room with a sink and a shower. Almost all of the units in OMS have a balcony (or patio on the first floor). Also, there's a lounge, some green space, and a ping pong table. You can walk over to Mesa Nueva and use the pool there too. The biggest downside is that you have to park in the parking ramp and walk to your building. 

Mesa is old, but spacious. There are parking lots around the buildings, which makes parking there somewhat more convienient. The units at Mesa all have balconies/patios too. 

Mesa Nueva is brand new, but it does feel very crowded (like everyone is on top of you). Also, the studios are extremely small. So, I would encourage you to think about that carefully before committing to one. They have a parking ramp over at Mesa Nueva, so the parking situation is similar to OMS. 

Let me know if you have other questions! 

 

Thanks a lot @Wooshkuh! What do you think of living off-campus? I'm asking just in case I don't get SHORE housing (which is likely at this point, I think). How hard/expensive is it to get a place outside campus? I won't be driving—at least not in my first year, I think. I don't mind having roommates as long as I have my own bedroom and preferrably my own bathroom. What is a good platform to use to look for a place?

[Ufffdaaa]

1 hour ago, posi+ivity said:

Thanks a lot @Wooshkuh! What do you think of living off-campus? I'm asking just in case I don't get SHORE housing (which is likely at this point, I think). How hard/expensive is it to get a place outside campus? I won't be driving—at least not in my first year, I think. I don't mind having roommates as long as I have my own bedroom and preferrably my own bathroom. What is a good platform to use to look for a place?

There are quite a few buses that go to campus, and a lot of students use them. Here's a link with all of the routes: https://transportation.ucsd.edu/alternatives/transit/#Bus-routes The superloop is always packed. I would recommend looking for a place on a bus line.

As for neighborhoods... University City is close to UCSD. Also, a lot of people live in Hillcrest, which is a really cool area with a lot of restaurants.

I used apartments.com to find my current off campus apartment, but you can use this site to help you find a UCSD roommate once you have an account: https://offcampushousing.ucsd.edu/.

When my husband and I had to move off campus, I really wanted to live close to campus or south of UCSD, but the apartments were either way out of our price range or extremely old. 

For some perspective, a two bedroom near campus can be up to $3000+. My current off campus apartment is North of campus and inland. I pay ~$1700/month for a two bedroom now. However, I have to drive and park every day because the public transportation doesn't really connect up here.

Honestly, SHORE was the deciding factor when my husband made his decision between UCLA and UCSD. We didn't think we could afford off campus housing in LA or San Diego. The stipends are rather generous though, so it's definitely possible.

[posi+ivity]

Thank you so much for the info and the advice, @Wooshkuh!

[XVIIA]

I'm married, and my husband and I are considering relocating the SD next year so that I can pursue my PhD at UCSD. I'm a bit older than the standard student, so my husband and I have been working in industry for several years. My husband would find a job in the SD area while I pursue my degree.

I was offered SHORE, and it seems like a good deal compared to the standard rent in the area. The main draw of on-campus housing would be primarily taking advantage of the subsidized rent as well as avoiding purchasing a second car, extra flexibility for my working hours, etc. I know it's not uncommon for married grad students to live on campus, but what about "older" couples where one person isn't a student? Do people tend to have success with this arrangement? Or do most people in my situation tend to find that living off-campus works better? We plan on having children while I'm in my PhD, so living where at least one of us is very close to work and childcare would be helpful. I know parking on campus can be rough, but is this an issue at places like Mesa? How close are the closest grocery stores to campus housing?

[jfgslp]

Hi all! I recently committed to SDSU for my M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology starting this fall. I'm moving from the east coast and am wondering around what time frame I should be looking for housing? I'm tied up until mid-August, so I'll be moving out around then and would be looking for a place to rent starting then (of course, I understand the beginning of August is more reasonable/likely). I know someone currently in the program who said they would let me know if anyone from their cohort is looking for a roommate next year. But, I'm wondering if I should be looking on my own/start asking people in my cohort. I've only ever lived on campus and know little about housing in San Diego, and again, am mostly concerned with the timeline. Thanks again!

[ghint]

Hello everyone! I got accepted into the SDSU-UCSD joint doctoral program in public health, which means I will have to attend classes in both the places during my time in SD. Any suggestions on what could be a convenient place to live? I have applied for the UCSD student housing (mesa neuva, mesa, oms). How efficient is the public transport between UCSD and SDSU? Thank you!

[jfgslp]

Hi folks! Looking for roommates for a place to live near SDSU (within a few miles and/or public transit - I will have a car but prefer not to drive to school). I'm a 20-something male Masters student in speech-language pathology. I tend to work lots outside of the house during the weekdays but be social and enjoy company/going out on the weekends. I'm pretty easy-going and open to living with grad students of any gender. Message me if you're interested! (My name's Johnny) ?

[Ternwild]

On 3/22/2017 at 3:39 PM, geologyninja13 said:

I was accepted to San Diego State University, but with a stipend of 9,900 per YEAR. Can I live in San Diego on that without taking out student loans?

No, you can't.  9k a years isn't possible to afford a 1bedroom apartment.  SDSU is quite a bit away from the city center, so it's slightly cheaper, but 9k a year would be spent mostly on rent, if you're luck enough to find a cheap, tiny studio apartment or rent a tiny room. 

 

On 4/23/2018 at 11:47 AM, ghint said:

Hello everyone! I got accepted into the SDSU-UCSD joint doctoral program in public health, which means I will have to attend classes in both the places during my time in SD. Any suggestions on what could be a convenient place to live? I have applied for the UCSD student housing (mesa neuva, mesa, oms). How efficient is the public transport between UCSD and SDSU? Thank you!

Live in downtown.  Downtown is sort of a central hub and splits the two university locations in half.  You can find some decently cheap (for San Diego) locations to live, there.  Word of advice, avoid streets numbered 15th or higher. 

 

*Editors note: I just now realised I'm talking to ghosts from the past. xD  Well, this is good advice for anyone who is in their position.