Baltimore, MD

[Someonehere]

On 28/02/2018 at 2:27 PM, ducournau said:

Baltimore native here! Feel free to shoot me specific questions if you have them.

Thanks for the generous offer. If I ever get off the waitlist at JHU (doubtful) then I will hit you up!

[moar_skool]

13 hours ago, Capybara said:

How is the area around MICA? Is it safe? If I'm not too good with bike and don't drive, is it hard to get around?

Also, is it better to live with university's dorms (which are scattered apartments in Bolton Hill), both expense-wise and safety-wise?

I'm not familiar with the MICA dorms specifically, but I used to live in the Mount Vernon/Midtown Belvedere neighborhood which is next to Bolton Hill. The area is very walkable and there are buses & a light rail train that run through MICA's campus to other areas of the city, so you could definitely do without a car. In terms of price--I rented a spacious 2 bedroom, fully furnished apartment for $1700/month ($850 per roommate). Unfurnished, you can find a lot cheaper.  Safety-wise, there is definitely some crime, but just be smart about it--don't walk alone at night, don't have your phone out/headphones in, pay attention, etc. Keep your wits about you, and you should be fine.

 

I moved to Baltimore 3 years ago for my Master's and stayed in the area (because Baltimore is awesome). Feel free to ask me any questions!

[quinessloopypun]

I will be attending Johns Hopkins this fall. What are the options for housing? What do you suggest?

[moar_skool]

On 4/16/2018 at 4:08 AM, quinessloopypun said:

I will be attending Johns Hopkins this fall. What are the options for housing? What do you suggest?

Which campus will you be on? I went to the School of Public Health for my master's in 2015-2016 and rented a space off of the Hopkins housing site (it's like craigslist for Hopkins students). If you're on the Homewood campus, the surrounding areas of Charles Village and Remington are nice but very undergrad. I lived there for a year and loved the area but felt a little too old for the undergrad scene. If you're on the medical (east baltimore) campus, I would NOT suggest living in East Baltimore (like the 929 building), but instead living in Mount Vernon, Midtown Belvedere, Bolton Hill, Station North, or Charles Village and just taking the shuttle bus to campus (it runs regularly and is free!). If you have a car or fine with walking to the medical campus, Upper Fells, Butchers Hill, and Patterson Park are nice too.

It mostly depends on which campus you'll be on, and what your options are for transportation.

[quinessloopypun]

30 minutes ago, moar_skool said:

Which campus will you be on? I went to the School of Public Health for my master's in 2015-2016 and rented a space off of the Hopkins housing site (it's like craigslist for Hopkins students). If you're on the Homewood campus, the surrounding areas of Charles Village and Remington are nice but very undergrad. I lived there for a year and loved the area but felt a little too old for the undergrad scene. If you're on the medical (east baltimore) campus, I would NOT suggest living in East Baltimore (like the 929 building), but instead living in Mount Vernon, Midtown Belvedere, Bolton Hill, Station North, or Charles Village and just taking the shuttle bus to campus (it runs regularly and is free!). If you have a car or fine with walking to the medical campus, Upper Fells, Butchers Hill, and Patterson Park are nice too.

It mostly depends on which campus you'll be on, and what your options are for transportation.

Thank you so much for the really detailed answer. I will be a graduate student at the philosophy department, hence Homewood. Charles Village looks very nice and close to Homewood. I don't mind the undergraduate scene, but I am a bit worried about the rent. I have checked and the prices fluctuate too much from property to property. I will not have a car, so I care about the transportation options, though I doubt I will leave the Homewood area too much.

How much did you pay for your place back in 2015-2016?

[moar_skool]

On 4/17/2018 at 1:06 PM, quinessloopypun said:

Thank you so much for the really detailed answer. I will be a graduate student at the philosophy department, hence Homewood. Charles Village looks very nice and close to Homewood. I don't mind the undergraduate scene, but I am a bit worried about the rent. I have checked and the prices fluctuate too much from property to property. I will not have a car, so I care about the transportation options, though I doubt I will leave the Homewood area too much.

How much did you pay for your place back in 2015-2016?

I paid $850 (including utilities) for a furnished room in a row house (just a room, not my own apartment). Now that I know the Baltimore market better, than is WAY overpriced. But I didn't know that at the time. I would suggest looking in Mount Vernon/Midtown Belvedere or Station North as well and taking the free Hopkins bus up to homewood. It's very doable in terms of transportation, and you may be able to find a better housing deal in those areas. Plus they tend to have more of a young adult crowd/activities. I lived in Mount Vernon for a year in a fully furnished, spacious 2-bedroom for $1700 (divided between two roommates)--same rent as my Charles Village rental situation but I got so much more for the money.

Charles Village has had a ton of development even in the 2 years since I lived there, so I imagine prices are getting steeper. The Hopkins shuttle runs up & down Charles/St.Paul so anything generally along those streets will allow you to catch the shuttle easily. 

[CharlieTakesMFA]

I just want to note that poverty was created and manufactured by white people

[CharlieTakesMFA]

What were peoples experiences with relocating? 

I am applying to University of Baltimore. In hopes that I get it, I cant help but to wonder what the relocating process is going to be like. I am a single mother of a 4 year old so I also have to take into consideration that I would have to get her into school, and work my schedule around her and her needs as well. 

Did people find it easy setting up shop in their new cities? Were your schools helpful in this process? 

[crackademik]

On 3/20/2006 at 7:11 AM, Guest wanderer said:

I was accepted to Univ of Maryland Baltimore County... any idea about the univ, area, reputation?

 

p.s. - my program is applied physics?

I went here for undergrad. It's a stem focused school so it tends to be stronger in engineering, IT, comp sci, physics, chem, and bio. The area is very close to the Baltimore city line and there nice little town called Catonsville right next to campus on the suburban side. Most students are commuters so there's not a lot of nightlife on campus, if you're into that.. It is considered the "nerdy" counterpart to UMD-College Park. There is a continuous and campus wide game of humans versus zombies (with nerf guns and plastic swords), to give you an idea of the school's culture. 

Edit: didn't realize the post was from 2006, I guess you probably know all about it by this point.

Edited January 15, 2019 by crackademik

[pexygalax]

how is the gay scene in bmore like?

[androm31]

Accepted to JHU for astronomy PhD! Most likely attending.

But I'll visit first before committing. Any housing tips and such? Things to look out for? I realize that a city can change quite a bit in just a few years (i.e. since most of the posts were made here). I don't plan on driving - at least for now. 

Do JHU students get transit passes? 

Thank!:)

 

[dejosco]

On 2/12/2019 at 11:09 PM, pexygalax said:

how is the gay scene in bmore like?

It's wonderful. 

 

On 2/13/2019 at 4:56 PM, androm31 said:

Accepted to JHU for astronomy PhD! Most likely attending.

But I'll visit first before committing. Any housing tips and such? Things to look out for? I realize that a city can change quite a bit in just a few years (i.e. since most of the posts were made here). I don't plan on driving - at least for now. 

Do JHU students get transit passes? 

Thank!:)

 

Congrats! You most definitely do not need a car for Baltimore. There is free public transportation around the city (Charm City Circulator), there is free transportation between all of Hopkins' campuses, and there is free transportation for Hopkins faculty, staff, and students (Blue Jay Shuttle) that can be summoned just like Lyft (it's actually powered by Lyft). 

I did my BioREU at Hopkins last summer and am currently applying there for PREP. Hopkins is great! 

[androm31]

On 2/16/2019 at 3:15 PM, dejosco said:

Congrats! You most definitely do not need a car for Baltimore. There is free public transportation around the city (Charm City Circulator), there is free transportation between all of Hopkins' campuses, and there is free transportation for Hopkins faculty, staff, and students (Blue Jay Shuttle) that can be summoned just like Lyft (it's actually powered by Lyft). 

I did my BioREU at Hopkins last summer and am currently applying there for PREP. Hopkins is great! 

Thanks! and thanks for the nice response! 

Good luck on your apps too!:)

[TITX]

Does anyone have any info on life in Bolton Hill? Like day to day grocery shopping, bike friendliness, and safety are particularly my concerns. I am matriculating at JHU this fall. Thanks!

[hopingforahailmary]

Hi! Looks like this post is a little dead, but hopefully someone sees and can help please. I have been accepted to JHU and will be on the East Baltimore campus for my PhD. Through this thread and other forums I've been on I know to steer clear of living in that area, but I am torn between Upper/Fells Point and Mt Vernon. I will have a car, but I've been told parking by the East campus is pretty much impossible, so hoping to stick to buses for getting to and from class. It sounds like Mt Vernon is a bit better in terms of restaurants, groceries, and general walkability, but Fells Point sounds more... lively(?), and it would certainly be closer. I don't do well with roommates, so basically need the cheapest studio possible as I'll be on student loans. I'm female, 26, and look forward to exploring the city. My ideal area would be upbeat but nothing crazy.

Thanks so much for the help!

[hopingforahailmary]

As an addition to my post above (apologies for the double post, but it won't let me edit for some reason), I was wondering if people could comment on the following buildings/the areas that they are in please:

1. 1201 N Charles

2. 26 Calvert St

3. 611 Park Avenue

They're each a bit more than I was hoping to pay, but the N Charles and Calvert street options both have a washer and dryer in the actual units, which may not be a big deal to some, but is a huge deal to me. I haven't had a non-private W/D since my sophomore year of college and that's just one of those luxuries I'm not prepared to give up if I don't absolutely have to ?. 611 has a laundry facility, but reviews make it seem like the prime area. N Charles and 611 appear to be on opposite ends of Mt Vernon, so mostly wondering what the difference is between the "closer to downtown" vs "closer to Mid-Belvedere" ends. Thank you so much! 

[Crucial BBQ]

On 5/22/2019 at 3:19 PM, hopingforahailmary said:

Hi! Looks like this post is a little dead, but hopefully someone sees and can help please. I have been accepted to JHU and will be on the East Baltimore campus for my PhD. Through this thread and other forums I've been on I know to steer clear of living in that area, but I am torn between Upper/Fells Point and Mt Vernon. I will have a car, but I've been told parking by the East campus is pretty much impossible, so hoping to stick to buses for getting to and from class. It sounds like Mt Vernon is a bit better in terms of restaurants, groceries, and general walkability, but Fells Point sounds more... lively(?), and it would certainly be closer. I don't do well with roommates, so basically need the cheapest studio possible as I'll be on student loans. I'm female, 26, and look forward to exploring the city. My ideal area would be upbeat but nothing crazy.

Thanks so much for the help!

I moved to Maryland because my GF at the time was accepted into and decided to attend Bloomberg School of Public Health.  I have been in Maryland now for 7 years and live outside of Baltimore, not in it.  With that, Baltimore has great restaurants all over the city and in my opinion Mt. Vernon has a better selection of restaurants but Fells Point has a better selection of bars.   Fells Point is also safer to walk around during the day and in safer at night, too.   Mt. Vernon has a lot of cross traffic east-west and north-south.   A lot of college students live in Mt. Vernon.  

Grocery stores seem to be severely lacking all across the city.  There is a Whole Foods in Little Italy, a Safeway in Canton, a Safeway in Charles Village and that is about all I can tell you.  There are tons of delis and corner stores, though. 

No roommates.... there are more studios/apartments in Mt. Vernon than in Fells Point/Upper Fells as Upper/Fells Point is more row home than not but the pricing for a studio in each area is going to be similar.    

[LadyWolfshadow]

So I'm sitting here with an acceptance to a PhD program at UMBC and my visit got cancelled so I have no way to see the area and I'm trying to figure out if living up there is actually doable on a grad student stipend because the numbers seem a little scary for living in a suburb of Baltimore.  I have no clue what taxes are like, what the going rate would be for sharing a house or an apartment up there, how difficult it would be to get around without a car, how difficult food shopping is in the area.  I also have no clue what the general vibe of the town or the campus are like and all of this is SUPER difficult to figure out from hundreds of miles away.

I'm wondering if anyone who either goes to UMBC or has lived in the area could give me any insight on how doable all of this is.

Edited March 15, 2020 by LadyWolfshadow

[Dreams]

How much is your stipend?  Knowing a ballpark amount, we can give you an idea of how it will stack up against cost of living. 

[LadyWolfshadow]

3 hours ago, Dreams said:

How much is your stipend?  Knowing a ballpark amount, we can give you an idea of how it will stack up against cost of living. 

It's in the neighborhood of $25,000

[mitochondria_1]

I am deciding between staying in NYC for grad school or moving to Baltimore. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to provide me some inf about living in Baltimore in general and how expensive housing can be. If I decide to move to Baltimore, I will be attending JHU, is there any neighborhood I should be looking at that is cheap, safe, and accessible to public transportation.

[holographic universe]

Deciding between Stony Brook and JHU at the moment. Dont have any particular questions, just reviving the thread a bit to get more answers to the people above

Ooo actually spoke too soon! How is biking? I will definitely skip buying a car if I come here. And by how is biking, I mostly mean, 1) will I be hit by mad drivers, and 2) will my racing bike be stolen regardless of how proper a chain lock i have on it hahaha

Cheers

Edited March 24, 2020 by holographic universe

[vpaglioni3]

On 3/24/2020 at 1:40 PM, holographic universe said:

Deciding between Stony Brook and JHU at the moment. Dont have any particular questions, just reviving the thread a bit to get more answers to the people above

Ooo actually spoke too soon! How is biking? I will definitely skip buying a car if I come here. And by how is biking, I mostly mean, 1) will I be hit by mad drivers, and 2) will my racing bike be stolen regardless of how proper a chain lock i have on it hahaha

Cheers

Baltimore drivers are nuts, let's just get that out there. However the JHU campus is surrounded by the nicest neighborhoods in Baltimore (Charles Village, Roland Park, Tuscany & Canterbury, Abel, ...) and there are some decent bike lanes around the campus as well. I would keep your bike inside if you can, because this is still Baltimore. 

I'm currently a student at UMD but I live in Baltimore while my gf is working here. I live in Charles Village right across from JHU and until coronavirus hit, I commuted by car to College Park almost every weekday. Feel free to post here or message me if you have questions about Baltimore, and especially the area around JHU, and I will try my best to answer. Again, I can't really speak to JHU life because I don't go there, but I can talk about Baltimore . 

[imemine]

I did my undergrad at JHU and I'd be happy to answer any questions about the area!

The Homewood campus is in Charles Village, which is a relatively nice neighborhood (Baltimore standards lol) and where all the undergrads live. Plenty of housing and some restaurants, but if you want to avoid undergrads I'd stay away from N. Charles and St. Paul Streets. A little further out from the undergrad-heavy blocks is Oakenshawe, which is a safer residential area about a 10min walk from campus. You'll find single-family homes here compared to the apartments closer to campus. You could also consider Remington on the opposite side of campus, but safety in this area is a bit more suspect.

There are a bunch of other neighborhoods within driving/bus distance that are worth checking out. Hampden is about a 5-10min drive from campus and a fantastic area. The main drag is filled with great local restaurants and hipster boutiques, and there are other shopping areas and grocery stores in close range too. Mount Vernon is another cute area with generally lower rent prices than Charles Village. Since Peabody (the music campus) is located there, you can easily take the free JHU shuttle to Homewood. And, of course, there's also downtown, but I can't speak to affordability or convenience there.

[NeuroAIGeek]

Hi All! I'm a first year PhD student at Hopkins, working on AI+healthcare. My wife and I just shifted to Baltimore and are really enjoying it here. Happy to help out, and chat if anyone has questions about Baltimore, or Hopkins! I recently shifted here from Virginia, but I am an Indian citizen.