tereaa Posted February 2, 2009 Posted February 2, 2009 i have graduated from ubc,If you have any questions about the area, I would be happy to try and answer them!
nandelle Posted February 12, 2009 Posted February 12, 2009 UBC MS Statistics is probably my #1 choice...but I haven't gotten in yet!!
black_wizard Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I got in for MS and I think I'll go. Unless UIUC CS, Gatech Aco or Cmu aco sends me an acceptance . And that is a remote possibility
girlfromcountyhell Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 I got in to UBS MS as well I visited there last week. Great school, great area...it's going to be tough to turn that down if I do!
rebek7224 Posted April 1, 2009 Posted April 1, 2009 I have a question about going to school at UBC, is there a lot of affordable housing in the university area? Is the Campus walkable?
jthh Posted April 6, 2009 Posted April 6, 2009 I'm trying to remember how big the campus is from the time I visited -- I seem to recall it being big but manageable to walk. I'll be starting a PhD in the Language & Literacy Education Dept. in September. Any other new UBCers here?
ogopogo Posted April 6, 2009 Posted April 6, 2009 The best ways to get around campus are walking or biking. It's big, but most of the places you'll need to go aren't that far apart and it's a beautiful campus so I never minded walking, especially on nice days. Affordable is a relative term, rent is cheaper than some places, but by Canadian standards, quite pricey. There is a fair amount of student housing on campus (which is good if you are social) and lots of fairly cheap basement suites in surrounding neighbourhoods, the further out you go the cheaper it gets. You also get a transit pass included in your tuition so, while commuting can be a hassle, at least it's not an extra expense.
westcoasteducation Posted April 18, 2009 Posted April 18, 2009 Hi all, I hate to sound so needy here - but does anyone have any experience with living on-campus at UBC in graduate housing? Specifically, when do housing offers go out? At what position on the waitlist should one give up hope? Thanks!
keiran1521 Posted April 29, 2009 Posted April 29, 2009 Hi, I'm heading to UBC this fall as well. Going for an M.Sc. in CS. (@black_wizard - are you definitely in?) And figuring out the housing situation is scary! Any thoughts on the on vs. off campus housing situation? Or is it anyways far too late to apply for on-campus? (@westcoasteducation - any luck up the wait list?) Cheers!
westcoasteducation Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 Hi, I'm heading to UBC this fall as well. Going for an M.Sc. in CS. (@black_wizard - are you definitely in?) And figuring out the housing situation is scary! Any thoughts on the on vs. off campus housing situation? Or is it anyways far too late to apply for on-campus? (@westcoasteducation - any luck up the wait list?) Cheers! Hi! No, I have not been successful on the waitlist at all, and I applied in early March. I emailed the housing office and they advised me to look for off-campus options - not willing to comment on my waitlist status. However, I am applying for year-round housing, so your situation may be different if you are pusuing another option. They advised me to contact them a month in advance of my expected arrival date to get a more concrete idea of my status for housing. Needless to say, I have been on CL looking around for off-campus rooms.
jthh Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 I applied for housing on April 6, and I am number 239 on my first choice for housing (there are 3 other possibilities, ranging from # 270 to #896). In roughly a month I've moved about 20 spots up the list. The list seemed to change a lot this week, maybe due to graduation -- not sure if that will continue.
westcoasteducation Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 Here is a page that I came across regarding waitlist positions. This list may be helpful, but totally dependent on what you apply for. I thought I was doing great when I applied for the Thunderbird two-bedroom and was 65 or so on the waitlist. Turns out there are only 8 two-bedroom spaces available. So check it out, but take it with a grain of salt - it may refer to the undergrad housing situation. Like you jthh, I made some serious gains in the waitlists this past week - I hope it keeps up! http://www.housing.ubc.ca/application/waitlist.htm
keiran1521 Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 Good luck to both of you! I'm too late for housing this year - does anybody have any ideas as to what off-campus localities are reasonably safe and not too far from the campus? Or would the thread on Vancouver in the city guide be a better place to ask? Though the discussion seems to be more about SFU at the moment.
ogopogo Posted May 2, 2009 Posted May 2, 2009 Good luck to both of you! I'm too late for housing this year - does anybody have any ideas as to what off-campus localities are reasonably safe and not too far from the campus? Or would the thread on Vancouver in the city guide be a better place to ask? Though the discussion seems to be more about SFU at the moment. Pretty much anywhere close to UBC is relatively safe (well, we did have a murder a few weeks back in the running trails, but that was very shocking because stuff like that just doesn't happen here). Campus is fairly accessibly by transit, and you get a pass included with your tuition so it is inexpensive. I would use the ams rentsline website (http://www.amsrentsline.com/) and check out Point Grey, Kitsilano, Dunbar, Kerrisdale, and maybe even Marpole. If you are into a bit less safe and a whole lot more interesting then look in the Main or Commercial Drive areas. More places will probably be available if you wait a little longer though, since people only need to give 1 month notice when they are moving out. Also, I'm not sure how likely it is that this would be a problem, but some people are saying that it's best to sign a 1 year lease when you find a place so that less-than-scrupulous landlords can't kick people out in order to make a fortune on olympic accommodation. Honestly, I have my doubts that this would happen, but then you never know...
keiran1521 Posted May 3, 2009 Posted May 3, 2009 Pretty much anywhere close to UBC is relatively safe (well, we did have a murder a few weeks back in the running trails, but that was very shocking because stuff like that just doesn't happen here). Campus is fairly accessibly by transit, and you get a pass included with your tuition so it is inexpensive. I would use the ams rentsline website (http://www.amsrentsline.com/) and check out Point Grey, Kitsilano, Dunbar, Kerrisdale, and maybe even Marpole. If you are into a bit less safe and a whole lot more interesting then look in the Main or Commercial Drive areas. More places will probably be available if you wait a little longer though, since people only need to give 1 month notice when they are moving out. Also, I'm not sure how likely it is that this would be a problem, but some people are saying that it's best to sign a 1 year lease when you find a place so that less-than-scrupulous landlords can't kick people out in order to make a fortune on olympic accommodation. Honestly, I have my doubts that this would happen, but then you never know... Thanks for the heads up on the ams rent site - it's looking like the swiss army knife of rental searches around UBC. Also, from what I could make out from the map Point Grey, Dunbar and Kitsilano appear to be the closest with Kerrisdale a bit further out. (I had to magnify quite a bit to see the names, so I'm not sure about the actual difference). I couldn't find the Main and Commercial Drive areas. Are they a little further out? Also, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by a whole lot more interesting - in what way? Closer to downtown, more other activities, better views, better apartments, nicer restaurants? Or just a younger, more happening crowd? I guess safety really is a factor of where one is originally from. As long as it's not exactly commonplace to have break-ins, gunshots/knives, hold-ups or shootings one should be ok Thanks a bunch!
ogopogo Posted May 3, 2009 Posted May 3, 2009 Thanks for the heads up on the ams rent site - it's looking like the swiss army knife of rental searches around UBC. Also, from what I could make out from the map Point Grey, Dunbar and Kitsilano appear to be the closest with Kerrisdale a bit further out. (I had to magnify quite a bit to see the names, so I'm not sure about the actual difference). I couldn't find the Main and Commercial Drive areas. Are they a little further out? Also, I'm not exactly sure what you mean by a whole lot more interesting - in what way? Closer to downtown, more other activities, better views, better apartments, nicer restaurants? Or just a younger, more happening crowd? I guess safety really is a factor of where one is originally from. As long as it's not exactly commonplace to have break-ins, gunshots/knives, hold-ups or shootings one should be ok Thanks a bunch! UBC is actually in Point Grey, so that's the closest, Kits and Dunbar are next, and then Kerrisdale is east of Dunbar, and Main and Commercial (the younger hipper part of town) are even farther east. Actually, if you can find something near Broadway or 41st Ave, those are the main bus routes out to campus, which is probably more important than being in any particular area. The only place to avoid if you are concerned with safety is the 'downtown eastside', which seems to collect most of the addicts and prostitutes of the city.
keiran1521 Posted May 3, 2009 Posted May 3, 2009 Thanks! Will keep that in mind. I'm really excited about coming to Vancouver - I've heard that it is a really gorgeous city. Any suggestions or gotchas for someone just coming in? Cheers!
ogopogo Posted May 6, 2009 Posted May 6, 2009 Some of my favourite things: - go to the beach, either at UBC (if you don't mind naked people) or nearby in Kits - visit squamish and go hiking (or rock-climbing) in the surrounding area - kayak at deep cove/indian arm - go skiing at grouse, especially in the evening or on a clear day. Take a camera. (avoid the grind like the plague though) - go to granville island sometime when you are hungry (hint, it's not an island). - visit China in your own back yard at one of the asian malls in Richmond (yaohan, aberdeen, etc.) - spend a rainy day at the museum of anthropology - this is on your doorstep and free for UBC students I believe. - lighthouse park in West Vancouver (not the same as the west part of Vancouver) is a good place to gain perspective for frustrated UBC students - SUSHI!!! Other advice: - invest in a good umbrella, then try not to forget it on the bus - Koener's is a library. There is a pub by the same name. This ambiguity can work in your favour.
keiran1521 Posted May 11, 2009 Posted May 11, 2009 I'll check out the outdoor activities - and I think you had suggested on the other thread that joining the Outdoor Varsity Club was a good idea for someone interested in the outdoors. I'll be sure to look them up as well when I reach there. - SUSHI!!! Sounds mouth-wateringly great to me. I'll stay away from the Pufferfish though! - Koener's is a library. There is a pub by the same name. This ambiguity can work in your favour. An absolutely invaluable bit of information . I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thanks for all the help!
yumitsjudy Posted May 25, 2009 Posted May 25, 2009 How often and how much do you contact your respective departments?
westcoasteducation Posted May 28, 2009 Posted May 28, 2009 Hi, I am in touch with my soon-to-be supervisor about two or three times a week, but in terms of the actual administrative staff of the department - I haven't had much of a need to contact them (outside of sending my acceptance and funding inquiries). I suppose it would depend on the department, and what they need from you. How often and how much do you contact your respective departments?
yumitsjudy Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 Hi, I am in touch with my soon-to-be supervisor about two or three times a week, but in terms of the actual administrative staff of the department - I haven't had much of a need to contact them (outside of sending my acceptance and funding inquiries). I suppose it would depend on the department, and what they need from you. Thanks for your input! I finally heard from the administrative staff after confirming my acceptance, so I'm less worried now. Also, is the housing lottery number supposed to be changing? My numbers are well below 200, but since they haven't changed, I'm beginning to wonder if I should look for off campus housing...
westcoasteducation Posted June 9, 2009 Posted June 9, 2009 I was in the same position, with housing numbers in the low 100's. Unfortunately, I received a housing offer. It is unfortunate because it was for my third choice of housing options. I let the offer expire, and now my entire housing application is inaccessible. This decision may come back to bite me, but I just didn't feel like climbing a ladder to get into bed at this point in my life! I am now furiously searching for off-campus options - I hope you have better luck with the on-campus options, but I would make some off-campus housing contacts should you be offered a less-than-favourable housing situation.
jthh Posted June 14, 2009 Posted June 14, 2009 A lot of changes on the housing waitlist last week...I'm still holding out hope at #193 on our first choice. Can I ask how it worked when you got the housing offer? This sounds stupid, but does it come when your waitlist number is down to zero? That makes sense, right? Have you guys gotten any info about applying for UGF/SSHRC/etc grants? I understand that the deadline is usually in early or mid September and I was told by my advisor that applications might be available in the summer but I haven't heard much about this. I'm not Canadian so I'm not totally familiar with this system, but as far as I know these are applications for grants for the following (2010-2011) academic year...
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