College Station, TX

[columbia09]

I know this is College Station, TX which is a very conservative area but how is the gay scene down there? I got into Texas A&M 

[ihatechoosingusernames]

Anyone have anything new to add to the College Station thread? I'm specifically looking for info about outdoor activities. I grew up in a state where I hiked a lot and I know Texas (at least around BCS) is pretty flat, but are there any hiking related things to do? What about kayaking?

[APBrown]

17 hours ago, ihatechoosingusernames said:

Anyone have anything new to add to the College Station thread? I'm specifically looking for info about outdoor activities. I grew up in a state where I hiked a lot and I know Texas (at least around BCS) is pretty flat, but are there any hiking related things to do? What about kayaking?

I'm a grad student living in CS. Lived in West Virginia before, so I know the urge to get outdoors.

Unfortunately there are not a ton of options in regards to outdoor activities in the area. Within a reasonable driving distance though you can go to the Sam Houston National Forest or there are a few good places near Austin. BCS is a cool area though although it is a bit isolated. The Rec Center has some outdoor adventures they coordinate though. 

[ihatechoosingusernames]

On February 12, 2016 at 10:19 AM, APBrown said:

I'm a grad student living in CS. Lived in West Virginia before, so I know the urge to get outdoors.

Unfortunately there are not a ton of options in regards to outdoor activities in the area. Within a reasonable driving distance though you can go to the Sam Houston National Forest or there are a few good places near Austin. BCS is a cool area though although it is a bit isolated. The Rec Center has some outdoor adventures they coordinate though. 

Thanks for the info! We drove through Sam Houston on our way out of BCS, and Lake Conroe looked like a good place to kayak. From what I've been researching there are some cool spots to hike in TX, but many are at least a 1.5 hour drive away. I guess if that's what I need to get my outdoor fix...

Anyone have any tips on the best places to live with a dog? 

[coffeebooks]

On 2/11/2016 at 5:08 PM, ihatechoosingusernames said:

Anyone have anything new to add to the College Station thread? I'm specifically looking for info about outdoor activities. I grew up in a state where I hiked a lot and I know Texas (at least around BCS) is pretty flat, but are there any hiking related things to do? What about kayaking?

I've lived in B/CS for almost 4 years. My husband and I moved here from Austin, which was quite the adjustment but wasn't awful (which we were expecting!) The Rec has some great rentals for outdoor activities. You're about 3 hours from the coast and decent beach camping. If you're willing to drive, you could head to Austin for some day hikes, further west to the Hill Country and have a great hike, or keep heading further west and you end up in some really secluded areas great for camping if you're chill with the wildlife and cactus. As far as immediate B/CS area...not much for hiking or trails and every lake requires payment to access. Downtown Bryan is actually a nice place to hang out though and you avoid the typical college scene. Bryan is also cheaper for rent and a million times better for traffic and driving. For kayaking or paddleboarding, go to Austin. 

 

On 2/21/2016 at 0:01 AM, ihatechoosingusernames said:

Thanks for the info! We drove through Sam Houston on our way out of BCS, and Lake Conroe looked like a good place to kayak. From what I've been researching there are some cool spots to hike in TX, but many are at least a 1.5 hour drive away. I guess if that's what I need to get my outdoor fix...

Anyone have any tips on the best places to live with a dog? 

We lived in the Presidio Apartments in Bryan with 2 dogs for 3 years. Very dog friendly but somewhat pricey and borders a sketchy area. That being said, it's gated and offers garage parking. It's about 3 miles from campus but convenient to everything. 

[ihatechoosingusernames]

On February 24, 2016 at 7:33 PM, coffeebooks said:

We lived in the Presidio Apartments in Bryan with 2 dogs for 3 years. Very dog friendly but somewhat pricey and borders a sketchy area. That being said, it's gated and offers garage parking. It's about 3 miles from campus but convenient to everything. 

Hey! Thanks for your comments! What would you define as sketchy? And did you often drive in to campus, or did any of the buses run out that far? 

[Adequate Philosopher]

Hello everyone!

I'll be moving to College Station this fall. 

Does anyone have any recommended apartments? Any apartments I should stay away from? 

I'm currently leaning towards graduate housing in The Gardens. Has anyone on here lived there? How was your experience?

I appreciate any help you have to offer!

[Lucky14]

@Adequate Philosopher yah me too. I am looking for housing options amd literally have no idea. I will be moving to College Station too. Did you apply for on-campus housing?

[Adequate Philosopher]

On 5/8/2016 at 3:53 PM, Lucky14 said:

@Adequate Philosopher yah me too. I am looking for housing options amd literally have no idea. I will be moving to College Station too. Did you apply for on-campus housing?

Congrats on your acceptance! 

I have not applied yet, but will probably apply to on-campus housing. 

Based on my research, all furnished apartments in the College Station area are around the same price. Nearly all (significantly) cheaper apartments are unfurnished. Some people I have spoken with recommend looking at apartments in Bryan, which is close to College Station. Apartments there tend to be slightly cheaper, but if you figure in driving and dealing with traffic it seems to me to even out. 

I hope this helps. 

[Lucky14]

@Adequate Philosopher Thank you! Congrats to you too! Considering the fact that not all grad students who applied for on-campus housing will be accepted, we should probably look for off-campus housing. I don't know about Bryan and haven't researched its housing yet.

I am currently residing outside the States and will not be there until July. I don't own a car in the US so I guess I will depend on the bus to take me to school. I have no problem whether the room is fully furnished or not. Shall we look for available housing (as a team, yes!), that may do nothing but increasing chances of getting better deal . I would do anything to stay away from undergrads' parties

Does anyone have any suggestions? I don't own a car, prefer places with shared kitchen and bathroom. If there is a gym or a pool to swim that will be lovely but it is totally optional. Safety is a must! I will spend most of my time on campus so it would be nice if that place is near a bus stop/ or well-lit and safe to walk at night. Any suggestions will be really appreciated!! Thank you guys

[SerenityNow!]

Reviving this thread! I am considering attending Texas A&M for a PhD program and, if I attend, will be moving to Texas with my husband and dog. I'm concerned he wont be able to find a job in College Station and will need to work in Houston or Austin. I know they are each about a 2 hour drive away so I was wondering if anyone has commuted between CS and one of these major cities or compromised and lived somewhere in the middle so each commute is about ~45mins. We have never even been to Texas before, both East Coast folks, so this is all new! Thank you!!

[E-P]

1 hour ago, SerenityNow! said:

Reviving this thread! I am considering attending Texas A&M for a PhD program and, if I attend, will be moving to Texas with my husband and dog. I'm concerned he wont be able to find a job in College Station and will need to work in Houston or Austin. I know they are each about a 2 hour drive away so I was wondering if anyone has commuted between CS and one of these major cities or compromised and lived somewhere in the middle so each commute is about ~45mins. We have never even been to Texas before, both East Coast folks, so this is all new! Thank you!!

I grew up in Texas.  I can't speak specifically to CS, but in general...I don't think many people commute from CS to Austin or Houston on a regular basis.  Especially not Austin.  I think I knew one person who made that commute for a year, but he changed jobs pretty quickly because he hated it.

 

So, depending on what your husband does, he might be able to work remotely?  If he could reduce the number of times he went into the office to a couple of times a month, that would be very doable.  There are probably coworking spaces that he could rent an office in locally to CS if he needed to.

One thing to keep in mind is that public transportation in most of Texas is nonfunctional, or nonexistant.  So you'll both want to have cars, and both those cars will need to have air conditioning.

 

LMK if I can answer any other general "Living in Texas" questions.  I'm happy to help.

[SerenityNow!]

@E-P thank you for the insight! I didn't think many people made that commute but thought I would ask anyways. He is a lawyer so I'm not sure how possible remote working would be but I guess I'll find out as he begins searching for jobs.

 

[AnxiousNerd]

2 hours ago, SerenityNow! said:

@E-P thank you for the insight! I didn't think many people made that commute but thought I would ask anyways. He is a lawyer so I'm not sure how possible remote working would be but I guess I'll find out as he begins searching for jobs.

 

Commuting to Houston would be a shit show because Houston traffic is so gnarly. That being said, my fiance was a paralegal at a law firm in Bryan for a while, and while I don't know too much, there might be some options. But god B/CS is a miserable place.

[JustPoesieAlong]

Hello there. I'm considering attending TAMU for my doctoral degree and would love to know more about what it's like living with a family in College Station/Bryan. What are the schools like? Are there better places to live with kids than others?

I know it's a smaller, conservative town, but are there any good breweries, coffee shops, restaurants to speak of? If not, at least Austin and Houston are close!

Looking forward to learning more. Thanks!

[Beaudreau]

(Replying to SerenityNow! and JustPosieAlong) My oldest son is a senior at TAMU.  He is fairly liberal and out-of-state, but has quite enjoyed his four years in College Station.  You can find all the usual college-town restaurants and businesses.  TAMU leans conservative, but it is a huge college.  Trump carried the county, but there were thousands of Clinton voters.  https://stuactonline.tamu.edu/app/organization/profile/public/id/1204

I agree that commuting to either Houston or Austin would be awful.  

My son is heading to Ann Arbor in August for his PhD.  He currently rents a very nice small house a 15-minute walk from the TAMU campus (engineering complex), which I don't believe has been rented for fall.  If anyone is interested, please send me a message.

[noahp555]

Hello,

I was recently accepted to TAMU for a three year doctoral program in epidemiology. I'm wondering the atmosphere of the area, currently living in Tampa, FL and I'm used to a more moderate sized city. Are there things to do, worried I might be stuck in a place I don't like for three years (which is why I am considering alternative acceptances despite it being so highly ranked in public health).

[Beaudreau]

On 2/21/2018 at 3:56 PM, noahp555 said:

Hello,

I was recently accepted to TAMU for a three year doctoral program in epidemiology. I'm wondering the atmosphere of the area, currently living in Tampa, FL and I'm used to a more moderate sized city. Are there things to do, worried I might be stuck in a place I don't like for three years (which is why I am considering alternative acceptances despite it being so highly ranked in public health).

My son is completing his senior year in College Station.  He is from Phoenix, a much bigger city.  Generally, he has enjoyed his four years in College Station/Bryan.  It is a smaller town, but it is also a college town, so there are many more things to do than in a normal city of this size.  Downtown Bryan is fun. https://www.downtownbryan.com/

He does travel once or twice a semester to a larger city.  Austin and Houston are each under two hours away; Dallas and San Antonio are each less than three hours away.  I personally don't care much for Houston, but Austin is lots of fun.  San Antonio is a lovely City

By the way, TAMU is in the Brazos River Valley, which I find to be quite pretty - largely rolling country with large farms and ranches.  The most similar area in Florida would be around Ocala.

TAMU undergraduate students are almost entirely from Texas and pretty conservative.  That was an adjustment for my son, although they have been very friendly.  He has made many friends and is still considering graduate school there in aerospace engineering.

[Bayesian1701]

Any housing suggestions?  I am trying to avoid undergrads but still be on the bus route.  Safety is important to me as well although there probably isn't anywhere that dangerous in College Station.  

[cremy07]

On 3/3/2018 at 11:32 AM, Bayesian1701 said:

Any housing suggestions?  I am trying to avoid undergrads but still be on the bus route.  Safety is important to me as well although there probably isn't anywhere that dangerous in College Station.  

I did my Masters in the area, and I lived in the Riverstone Apartments complex. It's in Bryan, so you're outside of the general undergrad area, but it's also right off the Reveille bus so there's easy access to campus. There's also a grocery store, pharmacy, and a really great breakfast taco place within about a 5-minute walk. That whole area up off Villa Maria has a bunch of apartments that are a combination of grad students and working adults. A lot of them are pretty reasonable, too, especially if you're looking to live on your own.

[Bayesian1701]

I am a Texas native on spring break so I went apartment hunting today and wanted to leave some advice.  I went to Aggieland Apartment Finders and they were fantastic.  They are a real estate agency for student housing but they knew where to go for safe and quiet away from undergraduates.

Here are the places they recommended:

Madison Pointe - cheap and well managed but pretty old even though it’s updated on bus route 

The Element at University Park -  nice and while online it look undergraduate focused it’s really not and nice and spread out but pricey at $800+ On bus route

The Presidio - nice and gated but a little bit more expensive than the element not on bus route but they have a private shuttle might be a little to studenty

West University Gardens - kinda sketchy and far from the bus but very cheap 

I wanted in unit washer dryer and on the bus route in the $800s range but I think Aggieland Apartment Finders would help you find something else if you have different priorities than me.  I was skeptical that they wouldn’t have a wide variety of places to show me but they did.  

 

[noahp555]

On 2/24/2018 at 5:33 PM, Beaudreau said:

My son is completing his senior year in College Station.  He is from Phoenix, a much bigger city.  Generally, he has enjoyed his four years in College Station/Bryan.  It is a smaller town, but it is also a college town, so there are many more things to do than in a normal city of this size.  Downtown Bryan is fun. https://www.downtownbryan.com/

He does travel once or twice a semester to a larger city.  Austin and Houston are each under two hours away; Dallas and San Antonio are each less than three hours away.  I personally don't care much for Houston, but Austin is lots of fun.  San Antonio is a lovely City

By the way, TAMU is in the Brazos River Valley, which I find to be quite pretty - largely rolling country with large farms and ranches.  The most similar area in Florida would be around Ocala.

TAMU undergraduate students are almost entirely from Texas and pretty conservative.  That was an adjustment for my son, although they have been very friendly.  He has made many friends and is still considering graduate school there in aerospace engineering.

Thank you so much for the reply Beaudreau, I would like to stay away from the undergraduate scene if possible as I will be completing my doctorate and will likely live in isolation for 3 years. Thank you for the insight!

 

-Noah

[Psychological Yam]

hiiii this thread has been dead but as a potential aggie, i have some questions!

how difficult is it to find a job in the area if you aren't a student? moving with my bf who has a BS in management information systems and am concerned he might have to move to austin or dallas to get a job.

second, looking for *updated* apartment recommendations for one bedrooms! more specifically, close to campus, allows cats, washer & dryer inside are our priorities. price isn't that much of an issue, just looking for under $1000 a month

[ikillberejected]

Commenting here to try and revive too. Really, just looking for apartment recommendations (and any i should stay away from).

 

Don't need anything great, and I'd prefer if it's not expensive. Better still if it's pet friendly, has a gym and swimming pool. 

 

 

Also, I won't own anything apart from a bicycle so it'll help if it's near the college.

[MrSergazinov]

I have looked at various options but still have not settled on anything particular. Looks like the average price is somewhere around $500 for a single bedroom. Is there anymore suggestions?