UCR

[Timshel]

Hey! I have seen a few other UCR admits, so I thought it would be nice to start a thread to talk about the school. I'm curious what everyone's area is, and whether or not you think you will be accepting.

[rubyrunner]

Congratulations, Timeshel! I'm very excited about UCR. My area is 18th century British literature, especially journalism and history of the book. Will you be attending the Open House on April 5? I'm hoping to if I can get someone to cover my classes for a couple days.

[Timshel]

I would really like to attend the open house, but I live on the east coast, and I am presenting at a conference out of state the weekend before, and I teach, so I just don't think I'll be able to make it out there. I'm still going to try, but it doesn't look good. Either way, I'm pretty positive that I will be accepting their offer. I still have to hear from some schools, but UCR is one of my top choices, and I'm very excited about the program. My area is contemporary ethnic American lit, psychoanalysis, and trauma studies.

I am still in shock from the offer, and in even more shock at the thought of moving from the east to the west coast!

[RoundandRoundAgain]

I'll come out as a longtime lurker to claim one of the waitlists. I applied to UCR because I just completed my undergrad work there and the faculty is amazing. I only attended UCR for about two years so I wouldn't mind having the chance to continue to do work with the faculty. I will attest to the fact that the professors are brilliant yet approachable (which is not always easy) and that they are extremely encouraging about new and creative methods of research.

[Timshel]

I'll come out as a longtime lurker to claim one of the waitlists. I applied to UCR because I just completed my undergrad work there and the faculty is amazing. I only attended UCR for about two years so I wouldn't mind having the chance to continue to do work with the faculty. I will attest to the fact that the professors are brilliant yet approachable (which is not always easy) and that they are extremely encouraging about new and creative methods of research.

Thank you for the insight on the department. This makes me feel even better about accepting the offer. Though I haven't officially done so yet, I plan to do it soon. Did you live on campus or off campus? My husband and I have been looking at apartments in the area (we want to live in Riverside, as close to campus, at first), but it's so hard to know where to live when we are so far away and will have to make the choice without ever seeing it. If you have any advice about where or where not to live, I would appreciate it!

Here's to hoping you get in off the waitlist!

[lyonessrampant]

Hey, Timshel! My husband and I were in a similar situation for the move. We actually hired a real estate agent to rent a place for us. He had invaluable advice about location, environment, proximity to public transportation, noise, etc. He would go see the houses and report back with pictures. His fee was quite reasonable (far less than a plane ticket out to try to do this ourselves), and we had an insider's perspective. Might be something you want to look into if you end up doing an off campus option.

[rubyrunner]

Thanks for the information, everyone. Timeshel, my husband and I would also be looking to move close to campus if I accept the offer. I haven't done much research on housing yet, but I'm excited that there's a Trader Joe's nearby!

BattlingAnxiety, best of luck on the waitlist!

[RoundandRoundAgain]

Thank you for the insight on the department. This makes me feel even better about accepting the offer. Though I haven't officially done so yet, I plan to do it soon. Did you live on campus or off campus? My husband and I have been looking at apartments in the area (we want to live in Riverside, as close to campus, at first), but it's so hard to know where to live when we are so far away and will have to make the choice without ever seeing it. If you have any advice about where or where not to live, I would appreciate it!

Here's to hoping you get in off the waitlist!

I lived off-campus actually at The Palms on University. It's not the best for married people since most are 4 bedroom, 4 bath apartments and I would recommend against GrandMarc because of the crime. University Village might be a good possibility as they have a decent reputation and smaller apartments although they have lots of international students. I've been looking at Highlander Pointe as an upgrade for graduate school though it's slightly farther away because it's bound to be quieter. I will say that most of the crime on or near campus seems to happen near Canyon Crest Family Housing, but it's usually in the middle of night after 1 AM.

One of the best things about UCR is that students ride the Riverside Transit buses and trolleys for free and they run relatively frequently during the day (also good because UCR parking is notoriously terrible unless you have a really good parking plan). UCR also has people on duty at night to walk you home if you stay at the library until midnight and you live off campus. The English department and the buildings for most classes are going to be on the side of campus next to the 60/215 freeways so streets like University, Canyon Crest (near the school), Linden, Blaine would all be good options for apartments within walking distance.

[Timshel]

I lived off-campus actually at The Palms on University. It's not the best for married people since most are 4 bedroom, 4 bath apartments and I would recommend against GrandMarc because of the crime. University Village might be a good possibility as they have a decent reputation and smaller apartments although they have lots of international students. I've been looking at Highlander Pointe as an upgrade for graduate school though it's slightly farther away because it's bound to be quieter. I will say that most of the crime on or near campus seems to happen near Canyon Crest Family Housing, but it's usually in the middle of night after 1 AM.

One of the best things about UCR is that students ride the Riverside Transit buses and trolleys for free and they run relatively frequently during the day (also good because UCR parking is notoriously terrible unless you have a really good parking plan). UCR also has people on duty at night to walk you home if you stay at the library until midnight and you live off campus. The English department and the buildings for most classes are going to be on the side of campus next to the 60/215 freeways so streets like University, Canyon Crest (near the school), Linden, Blaine would all be good options for apartments within walking distance.

Thanks for the heads up. We were considering looking into the Family Housing, but not so much anymore. I am okay with us not being within walking distance of the campus if there is a bus stop close to the apartment that can get me there. Our biggest concern is that we will only have one car, and my husband will need it for work, so I will need to ride public transit or walk to school.

I do have another question about apartments, though. I noticed that many of them are gated, including the parking. Do you think that is a necessity? We looked at one apartment that didn't have it, and some of the complaints online is that the complex wasn't gated and that vandalism and car theft was a concern. Is this something we should make a priority?

Thanks again for all the advice!

[RoundandRoundAgain]

Thanks for the heads up. We were considering looking into the Family Housing, but not so much anymore. I am okay with us not being within walking distance of the campus if there is a bus stop close to the apartment that can get me there. Our biggest concern is that we will only have one car, and my husband will need it for work, so I will need to ride public transit or walk to school.

I do have another question about apartments, though. I noticed that many of them are gated, including the parking. Do you think that is a necessity? We looked at one apartment that didn't have it, and some of the complaints online is that the complex wasn't gated and that vandalism and car theft was a concern. Is this something we should make a priority?

Thanks again for all the advice!

If you're okay with just being near a bus stop, there's a lot of apartments along Canyon Crest as you move toward Central Ave that are further away from the main hub of campus and it doesn't seem like as many students live there. The trolleys go toward the Ralphs shopping center and that general area a lot.

I don't really know that being gated matters as much. My apartments were open (except for the parking) and it didn't seem like it made that much of a difference. I know we had less crime than Grand Marc across the street which was enclosed. It's probably better to ask the management of the apartments you're looking at how much vandalism and car theft there has been in the last couple of years.

One suggestion I have to make for people who visit UCR is to go a little ways down University and try Jafang's Pizza. It's the best pizza in the world and the staff is really friendly.

I'm really interesting in which faculty people want to study with in the department. I can also talk a little bit about the role of grad students in my undergrad classes if anyone wants to know about that.

[rdsull89]

Hello all! Another waitlister here. Congrats Timshel and Rubyrunner! BattlingAnxiety, very nice to hear the professors are approachable, since that can go a long way. Any insight into Katherine Kinney? Best of luck on the waitlist!

[RoundandRoundAgain]

Hello all! Another waitlister here. Congrats Timshel and Rubyrunner! BattlingAnxiety, very nice to hear the professors are approachable, since that can go a long way. Any insight into Katherine Kinney? Best of luck on the waitlist!

I haven't taken a class with Dr. Kinney, but my ex-roommate loved taking her classes (her interest is war literature so I suspect you would have a great deal in common). She's "approachable, tough, fair, and smart." Even though Dr. Axelrod's primary interest is poetry, he also has a secondary interest in war poetry and literature (and postmodernism) so he would be a good person to get to know. He was my honors thesis advisor and he's wonderfully knowledgeable and friendly plus he changed my opinion for the better on poetry. He's one of the kindest men I've ever met and he tells the best stories.

[rdsull89]

Thanks for the insight--sounds great! Good luck!

[sonicsustain]

Just a heads up about some misinformation: someone from last year (I have an idea of who it might be IRL) posted that they received a $20k fellowship offer for their first year. That cannot be the case. Fellowships only range from 8-16k per year. What I think they posted about was the TOTAL of fee remission + fellowship, meaning that the actual fellowship amount was on the $8k end of things. I just wanted to post this information, because I didn't want any of you new admits to think you're getting passed over for better money compared to others.

[sonicsustain]

Thanks for the heads up. We were considering looking into the Family Housing, but not so much anymore. I am okay with us not being within walking distance of the campus if there is a bus stop close to the apartment that can get me there. Our biggest concern is that we will only have one car, and my husband will need it for work, so I will need to ride public transit or walk to school.

I do have another question about apartments, though. I noticed that many of them are gated, including the parking. Do you think that is a necessity? We looked at one apartment that didn't have it, and some of the complaints online is that the complex wasn't gated and that vandalism and car theft was a concern. Is this something we should make a priority?

Thanks again for all the advice!

Look in Canyon Crest. That's where you have the nicer apartments at good rates. Anything named "Highlander" is already trying to get students in and will charge higher rent. I live in University Village (Watkins and Big Springs, not the "towers" near the shopping center on the west side of campus), and it's quiet here and right next to the east gate of the school. If you're looking for a decent 2 bedroom, you can get them from about 900-1100/month in the Canyon Crest Town Center area, which is just south of campus. The number 16 bus serves that area, and it drops you off right behind the humanities building where English is housed.

[sonicsustain]

Thanks for the heads up. We were considering looking into the Family Housing, but not so much anymore. I am okay with us not being within walking distance of the campus if there is a bus stop close to the apartment that can get me there. Our biggest concern is that we will only have one car, and my husband will need it for work, so I will need to ride public transit or walk to school.

I do have another question about apartments, though. I noticed that many of them are gated, including the parking. Do you think that is a necessity? We looked at one apartment that didn't have it, and some of the complaints online is that the complex wasn't gated and that vandalism and car theft was a concern. Is this something we should make a priority?

Thanks again for all the advice!

One other thing: if you can get into family housing, you might want to take it. While it may be small, you do get your own little house for $500/month, which is a ridiculously great price out here.

[rdsull89]

Just bumping this thread. I'm officially going, so are Timshel and I the only ones on here or are there others out there?

[APalacios]

Ill be attending fall 2012. I did my undergrad at UCR as well. @rdsull89 mentioned Katherine Kinney. I know her and her husband pretty well and they are both amazing. Kinney deals a lot with American Modernism and War literature so if thats what interests you, you would definitely benefit from taking a class with her.