Los Angeles, CA

[the_sheath]

Are you familiar with LA traffic? Depending on where you're coming from, it may be frustrating to get to campus. Like, a week ago, someone died on the 405 and backed up that freeway for hours. It often takes half an hour to get from Santa Monica to campus.

 

That said, ideally you would live wherever is most convenient, and that is often near campus. I happen to get a better deal price-wise in Palms, so I disagree with the should-live-near-campus idea. It's whatever you feel most comfortable in.

[PhDerp]

Just saw Culver City today... Love it, so cute! And pleasant! And I met friendly strangers!!

How is LA so damn friendly?!

[kyjin]

There are ton of friendly people here. West Coast culture is very different from the East Coast- everyone is just more relaxed here!

[mandarin.orange]

This is all very interesting. My family actually lives in the area, but of course, I'm trying not to entertain the idea of moving back with them... But seeing as how much money I could save, I'm wondering whether that isn't that bad of an option..

 

Where do they live? Would you have to drive to campus? Huge drain on time, maintenance, and money...UCLA is very much disincentivizing car-commuter traffic to campus.

[mandarin.orange]

It often takes half an hour to get from Santa Monica to campus.

 

30 min AT LEAST. Definitely plan on 60 min at least if you're in the vicinity of the 405 or 10 during rush hour!

[mandarin.orange]

And I wouldn't worry about getting run over on the bike lane. Just wear a helmet, be predictable, follow traffic rules, and use lights when riding at night. California is by far one of the more bike friendly states. In Iowa, there were a lot of shitheads who would honk at cyclists or harass them. I've seen some of the same things in South East Texas, in redneck country, where's some history with the kkk. California is like utopia for cyclists, particularly LA and SF.

 

From what you described, I guess this is relative. I came from Charlotte, NC before this and def. cycling there is not at all supported, and quite scary. Many of my friends who were big into road cycling there often saw, or were involved in themselves, horrific accidents between a cyclist + car. So LA's somewhat better, but describing it as a "cycling utopia" is a bit of a stretch. Get down to the beach bike paths, or join those huge clubs and groups of 100+ that do the PCH first thing Sat morning, then sure. But for commuting, it's often joked that an accident is not a matter of "if" but "when," and most of the regular bike-commuters in my program have had an accident or two.

 

I've heard LA traffic sucks, and parking much suck as well. That's partly why I'm contemplating on getting a motorcycle. 

 

Yes. I promise you that traffic, time of day (rush hour or no?), available parking, and cost of parking are going to become your very first thoughts whenever you get invited somewhere or contemplate going to an event. You are going to decline more invites and events than ever before b/c you realize those four things are just too much hassle. 

Motorcylces and scooters get free parking on the UCLA campus. 

 

How are the people in LA? I'm from Iowa, and I now live in Texas. The people are generally nice where I come from, but I imagine LA to be a lot more diverse.

 

When I moved to LA, I was initially surprised by how friendly everyone is. I would say there's no real difference in "niceness" between Angelenos and living in the South. What people become when they're behind the wheel is another matter... 

[PhDerp]

I'm looking for resources for finding apartments in LA. I'm aware of craigslist, padmapper, and westsiderentals.

 

Has anyone found a convenient way to find a split account on Westside? I'm thinking of asking on these forums to split one come July. I'm aware of the risks this poses, trusting strangers on the internet and all. :x

 

Also, I'd prefer a sublet for the fall for my first move. The only thing I've found that's any good for searching sublets is ULoop (craigslist is loaded with spam and no one's been posting for the fall semester there). Has anyone used ULoop? Are there any other tricks to finding sublets around campus?

 

My friend said that people tend to find apartments at the last second in LA. Has anyone else noticed this? It might be less true for students, especially grads.

[GGMaker]

I've been looking into where to live in L.A. for a while, and while I haven't by any means figured out where I want to live, I've found this site helpful for figuring out where NOT to live. As in, crime rates!

 

http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/

 

It's also good for demographics and stuff as well. Hope it helps!

[kyjin]

I honestly find Westside Rentals unnecessary. I was also planning on splitting an account with someone for my search, but my friends already at USC all advised me against it. Instead I used padmapper to get a sense of prices in areas I wanted, and then I just walked around the neighborhoods I was interested, looking for signs. A lot of places don't even bother with online ads because they get snatched up so fast. I found my apartment in my second day of looking- called and got a tour that day, ended up submitting the app the next day and was approved the day after. 

 

Oh and I should note I was in LA early (July) for a language program, so I had housing on campus while I did my search, and simply moved into my new place in August after my program finished. Most people I talk to come a month or so early and find a place. I had a few friends who came much earlier to search, but if you can find a place to crash for a week while you look for a place, you should be fine.

[gkcalat]

Hi there,

 

I got admission from UCLA EE MSc Program.

 

I'm an international student and need to save money as much as it's possible. Can anyone give me some suggestions on how to save money?

Is it possible to get a part-time job on-campus/off-campus?

 

Thanks!

[the_sheath]

If you've got some form of work study, it should be possible to get a part time job.

 

But since your international, I don't know if federal aid is available to you at all. It is fairly difficult to get a job on campus without work study (since those of us who had work study were cheaper), but I would recommend it if you can. Are you allowed to get a part time job? I'm not sure if you're here on a visa, but if you are, I think there may be certain restrictions depending on the visa type, and you may want to look into that. Also, your program may have restrictions on whether or not you can get a job at all, and how much time you're allowed for that job. You are technically there to learn, after all.

 

As for saving money, I'd suggest living a but further from campus and with roommates (rent is cheaper the further you are from campus, unless you're in Santa Monica or something) and cooking instead of eating out (I do not recommend the stereotypical grad student ramen diet).

[rockwell_]

Hey I have a interest in attending school at CSU Long Beach (petroleum geology research). I'm from out of state (Pennsylvania) and although ive traveled around downtown LA and visited an ex-girlfriend in Passadena several times, I do not know much about the Long Beach area. All I can think is Snoop Dogg but assume e area has been gentrified since the 90s.

Some current students mentioned living in Seal Beach or Huntington... Any thoughts or experiences to this area?

[KindaHardWorker]

Hi there,

 

I got admission from UCLA EE MSc Program.

 

I'm an international student and need to save money as much as it's possible. Can anyone give me some suggestions on how to save money?

Is it possible to get a part-time job on-campus/off-campus?

 

Thanks!

 

You don't want to have a part time job while you're doing a master's in engineering, especially the first year.  Avoid at all costs.  I'd say concentrate more on reducing expenses than increasing income.  If you absolutely have to (I know that sometimes circumstances are rough) try to find tutoring jobs.  Either print flyers and put them up around campus or apply to tutoring services.  It will look decent on your CV to show that you can teach and key in getting a TA position if you want one.

 

And on that note, I'm in a bit of a connundrum. My PI got offered a tenured position at UCLA and is leaving.  She offered to take a few students with them, and I am one of them.  However, she indicated that my RA pay is likely not to go up from where I'm at right now.  I'm at roughly $1500 a month, after taxes.  Really it's $1200/month after my car payment (I have a 2013 from when I was in industry).  I want some input as to how much I should budget for housing and food.  I'd prefer to live within 5-6 miles of campus and bike there since I have a roadbike which has worked so far. 

 

My general feeling from what I've heard about commuting is that the money I'd save by living far away and driving (as opposed to living closer and paying more rent) will be lost to gas prices and the cost of a UCLA parking pass.

 

Any advice?

Edited April 4, 2014 by athoesen

[PhDerp]

Hmm... I have people I might be able to stay with in LA. Maybe I can make a week out of it late July and go apartment hunting in-person? I don't want to take a huge risk, but I keep hearing that this method isn't really that risky in LA.

[the_sheath]

Also, I'd prefer a sublet for the fall for my first move. The only thing I've found that's any good for searching sublets is ULoop (craigslist is loaded with spam and no one's been posting for the fall semester there). Has anyone used ULoop? Are there any other tricks to finding sublets around campus?

My friend said that people tend to find apartments at the last second in LA. Has anyone else noticed this? It might be less true for students, especially grads.

Actually, the last minute thing is true of students too, or at least undergrads. It's freaking annoying. At least around ucla.

Maybe usc has some sort of off campus housing listing? Ucla had a community housing website where people, normally affiliated with the University and normally students, posted sublet and full year lease listings. I'd imagine usc has something similar. If you're looking to sublet in the fall.

I have used uloop and it worked for me. I was in the situation where I needed to sublet for spring and winter quarters.

[PhDerp]

Actually, the last minute thing is true of students too, or at least undergrads. It's freaking annoying. At least around ucla.

Maybe usc has some sort of off campus housing listing? Ucla had a community housing website where people, normally affiliated with the University and normally students, posted sublet and full year lease listings. I'd imagine usc has something similar. If you're looking to sublet in the fall.

I have used uloop and it worked for me. I was in the situation where I needed to sublet for spring and winter quarters.

 

I'll dig a bit deeper. Thanks for your help! I think I will cancel my on-campus housing and find something better suited to me. I think I'll try to visit a week in July to hunt for apartments.

[higheredphdapp]

Is anyone familiar with DTLA, Pico Union, and southern parts of Westlake and Korea Town? I'm thinking that might be the ideal spot in terms of having a walkable neighborhood and being fairly close to campus. Are there pockets to avoid? areas that are particularly more walkable? does anyone know what the cost of living in those areas is like (I'm assuming DTLA is generally pricier than other parts of the city, but I've never been)?

[beccamayworth]

Hi everyone - I'll be looking for a studio/one bedroom close to the USC campus in a couple of months, but I've been doing some research and I'd love to get your input regarding prices. What would you say would be the average price for a studio/1 bedroom on the west or north side of campus?

[Coconut Water]

Like KindaHardWorker, I also feel that the costs saved by living further away from campus would be lost. 

 

I have lived in the LA area the past 3 years (did my undergrad at UCLA but moved out of the area soon after). I think I have accepted that I will never get used to the way the traffic and drivers are here. It's intense and seems to only get worse. My current employer even shifted office work hours two hours earlier because staff has such a hard time getting to Century City on time due to accidents and traffic, etc.

 

One of my other concerns in addition to the financial aspect, is how the time and energy spent on commuting could be instead be used towards my studies, or towards say, keeping up my well-being by avoiding crazy drivers. Would be great to use what would have been commute time to be productive or even workout at the gym. I suppose one could try to avoid traffic by driving only during non-peak hours, but then you would have to factor in other considerations, I would think.

[1Q84]

 

Like KindaHardWorker, I also feel that the costs saved by living further away from campus would be lost. 

 

I have lived in the LA area the past 3 years (did my undergrad at UCLA but moved out of the area soon after). I think I have accepted that I will never get used to the way the traffic and drivers are here. It's intense and seems to only get worse. My current employer even shifted office work hours two hours earlier because staff has such a hard time getting to Century City on time due to accidents and traffic, etc.

 

One of my other concerns in addition to the financial aspect, is how the time and energy spent on commuting could be instead be used towards my studies, or towards say, keeping up my well-being by avoiding crazy drivers. Would be great to use what would have been commute time to be productive or even workout at the gym. I suppose one could try to avoid traffic by driving only during non-peak hours, but then you would have to factor in other considerations, I would think.

 

 

Absolutely agreed on all points. 

 

My school is near LAX and if I were to drive, it'd probably take me about 45+ minutes. Luckily, I'm on a scooter so I can weave between traffic or skip huge lineups at lights, which makes my rush hour commute about 30-35 minutes and my off-peak commute 25-30 minutes. 

 

I can't say how much having a short commute has bettered my life. I can "pop over" to school whenever I want or pop home if I really need to throughout the day between classes.

 

That being said, I'm a HUGE proponent of finding side-routes and smaller roads to get to your destination. Driving along Santa Monica at anytime is a deathwish if you need to be somewhere and the slightest mishap happens a couple miles up the road. 

 

tl;dr: I highly advocate getting a non-car and also living closer to campus.

 

I think I'll probably go to UCLA. I haven't gotten the advisor/funding situation figured out yet, but UCLA just seems like a great place to go to school.

 

And I'm wickedly excited about the active cycling culture. There are bike lanes everywhere, cycling groups, races, and lots and lots of scenery. *giggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidygiggidy*

And I wouldn't worry about getting run over on the bike lane. Just wear a helmet, be predictable, follow traffic rules, and use lights when riding at night. California is by far one of the more bike friendly states. In Iowa, there were a lot of shitheads who would honk at cyclists or harass them. I've seen some of the same things in South East Texas, in redneck country, where's some history with the kkk. California is like utopia for cyclists, particularly LA and SF.

 

 

I'm actually looking into the possibility of renting a house. It would probably be a lot cheaper, you don't have to worry about any leasing manager breathing down your neck, and the rates probably won't change.

 

 

I've heard LA traffic sucks, and parking much suck as well. That's partly why I'm contemplating on getting a motorcycle. 

 

 

How are the people in LA? I'm from Iowa, and I now live in Texas. The people are generally nice where I come from, but I imagine LA to be a lot more diverse.

 

I don't know what LA you're living in but I've only witnessed really scary environments for bikers. LAist and LATimes both concurrently ran pieces on "why it's not worth biking in LA" (short answer: you'll die). 

 

I live right off Santa Monica (Barry Ave, what what) and I find that whole strip of Santa Monica filled with nasty, psychotic drivers. It just gets worse as you approach either side of the 405.

[turbina]

I will probably be looking for a studio/1 bedroom too, and would appreciate the input about prices

 

Also, it would be really helpful if somebody could comment on how long it typically takes to get all the paperwork done to rent an apartment (i.e. from the time you visit the apartment and apply for a lease, how many days does it take until you can actually move in?). The university is paying for accommodations and meals for the first 8 days (they're having a 5-day workshop for international TAs at the beginning of August). This is really convenient for those of us moving across the pond, because we don't have to worry about where to stay the moment we get there, but I'm afraid it might not give me enough time to get a place and move in, so I'm wondering whether I should still look for temporary accommodation for after those first 8 days...

[carrot_flowers]

Would spending my first year at Weyburn not be a bad idea then? The cost is a huge turn-off, but since I don't have a car the convenience is very appealing to me.  Also, I'm in not very familiar with the area...

[Coconut Water]

I am concerned about the "limited" parking spaces available for Weyburn residents. If I understood correctly - a representative at the Housing office told me that even if I am assigned a one person unit, my parking spot may be assigned in tandem with another person's. That is, I may have to deal with tandem parking with someone who doesn't even live in my unit. And she was telling me that the new parking structure isn't actually "adding on" any more spaces for Weyburn. Is anyone familiar with the process of obtaining a parking permit for Weyburn?  Perhaps it isn't as bad as it seems. 

 

Any suggestions for long-term parking alternatives in the area?

Edited May 1, 2014 by Coconut Water

[mandarin.orange]

Would spending my first year at Weyburn not be a bad idea then? The cost is a huge turn-off, but since I don't have a car the convenience is very appealing to me.  Also, I'm in not very familiar with the area...

 

Would not recommend Weyburn. Those prices are way above the rental market, and increasing. Anecdotally I've only spoken to about 2 people (out of perhaps 10-12) who liked the setup of univ housing. In one case, she's an international student who doesn't have credit history for a lease and couldn't come out to scout beforehand. In the other case, she's a very gregarious person and liked ease of meeting people.

Check out yelp reviews of Weybrun Terrace for more insight. The rest I spoke to hated the experience, citing it was too dorm-like, fire alarm always going off, lost packages, noise issues, or getting cited themselves for normal-ish levels of socializing and noise, expense, etc. etc.

PM me if you want to know more about surrounding neighborhoods.

[mandarin.orange]

Is anyone familiar with the process of obtaining a parking permit for Weyburn?  Perhaps it isn't as bad as it seems. 

 

Any suggestions for long-term parking alternatives in the area?

 

It was 3-4 years now since I researched it, but check the additional cost. I vaguely recommend it was astronomical, on the order of an extra $100/month (in addition to the exhorbiant rent).

You can park on Veteran Ave for free, but 1) so will everyone else, and 2) you need to stay on top moving your car on street cleaning days -- a huge pain.