Los Angeles, CA

[Guest worried]

I dont't know whether she can have a job or not. Assume that she will not.

[Guest guest]

I dont't know whether she can have a job or not. Assume that she will not.

then $1350 will be quite a stretch (especially if you do not have summer funding). have you though about taking out loans or sharing an apartment with another person or couple? you might be able to find a 2-bedroom apartment farther from campus for $1200 or so. you and your wife and split it with another person/couple and pay less than you would for a studio near campus.

[pace327]

Anyone ever lived in the LA area before? I may be going to school in Santa Monica (RAND Corporation has a PhD program) and I'm trying to get a feel for quality of life (I think I will miss having 4 seasons!), cost of living, etc. My internet searches have turned up studios running between about $900-$1300+... any advice on where to live or anything else?

[Guest anony]

I am from the east coast and am very curious to know what it's like at USC and in the surrounding area. Thoughts on quality of neighborhoods, general ethnic groups/religions, overall impressions, etc...

Thanks!

[Guest LuvUSC]

Hi...currently Im waitlisted for CNTV.

I visited the campus last summer. USC is located in the downtown area of Los Angeles. It's down the street from Staples Center, Macy's Mall, etc. It is also next door to Compton area. Compton aint the greatest places to live and it is known for gang-related activites. Once you walk on USC's campus, it looks like a different world from the outside. It is very clean. The architecture and landscape is astounding and breath-taking. The atmosphere of the Trojan Family (students, faculty) are extremely friendly, caring and warm. You will need a bike to get around campus. You will be impressed. If you're from NY area, the outside aint as bad. But you do need to wary of your surroundings like anywhere you go. But once you walk on that campus, you will fall in love. I know I did. And after my tour, I knew USC is the school for me.

[Guest guest]

Where do grad students at USC usually live?

[Guest LuvUSC]

Check out this website for USC housing:

http://housing.usc.edu/

FOR GRAD STUDENTS:

http://housing.usc.edu/housingOptions/w ... veGRD.aspx

According to the site, there's only 2 Grad dorms:

Parkside Suites and Seaver Residence Hall

Rest are Apartments for Grads:

Centennial

Fairmont

Helena

Hillview

Parkside Apartments

Senator

Seven Gables

Terrace

Troyland

Twin Palms

University Regent

[Guest guestusc]

I am tentatively planning to attend USC this fall (still waiting on one more school, but I'd say that I am leaning towards USC), attaining my Master's in Journalism. Does anyone know about off-campus housing? Is it generally cheaper? I know that some of USC's surrounding area is suspect, so I'm not quite sure if I'm looking in the right areas, and I'd probably need a roommate. Does USC have a program or place to look for a roommate because I'd prefer someone also attending graduate school? Housing is a concern for me at this point because I know graduate student housing isn't necessarily guaranteed.

[Guest LuvUSC]

I would like to know that myself. If I get accepted off the waitlist, I will address my concerns to USC Housing. As far as location and if USC Housing doesnt work out for me, I prefer West LA like Santa Monica, BevHills, Marina Del Rey, etc. I also like Pasadena which is 15 min from Downtown. Valencia is nice and suburban but too far. I suggest take a 3-day trip to LA with a Hertz car with GPS system and take a drive and see for yourself.

[pace327]

Can anyone give me any info about the Santa Monica area? I'm visiting there Thursday-Sunday for the first time. I may be going to RAND for my PhD. I have never been to California so I have NO idea about where to live, cost of living (well, I know it's going to way outstrip my stipend that's for sure), what there is to do there besides go to the beach, etc. Thanks!

[Guest LuvUSC]

Ooowweee I love Santa Monica! It's where the infamous Venice Beach is! On the St. Monica Pier there is a fairway of rides and stores. You can walk on the beach. Ride your cool bicycle. And watch the muscleheads show off There's also an exclusive shopping area near Pico Blvd which runs from downtown area to Santa Monica. It's not too far from LAX which is about 3 miles NW.

The area can be pricey. Check out:

http://www.rent.com for apts/housing.

http://www.expedia.com for hotels

http://www.westland.net/beachcam (Vencie Beach 24-hr Live Cam)

http://www.venicebeach.com (Venice Beach info)

http://www.visitthemarina.com (Marina del Rey info; very nice beach area too)

BTW Im going to LA this weekend as well and may stay on Santa Monica Beach:)

Good Luck!

[Guest CoyoteFur]

Pasadena which is 15 min from Downtown.

Ha ha ha ha...

[Guest NewUSCGrad]

I am tentatively planning to attend USC this fall (still waiting on one more school, but I'd say that I am leaning towards USC), attaining my Master's in Journalism. Does anyone know about off-campus housing? Is it generally cheaper? I know that some of USC's surrounding area is suspect, so I'm not quite sure if I'm looking in the right areas, and I'd probably need a roommate. Does USC have a program or place to look for a roommate because I'd prefer someone also attending graduate school? Housing is a concern for me at this point because I know graduate student housing isn't necessarily guaranteed.

BUMP. Can anyone help out, I am also interested in this information. And more information on the graduate apartments.

[Guest guest]

Ooowweee I love Santa Monica! It's where the infamous Venice Beach is!

venice beach is in venice, silly!

[Guest guest]

not to scare you or anything, the immediate area surrounding USC is straight from the ghettos (one of the biggest turn off for me). However, Los Angeles in general is a cool area to live and Santa Monica is amazing, but kinda far from SC esp with traffic. Ironically, a lot of USC students hang out by UCLA and live closer to Westwood.

I would look into Brentwood, Santa Monica, and the are by the Grove and La Brea.

[Guest lolz]

not to scare you or anything, the immediate area surrounding USC is straight from the ghettos (one of the biggest turn off for me). However, Los Angeles in general is a cool area to live and Santa Monica is amazing, but kinda far from SC esp with traffic. Ironically, a lot of USC students hang out by UCLA and live closer to Westwood.

I would look into Brentwood, Santa Monica, and the are by the Grove and La Brea.

Forget everything and just bring your pens, paper and bullet proof vest.

[visoke]

Hi there -

I was accepted into the Anthropology PhD program at UCLA, and have NO idea about LA...I'm from the midwest and have never been to Cali. I've heard mixed things about LA, and was wondering where is a decent place to live on a grad student budget...ideally somewhere with a chill atmosphere where you can walk down the street and sit in a coffee shop (not Starbucks) and work, with a lively, non-barbiedoll feel ...

Also, I was looking at rent and it seems so high! Is it worth it to live in grad student housing? Or are there other areas where the rent is not so bad, that are connected to public transport to UCLA? I guess I'm just wondering what grad student life is like at UCLA, and where a good place to live is if you're not into all the LA glitz and glam.

Thanks!

[HapaD]

Hi there -

I was accepted into the Anthropology PhD program at UCLA, and have NO idea about LA...I'm from the midwest and have never been to Cali. I've heard mixed things about LA, and was wondering where is a decent place to live on a grad student budget...ideally somewhere with a chill atmosphere where you can walk down the street and sit in a coffee shop (not Starbucks) and work, with a lively, non-barbiedoll feel ...

Also, I was looking at rent and it seems so high! Is it worth it to live in grad student housing? Or are there other areas where the rent is not so bad, that are connected to public transport to UCLA? I guess I'm just wondering what grad student life is like at UCLA, and where a good place to live is if you're not into all the LA glitz and glam.

Thanks!

You may not find this as a 100% satisfactory answer, but i'm going to give it a shot anyway. I have never attended UCLA, but will next year as a grad student and am currently in the process of house hunting. I did however, live in the Palms area a few years ago for about a year and a half when I worked in Century City, so I have a pretty good feel for the Westside neighborhoods. when I lived there I split a big 2br 2 ba with my best friend and it was about 1300. Prices have gone up aparently!

If you are looking for a good, chill area with coffee shops, decent walking traffic, and a good local life, i think you should look into Culver City. They have a nice little downtown and its an up and coming area. Santa Monica has some nice neighborhoody areas away from 3rd street, but you may find the area a little glitzy. Palms is okay, but a little boring. There isnt much there but a bunch of apartments, and a couple supermarkets. Also a bar with turtle races that i somehow over looked. And a great karaoke bar. Yeah, palms is alright. West LA isn't such a bad choice either.

You may want to avoid the east side of culver city,mar vista and venice, they are slightly dodgier then the other neighborhoods, but still not too bad. IT all depends on where you are coming from.

[visoke]

thanks for the info!

hmm...so venice is shady? then why is everything so damn expensive there!? i guess ideally i'd like a neighborhood that actually feels like a neighborhood and has a diverse crowd - preferably lacking in fake boobs. but i'll take what i can i suppose =)

[BadUsername]

Ok, so this forum is mega-dead, but on the off-chance that someone stumbles through here, I have a question. I have a single day in LA to visit on my own, with no access to a car, and starting in a hotel near USC--what should I do with my day? Please note that I will be severly jetlagged...

[tehkatt]

Does anyone know the chances of getting housing at Weyburn if you apply for the lottery? I was accepted for a Masters program (yay!) but I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get a housing offer (boo).

Also how long would it take to walk from Weyburn to say, the middle of campus? I can't really tell on google maps since I'm not familiar with the terrain and other factors (uphill, downhill, if there are crowds to navigate, etc.).

THANKS. I have to admit I'm pretty excited. I'm from LA and have been going to undergrad in the Bay Area for the past 4 years and am SOOO HAPPY I'm coming back home!

[exp_jw]

Hi tehkatt,

I am a grad student living in Weyburn terrace right now.

The bad news: Unfortunately, from what I have gathered, if you don't have a guaranteed housing slot, your chances of getting housing here are pretty darn slim (especially if you want a studio, which I feel is the better option). I heard of one person getting in by a (mutual) roommate request with someone who DID have a guaranteed slot. That is the only person that I know of that got a housing slot here that didn't have a guaranteed space. If you have that option, I would exercise it. I don't claim to know everyone who lives in Weyburn Terrace though, so there may be some lucky lottery winners among us. Also, it probably changes slightly from year to year.

The good news: Weyburn Terrace is super nice and quite a bit cheaper than any comparable housing in the area. Cable, internet, utilities, etc. are all included as one package deal. If you want to find a cheaper place, you are going to pay for it in other ways like hour long commutes (the shuttle from university apartments south - the other grad housing - can take up to an hour depending on traffic and it is only 5 miles away), sharing a bedroom, living in a dumpy place/neighborhood, etc. I walk from Weyburn to the center of campus daily and it takes about 15 minutes if you walk at a quick (but not uncomfortably quick) pace. You can also take the campus shuttle (it takes about 5 minutes longer than walking if you are going to mid-campus). I take it on days when I am feeling lazy.

Other than that, UCLA is a pretty awesome place. Grad student life is a lot of fun (albeit busy). If anyone has any questions, feel free to send me a message and I will answer them to the best of my ability. Note that it is the last week of the quarter, so don't feel bad if I don't get back to you immediately.

[mea culpa]

I am just admitted to an engineering PhD, at USC. I am an international and completely a stranger to the area. I wonder if I can make it with with my 9 months net budget of about $17,000? What if I go with my boyfriend, and with assuming that he cannot find any jobs for quite a while?

Expecting some quick answers, since the deadline is somewhat soon,

Thanks in advance..

[bleistift]

I am just admitted to an engineering PhD, at USC. I am an international and completely a stranger to the area. I wonder if I can make it with with my 9 months net budget of about $17,000? What if I go with my boyfriend, and with assuming that he cannot find any jobs for quite a while?

Expecting some quick answers, since the deadline is somewhat soon,

Thanks in advance..

That's an extremely broad question. The answer will completely depend upon how well you budget, what kind of expenses you'll have, what you're willing to cut back on, etc. You'll need to provide more details and ask a less broad question. I can tell you that LA cost of living is about 170% of the national average. Rent you can find from common rental websites like http://www.craigslist.org. If you have a more specific question like which area is affordable and not too far, we can probably help you more.

[mea culpa]

That's an extremely broad question. The answer will completely depend upon how well you budget, what kind of expenses you'll have, what you're willing to cut back on, etc. You'll need to provide more details and ask a less broad question. I can tell you that LA cost of living is about 170% of the national average. Rent you can find from common rental websites like http://www.craigslist.org. If you have a more specific question like which area is affordable and not too far, we can probably help you more.

Well, to be more specific, I may ask a few questions like where should I try to hire an apartment if I won't have a car? Or is having a car "must have" there? And will an Industrial Engineering PhD make me competitive in the job market noting that I am an International student? They have offered me $19,200 for two semesters, so I guess I will have about $17,000 after taxes. Am I right about the taxes? Will this money support a life noting that I am not a bar/ night club person at all which may be a little pricey there?