UCSD IR/PS

[OregonGal]

Yes, I'm flying in with what I can carry on the plane (same way I've moved every time in the last 3 years) so having a furnished place makes a HUGE difference. Plus, it's a full bed and not the twin x-long from undergrad--oh, the perks of being a grad student

[Seaking]

Wait, it's a full bed? That's awesome haha. I didn't do enough research, apparently =D

[OregonGal]

It's in the FAQ for furnishings

In addition to a refrigerator and range with hood, the apartment includes a sofa, side chair, TV console, nesting tables, two lamps, and a rug in the living room. The kitchen area includes seating for two. Each bedroom includes a full mattress, bed with drawers, a nightstand, lamp and a built-in desk with desk chair. The bathroom is equipped with a shower curtain and bath mat. Vertical blinds are included throughout the apartment.

Though if you look at the pictures on the site it's all very "industrial chic" (read: concrete everywhere)

[Seaking]

I did notice the pictures. I imagine it'll be like the international experience of living in a Soviet apartment building.

[understatement700]

Just sent in my deposit, can't wait to start at IRPS in August!

[OregonGal]

Is everyone else headed to prep? I'm seriously hoping that we don't end up in interim housing during that and can go straight into graduate housing.

[understatement700]

Yup, I'm doing prep. Haven't put my name in for grad housing yet but planning on doing so shortly.

[Seaking]

Yeah, I'll be at prep as well. I just put my name on the waiting list for about the time prep begins, so hopefully there wouldn't be any need to find interim housing.

[understatement700]

What was your ranking for housing complexes? Any ideas on what is the best in terms of location/price/facilities?

[Seaking]

I put Rita as my #1, One Miramar as #2, and Mesa as #3. I was primarily concerned with cost/location. Rita got my #1 because the apartments are pre-furnished and I would very much like not to have to spend the money on new furniture if I don't have to.

[OregonGal]

I talked to my friend at UCSD and his advice was Rita, Mesa, One Miramar. Rita is on-campus (albeit the opposite end from IR/PS) and comes furnished. Mesa is a very large complex across the highway from UCSD and most of the buildings are townhouses, so you get a yard and don't have as many neighbors. Downside, all the apartments are unfurnished and there's a chance you end up on the far end which is a bit of a hike if you don't want to wait for the campus shuttle. OMS is at the south end of Mesa and are unfurnished mid-rise apartments. He currently lives in OMS.

[understatement700]

What about Village West or Single Grad? Any word on them? They are both furnished and seem to have a better location than One Miramar or Mesa.

[Seaking]

I hadn't even noticed Single Grad. The price definitely seems right for it, but you're sharing with three others as opposed to one. (Though 417 with all utilities included is beyond fantastic.)

[Seaking]

Also, take a look at this link, it might be helpful in terms of gauging the list. https://hds.ucsd.edu/ARCH_WaitList/statistics.aspx?community=SGA

[OregonGal]

Village West is a quad--4 people, 2 bathrooms, 1 kitchen--which I'm not willing to deal with. I'm looking forward to sharing a kitchen with only one other person! Single Grad is even worse, because there's only 1 bathroom to share between the 4 people, and there's no dishwasher. They're also the oldest buildings, I'm pretty sure. I'll take a shuttle/bike ride and buying furnishings over dealing with that

[OregonGal]

Remember, for those of us who couldn't make the admit day, they're livestreaming the Q&A sessions!

Morning Session (9am –noon, Pacific time): http://www.instantpresenter.com/irps1

Afternoon Session (12:30pm-2:30pm, Pacific time): http://www.instantpresenter.com/irps2

[understatement700]

I watched the replay of the morning session. I'd already sent in my deposit and everything so it didn't really sway me either way but I will say I'm very excited about the curriculum, research/ faculty in my field and just overall feel of IRPS.

Although I might not be so thrilled while I'm actually doing all the quant work etc, I do feel like it's something that will be really helpful. I recognize quant skills are something I need to get better at. I also realized that I'll have to get a new laptop this summer (at the latest date possible ha!).

I also submitted my grad housing preferences. I put 1) Rita Atkinson 2) Miramar 3) Coast. But apparently Coast has a really long wait list and the others are probably popular too so don't know if I should change my preferences around in order to ensure that I can get something by the time pre-term starts in August.

[OregonGal]

Yeah Coast is the one which has faculty and postdocs because the waiting list is like 40 years long. I liked having the student's perspective on housing; I hadn't realized Single Grad was so close but I definitely don't want to share living space with 3 other people--I've done it before and it is not fun. I also really liked his list of all the amenities Rita has--onsite gym, study room and TV room!

I watched the morning session live and the afternoon session later; I have to say that I'm now itching to start grad school and starting to feel the grind of my job more

Before I was super doubtful I'd need to get a laptop, but now that IT director has convinced me a bit. I have a 3.5 yr old MacBook so I'll probably trade it in for store credit and get a MacBook Air--I have a gaming PC laptop that I'll be using as a desktop (it weighs almost 10 lbs) so it'll be nice having the ultrabook to haul around. The one thing I'm really going to try to do is call Apple to buy it with the UCSD education discount, without having to buy it in CA--10% tax in San Diego County is a pretty hefty charge! I'll be heading home to Oregon between prep and fall term so I'm figuring on buying it then.

[understatement700]

Do you think you can buy it with the UCSD discount and not pay tax by having them ship it out of state?

[OregonGal]

I'm hoping that if I call them so they can apply the discount, but have in-store pickup in Oregon, I'll be able to pay there and avoid tax entirely which would save around $100. That way you're not ordering online where they can see a CA or DC IP address and try to apply 6-10% tax.

The main issue I've heard about with getting the educational discount is that it's hard to get them to apply it online if you're not ordering from an on-campus IP, and you can only get it in person at the on-campus bookstore. However, I've heard you can get them to apply it over the phone if you give them the student ID# and e-mail address.

The final part of my thinking with this plan is that a) hopefully I'll have gotten my loan disbursement by mid-September and summer prep will be a test run to see how my old laptop handles the workload. Plus, I really will have gotten my laptop at the absolute last minute like the IT director recommended.

Edited April 24, 2012 by OregonGal

[understatement700]

Interesting...let me know how it goes. Are you going to wait until close to when the semester starts to get your new MacBook Air? I'm not sure what I'm going to get yet, but probably will go Apple.

[OregonGal]

Yeah I'm going to be in Oregon for the week between end of summer prep and start of grad orientation in September because I'll be finishing up at my current job just in time to start the prep program. Since I have a beast of a gaming laptop I know I can use for any heavy processing, having a lightweight laptop for class is important to me and if the IT director says an Air is good enough, I'll take him at his word. I'll admit I haven't really even looked hard at other ultrabooks just because I like the Mac OS and I'm pretty embedded in the Apple ecosystem at this point--plus the $300 credit for my laptop makes the Air comparable or cheaper to the other ultrabooks out there.

[Seaking]

Yeah Coast is the one which has faculty and postdocs because the waiting list is like 40 years long. I liked having the student's perspective on housing; I hadn't realized Single Grad was so close but I definitely don't want to share living space with 3 other people--I've done it before and it is not fun. I also really liked his list of all the amenities Rita has--onsite gym, study room and TV room!

I watched the morning session live and the afternoon session later; I have to say that I'm now itching to start grad school and starting to feel the grind of my job more

Before I was super doubtful I'd need to get a laptop, but now that IT director has convinced me a bit. I have a 3.5 yr old MacBook so I'll probably trade it in for store credit and get a MacBook Air--I have a gaming PC laptop that I'll be using as a desktop (it weighs almost 10 lbs) so it'll be nice having the ultrabook to haul around. The one thing I'm really going to try to do is call Apple to buy it with the UCSD education discount, without having to buy it in CA--10% tax in San Diego County is a pretty hefty charge! I'll be heading home to Oregon between prep and fall term so I'm figuring on buying it then.

I feel torn about what laptop I need to get, because like you, I have a PC gaming laptop (that's almost 3 years old), and I feel like it would be silly to get a new gaming laptop for class use.

[OregonGal]

Well I actually have 2 laptops, one of which originated at UCSD

My PC gaming laptop is less than 2 years old and while I use it for gaming, it originally belonged to a grad student at UCSD's physics department, where funding is so bountiful they give doctoral students laptops every year. I'll be holding on to that, but at 8+ pounds it's not going to be hauled around to class on a regular basis--it has like, a 19" screen. My metal MacBook is over 3 years old, so that's the one I'm looking at trading in for an 11", 3-lb Air.

[Seaking]

Oh, remember to self-identify if any of the fellowships discussed in admit day apply to you!