New Brunswick, NJ

[js42]

Hello to all,

can someone please tell me something about 1-bedroom Russell Apartments at Busch Campus or Russell Apartment in general? I couldn't find any picture of the apartment on the Rutgers webpages.

Thanks.

I've been an a 1BR in Russell for 1 academic year. I think everything I've read about Russell on this thread so far is true, except the weekly fire drills. We had them twice this year. The first was probably around 11 am on a Saturday and it woke me up. I took my time getting outside and it was not a big deal.

Maintenance is a little slow (for many definitions of the word). We called three times about our shower leak before they fixed it. The first time they put tape around part of the shower head. The second time I think they just looked at the tape. The third time they fixed it. We were so relieved they finally understood that we weren't really frustrated. They do come like the wind when you say the words "possible gas leak" (it turned out our stove's pilot light was out when we got here).

It is a small place, but they recently put in new windows and it makes the whole place seem newer to me. There isn't really a lot of noise or commotion near the apartments, but the campus goes a little crazy on game days and for a couple of other events. The biggest impact on my life has been the altered game day bus schedules. I'm not a fan.

I'd recommend a car. We lasted through winter break without a car. The buses get you to a lot of places, but surprisingly not Piscataway. The snow wasn't crazy. People from warmer climes will want a good jacket and probably snow boots or other waterproof shoes.

I'm not so enthused about Highland Park because I've seen a couple of the rooms my colleagues have and they're paying a little more for places that are at least as depressing as graduate family housing and their utilities, cable, and internet are not included in their price. Granted, they don't have the rules to deal with, and that can be a big factor, but I don't have to remember to write checks for rent or bills because it is automatically set up through the cashier's office like the rest of my fees. HP has a decent coffee shop, but the hours aren't great. Also, there's no good bookstore, bike shop, or good pub actually in HP. Plus, do you really want to run into your professors in the grocery store?

I fly out of Newark (NJ transit train from New Brunswick to the airport). I've done JFK and I'm going to forget about it and Philadelphia because I don't like to deal with a lot of mass transit after a long flight. Maybe people with shorter flights or a love of trains won't mind the extra time.

As for food, usually we cook, but grad students can also eat in the faculty dining halls. It is better than what they feed the undergrads.

[Jordan+AirForce1]

if you'll be in New Brunswick this coming fall, try out a Chinese restaurant named "Noodle Gourmet" in downtown New Brunswick!

i loved their food, and now i'm so far away, and i still miss their food

Edit: by the way, i have no affiliations with the place whatsoever

[sdido]

Hi everyone!

I just discovered this site and am really excited to have a way to reach out to people at our prospective campuses/schools!

I am starting my PhD in Communication this fall at Rutgers (moving from Champaign-Urbana, IL) and was curious if anyone had any advice about the following places in Highland Park (and if not, maybe just Highland Park in general?)

1) Harper House

2) Parktown Apartments

http://www.parktowneaptsnj.com/

3) Ausonia Apartments

http://www.rent.com/rentals/new-jersey/ ... ts/487441/

Any comments would be MUCH appreciated! I am hoping to sign a lease sometime this week

Steve

[FlamingMango719]

My boyfriend and I are both about to attend Rutgers for grad school. We've been looking at off campus apartments. What's the best place to look? The Rutger's housing website stinks. So far, we've been scouring through craigslist. Is there anything else that people use to find apartments? Is it possible to find a decent studio and/or 1 bedroom (that's less than 25 mins driving from the Busch campus) for less than $950/month?

So far, we have had little success. If the price is right (less than $950), then the quality sucks (it smells like cigarettes, is 200 square feet, or there are stains everywhere). We'd really rather not live with other roomates.

Has anybody had any success in finding a good quality apartment for less than $950/month that was in OK condition? Is it in a complex? And if so, which one?

[purplepepper]

Sorry for the x-posting.

To anyone who is still reading this:

Would anyone be interested in forming a karate club? (the style would be Shotokan, which has become the mainstream form of traditional karate. it is not a form of mixed martial arts.) My husband who was a karate instructor in Japan (mad skills by the way) wants to have a university class. We are down the road at Princeton and for various reasons can't make one here. He's more than happy to teach beginners and those with no experience at all, but obviously since I'm not a student I don't have any contacts at Rutgers yet.

Anyway, if anyone at all has any interest, please, please PM me!

[luar de ouro]

Sorry for the x-posting.

To anyone who is still reading this:

Would anyone be interested in forming a karate club? (the style would be Shotokan, which has become the mainstream form of traditional karate. it is not a form of mixed martial arts.) My husband who was a karate instructor in Japan (mad skills by the way) wants to have a university class. We are down the road at Princeton and for various reasons can't make one here. He's more than happy to teach beginners and those with no experience at all, but obviously since I'm not a student I don't have any contacts at Rutgers yet.

Anyway, if anyone at all has any interest, please, please PM me!

Hey, your hubby should contact Rutgers Recreation about becoming an instructor for their non-credit recreational courses. I use to be on the executive board for one of the martial art clubs (capoeira) and it's under the same department, so I'm talking with some pseudo-credibility http://forum.thegradcafe.com/uploads/emoticons/default_tongue.gif' alt=':-P'>. They hire tons of people to teach martial arts, dance, and sports, and your husband sounds like someone who could really bring great things to the table. I know undergrad students can apply to form clubs, but I don't know if graduate students can do the same, but you can also look into having your husband become one of the instructors (or coach) for Rutgers Martial Arts Club, their club officers can tell you specifics about how to do it. One of the most well organized martial arts clubs on campus is the jujitsu club so you can also contact them for more information.

Sorry I didn't actually offer any solid info!

[Noodles]

My fiance is a graduate student at Rutgers. I am somewhat familiar with the area and I would say it is definitely somewhere that I wouldn't mind living for five years or so. Rutgers University and New Brunswick have a gritty sort of appeal. There are lots of great restaurants and bars. New Brunswick grants you easy access to NYC and Philly. I like it there quite a bit. Be sure to stop by for a beer and a "boli" at Stuff Yer Face on Easton Ave. Also, there is a Chinese restaurant next door that serves amazing bubble tea in dozens of varieties. Congratulations on your admit and enjoy!

[M.J.P.]

Does anybody know how easy it is to get around New Brunswick without a car? I was a little disappointed to see that the nearest Zipcars are in Princeton and at Drew University. I'm not so worried about daily commuting (I walk a lot and have no problem taking the bus), but this will be my first time in an apartment that's not already furnished, so I'm nervous about getting stuff (furniture primarily) to the apartment after I move in. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[ploy]

i'm considering going to Rutgers this coming fall. i will be studying Master in Economics there. I have been reading a lot about the grad student housing, but still not sure where should be living. I mean i know i suppose to be avoiding the whole undergrad loud surrounding and all, but I am an international student. So i still want to hang out with and enjoy the culture.

Also, i dont think i'll be buying a car (i cant drive all that well), is it difficult to get around say for grocery shopping and all? Do i need a bike, would that be safe to bike in snow?

is there a cab available from the nearest airport since i'll being carry huge luggages, are they outrageously expensive?

would monthly expense $1,350 enough to get by? (excluding the tuition fee)

and since im a girl i need to ask this, are there lot of mall and shopping complex near the university?

thank

Edited February 24, 2011 by ploy

[seyeau]

i'm considering going to Rutgers this coming fall. i will be studying Master in Economics there. I have been reading a lot about the grad student housing, but still not sure where should be living. I mean i know i suppose to be avoiding the whole undergrad loud surrounding and all, but I am an international student. So i still want to hang out with and enjoy the culture.

Also, i dont think i'll be buying a car (i cant drive all that well), is it difficult to get around say for grocery shopping and all? Do i need a bike, would that be safe to bike in snow?

is there a cab available from the nearest airport since i'll being carry huge luggages, are they outrageously expensive?

would monthly expense $1,350 enough to get by? (excluding the tuition fee)

and since im a girl i need to ask this, are there lot of mall and shopping complex near the university?

thank

I'm a senior at Rutgers now, so I hope I can help you out.

It's definitely super helpful to have a car in New Brunswick for groceries. There is a major chain grocery store (Stop & Shop) about 5 minutes away by car (up Easton Ave) that I don't think would be accessible any other way. If you don't have a car, there is a grocery store down George st in NB called "C-Town" which is less nice in my opinion, but I think they would have the basics.

A lot of people bike around. As for snow, if you needed to get somewhere the buses didn't go, I don't think your bike would be much help immediately after a storm, but once they get sidewalks and streets cleared it wouldn't be so bad I guess. The buses are the best bet for getting around on campus though. The system seems confusing at first, but it's easy once you get the hang of it. parktran.rutgers.edu is the parking and transportation website, where you will find bus routes. Another good site is nexbus.com (navigate to the Rutgers page) where they have real time GPS locations of buses, and it will tell you when a particular bus will next be at a particular stop.

Newark air port (in Newark NJ) is where you would want to fly in. There's definitely cabs available, but I don't really know about cost. The train could also pick you up and drop you off at the station in New Brunswick, like a block or two from campus.

Depending on the apartment, I think that would be fine for monthly expenses. I paid 800/month for a studio apt. with utilities included (except internet) and it had a separate kitchen and a big bathroom. Most of the apartments are houses divided up into a bunch of apartments. There is one or two complexes, but those are like a 10 min walk from campus, which is okay if you don't mind the walk. The website for housing search is http://ruoffcampus.rutgers.edu/index.php?HousingSearch=1 and that's where you will find places to live. If you want to live in on campus grad housing, I don't know much about that, sorry!

There is a mall less than 10 minutes away, but you'd need a car to get there I'm pretty sure. There's a movie theater too. A lot of stuff is along Route 1. But if you have a car, Jersey is full of malls and stuff. There's one in Bridgewater, NJ which is probably a half hour away. As for shopping without a car, I don't really think there's much available. Most of the restaurants are along Easton Ave which is definitely within walking distance (probably 5 minutes walking depending on where you live). There's also some shopping along George street in the downtown part of NB, but not a whole lot.

I hope that helped! Feel free to message me if you need clarification!

[andromeda]

Would you happen to know or ask how they travel from NYC to the campus?? I am seriously considering attending Rutgers and have a potential apartment lined up in NYC. This would be the dream.

From what I know, from New Brunswick's train station, it takes just over an hour to arrive at Penn Station in NYC, but it's $16 -- way too much, if I have to commute 4-5 days a week. Can you consult your grad student friend?! I would love to know. Many thanks...

To the best of my knowledge, grad students aren't required to live on campus. Sure. they have on-campus options (I'm not sure if they're mandatory first year - highly doubt it), but off-campus options are also abundant. One grad student I know lives in New York City and commutes to class, but that's not typical.

[ploy]

I hope that helped! Feel free to message me if you need clarification!

thank so much you're really helpful

[tapshoes]

I studied at Rutgers as an undergraduate and work there now, so I have some knowledge of the area.

Roundtrip fare from NY Penn to New Brunswick is $26. NJ Transit instituted an absurd fare hike a few months (or maybe even a year?) ago. That said, I've met a few graduate students who commute from New York. Most of them lived in Brooklyn, where rent can be cheaper, but that really depends on where you're living, as some parts of Brooklyn are just as expensive as Manhattan.

The vast majority of the graduate students I've met at Rutgers live in Highland Park. It's quiet, rent is affordable, and it's a 15-20 minute walk from campus, depending on where your department is located.

My two cents? Avoid living in NY and commuting to Rutgers, unless you have money to burn. You might want to consider other places in NJ if you have a car.

Shoot me a message if you have any other questions!

Would you happen to know or ask how they travel from NYC to the campus?? I am seriously considering attending Rutgers and have a potential apartment lined up in NYC. This would be the dream.

From what I know, from New Brunswick's train station, it takes just over an hour to arrive at Penn Station in NYC, but it's $16 -- way too much, if I have to commute 4-5 days a week. Can you consult your grad student friend?! I would love to know. Many thanks...

[equinox]

FORGET New Brunswick, live in Highland Park- it has a real grocery store, lots of cute little shops, people are friendly. Prices are pretty much the same, except Highland Park is 100% safe, and the roof won't come down on your head. The vast majority of grad students live in Highland Park.

I don't mind Busch campus at all, I think it's actually pretty nice, and there is something to be said for living on campus and walking when the weather is bad. Parking situation for residents is fine- less fine for commuters. Fac/staff not a problem though.

Credentials: Have been at RU for four years.

[graspinghandsandfeet]

I was accepted to Rutgers a few days ago and I've been reading this forum trying to get a feel for the area. I know that the best way to get to know a place is to visit, but I don't think I will be able to do that until late April or May (after the April 15th deadline). This city guide has already provided a lot of valuable information, but I do have a few questions.

I get the feeling that it is not very common to ride bikes around New Brunswick, Highland Park, etc. This surprises me, since everything seems to be very close together. According to google maps Edison is only 5 miles from the Douglas campus and Highland Park only 2 miles, yet people in this thread have suggested to only live in Edison if you have a car. Am I getting the wrong impression or is it really unusual to bike from Edison to New Brunswick? I live in Austin, TX right now, don't own a car, and bike everywhere I need to go. I would like to continue to do that if I move to New Jersey.

People have been mentioning that New Brunswick doesn't have any "real" grocery stores and from what I have seen on google maps, this seems to be the case. Is it possible to get good food and a variety of groceries for a decent price, or would one have to go to Princeton or Middlesex (I saw that they have Trader Joe's there). I'm going to be on a budget, so I don't really want to have to pay for overpriced groceries and someone pointed out that the Stop&Shop in Highland Park was on the expensive side.

One last question: How important is it for an apartment to include heat or gas? As I mentioned I live in Austin right now, and cold is not an issue for us (we only turned the heater on for maybe a week this year). Rents in NB, Highland Park, etc are a lot higher than what I am used to, I am expecting to have to pay $900-1100 a month for an apartment. Should I make sure that rent includes heat, so I don't have to pay a lot extra in the winter months? How high do gas bills get in the winter?

If anyone who knows the area or lives there right now could enlighten me, I'd very much appreciate it! Thanks!

[JAFan]

I was accepted to Rutgers a few days ago and I've been reading this forum trying to get a feel for the area. I know that the best way to get to know a place is to visit, but I don't think I will be able to do that until late April or May (after the April 15th deadline). This city guide has already provided a lot of valuable information, but I do have a few questions.

I get the feeling that it is not very common to ride bikes around New Brunswick, Highland Park, etc. This surprises me, since everything seems to be very close together. According to google maps Edison is only 5 miles from the Douglas campus and Highland Park only 2 miles, yet people in this thread have suggested to only live in Edison if you have a car. Am I getting the wrong impression or is it really unusual to bike from Edison to New Brunswick? I live in Austin, TX right now, don't own a car, and bike everywhere I need to go. I would like to continue to do that if I move to New Jersey.

People have been mentioning that New Brunswick doesn't have any "real" grocery stores and from what I have seen on google maps, this seems to be the case. Is it possible to get good food and a variety of groceries for a decent price, or would one have to go to Princeton or Middlesex (I saw that they have Trader Joe's there). I'm going to be on a budget, so I don't really want to have to pay for overpriced groceries and someone pointed out that the Stop&Shop in Highland Park was on the expensive side.

One last question: How important is it for an apartment to include heat or gas? As I mentioned I live in Austin right now, and cold is not an issue for us (we only turned the heater on for maybe a week this year). Rents in NB, Highland Park, etc are a lot higher than what I am used to, I am expecting to have to pay $900-1100 a month for an apartment. Should I make sure that rent includes heat, so I don't have to pay a lot extra in the winter months? How high do gas bills get in the winter?

If anyone who knows the area or lives there right now could enlighten me, I'd very much appreciate it! Thanks!

I am a prospective student from Rutgers who is also looking into the area. I just wanted to add that I'm pretty sure your bike will not be fun to use come November. It gets very cold in New Jersey (speaking as someone from Florida who is also used to warm weather), and once it starts snowing you're going to want a car or bus.

[graspinghandsandfeet]

I'm originally from Germany, so I'm used to cold and snow and I used to ride my bike to school in the winter there. But the bus or train will definitely be a welcome alternative for some of the worst days.

I am a prospective student from Rutgers who is also looking into the area. I just wanted to add that I'm pretty sure your bike will not be fun to use come November. It gets very cold in New Jersey (speaking as someone from Florida who is also used to warm weather), and once it starts snowing you're going to want a car or bus.

[Johnian]

I was accepted to Rutgers a few days ago and I've been reading this forum trying to get a feel for the area. I know that the best way to get to know a place is to visit, but I don't think I will be able to do that until late April or May (after the April 15th deadline). This city guide has already provided a lot of valuable information, but I do have a few questions.

I get the feeling that it is not very common to ride bikes around New Brunswick, Highland Park, etc. This surprises me, since everything seems to be very close together. According to google maps Edison is only 5 miles from the Douglas campus and Highland Park only 2 miles, yet people in this thread have suggested to only live in Edison if you have a car. Am I getting the wrong impression or is it really unusual to bike from Edison to New Brunswick? I live in Austin, TX right now, don't own a car, and bike everywhere I need to go. I would like to continue to do that if I move to New Jersey.

People have been mentioning that New Brunswick doesn't have any "real" grocery stores and from what I have seen on google maps, this seems to be the case. Is it possible to get good food and a variety of groceries for a decent price, or would one have to go to Princeton or Middlesex (I saw that they have Trader Joe's there). I'm going to be on a budget, so I don't really want to have to pay for overpriced groceries and someone pointed out that the Stop&Shop in Highland Park was on the expensive side.

One last question: How important is it for an apartment to include heat or gas? As I mentioned I live in Austin right now, and cold is not an issue for us (we only turned the heater on for maybe a week this year). Rents in NB, Highland Park, etc are a lot higher than what I am used to, I am expecting to have to pay $900-1100 a month for an apartment. Should I make sure that rent includes heat, so I don't have to pay a lot extra in the winter months? How high do gas bills get in the winter?

If anyone who knows the area or lives there right now could enlighten me, I'd very much appreciate it! Thanks!

I'm a current grad student at Rutgers, and have lived in Highland Park for two years. I would say it's not very feasible to bike from Edison to New Brunswick; there aren't really any bike paths to speak of, and it doesn't seem very safe. People do bike from Highland Park to NB though. Again, there aren't bike lanes, but the side streets in HP are all pretty sleepy, and people bike on the sidewalks on the busier streets (when going over the bridge into NB, for example). There are places to lock bikes up around Highland Park and around Rutgers' campus as well. If you live in HP, it is also very feasible to walk to New Brunswick, and there is a NJTransit bus that runs through Highland Park to New Brunswick for days when the weather is bad. If your department is on one of the campuses other than College Ave, Rutgers has a good, free bus system connecting all of the other campuses to College Ave.

As far as grocery stores go, the Highland Park Stop n Shop isn't great, but it's not outrageously expensive. It's where I've done almost all of my grocery shopping while here, since I don't have a car. If you're into cooking, you won't be especially impressed by it, but it gets the job done, and is in a very convenient location. HP also has a nice farmers' market that runs from June - November. There are lots of different produce stalls, and a baker and handcrafted cheese stall, so you can get most of your food there when it's around.

If you have a roommate, you can expect to pay a lot less: I pay $650/month in a two bedroom with a roommate (so $1300 total). $900-1100 sounds about right for a one bedroom. Gas bills in the winter can get quite high - my first winter I had some pretty expensive ones (in the $300-400 range) before I bought some space heaters, bundled up, and got used to being a bit colder so the heating wouldn't be so much. If you'd like to be warm and cozy in the winter, I'd recommend finding somewhere that has heating included. I know several of the apartment buildings (Highland Montgomery, Harper House, and probably the other properties managed by the same groups) include heating in rent.

Hope that helps!

[graspinghandsandfeet]

Thanks so much! That was a lot of very helpful information. That farmers market sounds wonderful and I'm glad to hear that biking from Highland Park to New Brunswick is possible.

Having a roommate would definitely be cheaper, but it will probably be easier to find one once I have lived there for a few months and met some people. I also have two cats, which makes the roommate search a little more complicated.

Thanks again!

I'm a current grad student at Rutgers, and have lived in Highland Park for two years. I would say it's not very feasible to bike from Edison to New Brunswick; there aren't really any bike paths to speak of, and it doesn't seem very safe. People do bike from Highland Park to NB though. Again, there aren't bike lanes, but the side streets in HP are all pretty sleepy, and people bike on the sidewalks on the busier streets (when going over the bridge into NB, for example). There are places to lock bikes up around Highland Park and around Rutgers' campus as well. If you live in HP, it is also very feasible to walk to New Brunswick, and there is a NJTransit bus that runs through Highland Park to New Brunswick for days when the weather is bad. If your department is on one of the campuses other than College Ave, Rutgers has a good, free bus system connecting all of the other campuses to College Ave.

As far as grocery stores go, the Highland Park Stop n Shop isn't great, but it's not outrageously expensive. It's where I've done almost all of my grocery shopping while here, since I don't have a car. If you're into cooking, you won't be especially impressed by it, but it gets the job done, and is in a very convenient location. HP also has a nice farmers' market that runs from June - November. There are lots of different produce stalls, and a baker and handcrafted cheese stall, so you can get most of your food there when it's around.

If you have a roommate, you can expect to pay a lot less: I pay $650/month in a two bedroom with a roommate (so $1300 total). $900-1100 sounds about right for a one bedroom. Gas bills in the winter can get quite high - my first winter I had some pretty expensive ones (in the $300-400 range) before I bought some space heaters, bundled up, and got used to being a bit colder so the heating wouldn't be so much. If you'd like to be warm and cozy in the winter, I'd recommend finding somewhere that has heating included. I know several of the apartment buildings (Highland Montgomery, Harper House, and probably the other properties managed by the same groups) include heating in rent.

Hope that helps!

[JAFan]

Does anyone have any recommendations for finding a roommate at Rutgers? I'm starting my first semester in the Fall and don't know anyone. Is there some way to look?

[Milo_10011]

I took some courses at Rutgers. Housing for one will be difficult. Most of the housing I was aware of was in house-shares. Consider a Craigslist ad to help weed out the stoners and the deadbeats who'll eat all your food on you.

Speaking of food, consider the meal plan at Rutgers. Food, prep, cleanup, shopping can eat hours from a schedule. It may not be glamorous, but dining hall food can at least allow you to stabilize your eating so you aren't falling into the whole ramen and pasta lifestyle. And if you have the kind of schedule where you have a big fat single hour between two classes, you'll find that dining commons is a pretty good place to use the hour getting yourself fed.

Transportation? I think bringing a car to campus or commuting with a car is a ridiculous waste of time and money. I commuted and the traffic is bad, and parking can be really hard sometimes. Why introduce aggravation? And insurance in New Jersey is not cheap. And gas is going up all the time. You don't want to be in a spot where you end up paying $10 more a week for gas. Then $15. Then $20 ...

Night life is pretty good. Lots of bars, lots of restaurants (some great, some not-so). Chain restaurants too. NYC is an hour away by commuter rail (and that's a walk from campus).

Hope this helps.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Milo_10011

[Johnian]

Does anyone have any recommendations for finding a roommate at Rutgers? I'm starting my first semester in the Fall and don't know anyone. Is there some way to look?

The Rutgers Off-Campus Housing Service is a good place to start: http://ruoffcampus.rutgers.edu/ You can search for both apartments and roommates among other Rutgers students. I know the grad secretary in my own department generally will circulate names and info of new students looking for roommates among the incoming cohort, so that might be worth checking out within your own department - there may be other people in your class looking for a roommate as well! In Highland Park I know it is possible to find studio apartments, though you'll definitely save money by having a roommate. Good luck! Also, if the 'JA' in your user name refers to Jane Austen...I'm a fan as well .

[graspinghandsandfeet]

Thanks Milo!

I'm glad to hear that you don't suggest having a car. I don't have one right now and would prefer not to get one.

Having a roommate or two would definitely make things a lot cheaper, however, I'm starting to think that I might be ready to live alone. Having two cats doesn't exactly make the roommate search easy and I would prefer to move in with someone I already know.

Is there another way to find an apartment, aside from craigslist and the Rutgers Off-Campus housing website? Craigslist doesn't seem to have a lot of postings, most of them are just the same apartment posted over and over again. I plan on flying up there sometime soon (April, early May) to look for an apartment, but I will only be there for 3-4 days. Are there any realtors that are trustworthy and not too sleazy? I don't want to feel pressured to make a decision and end up with a dump that looked good at first glance.

If anyone can recommend a good way to find a decent place - with a realtor or without - I'd very much appreciate it!

I took some courses at Rutgers. Housing for one will be difficult. Most of the housing I was aware of was in house-shares. Consider a Craigslist ad to help weed out the stoners and the deadbeats who'll eat all your food on you.

Speaking of food, consider the meal plan at Rutgers. Food, prep, cleanup, shopping can eat hours from a schedule. It may not be glamorous, but dining hall food can at least allow you to stabilize your eating so you aren't falling into the whole ramen and pasta lifestyle. And if you have the kind of schedule where you have a big fat single hour between two classes, you'll find that dining commons is a pretty good place to use the hour getting yourself fed.

Transportation? I think bringing a car to campus or commuting with a car is a ridiculous waste of time and money. I commuted and the traffic is bad, and parking can be really hard sometimes. Why introduce aggravation? And insurance in New Jersey is not cheap. And gas is going up all the time. You don't want to be in a spot where you end up paying $10 more a week for gas. Then $15. Then $20 ...

Night life is pretty good. Lots of bars, lots of restaurants (some great, some not-so). Chain restaurants too. NYC is an hour away by commuter rail (and that's a walk from campus).

Hope this helps.

[JAFan]

The Rutgers Off-Campus Housing Service is a good place to start: http://ruoffcampus.rutgers.edu/ You can search for both apartments and roommates among other Rutgers students. I know the grad secretary in my own department generally will circulate names and info of new students looking for roommates among the incoming cohort, so that might be worth checking out within your own department - there may be other people in your class looking for a roommate as well! In Highland Park I know it is possible to find studio apartments, though you'll definitely save money by having a roommate. Good luck! Also, if the 'JA' in your user name refers to Jane Austen...I'm a fan as well .

Thanks for the help! I just put an ad on the housing service. I didn't see many that appealed to me, since most were undergraduates, so I thought I'd do my own post. Can I ask what department you're in? If it's mine then I can give them a call.

Also, it stands for Jane Austen...love her!

[Manette]

I just submitted an application for on-campus housing at Rutgers... it seems like the unpopular choice, but I'm fresh from Undergrad and pretty un-picky. I really just want to be close to campus and not have to worry about paying for utilities. I ranked Ford Hall first - again, despite the unfavorable things I've heard about the dorm in general. Am I crazy? (I'm not a complete Rutgers neophyte, my mother went there and my boyfriend from high school lived in the Starkey apartments on Cook campus for two years. They're far from gorgeous, but definitely liveable.)

Is everyone else definitely living off campus, probably in Highland Park?