St. Louis, MO

[mahmad]

Sorry, possibly attending. (Did that Freudian slip mean something?). Also, I might not have a car right when I get there so somewhere close to campus/public transport (which might take out CWE). 

[Katia_chan]

I've so far been looking at Tower Grove.  It seems to have some of the better direct transportation into the areas we need to go.  But I'm overwhelmed by the sheer amount of location choices--I am not used to this.

 

Also trying to figure out the best way to find a roommate without the creepiness of Craigslist.  Sigh...

[crazycat]

I've so far been looking at Tower Grove.  It seems to have some of the better direct transportation into the areas we need to go.  But I'm overwhelmed by the sheer amount of location choices--I am not used to this.

 

Also trying to figure out the best way to find a roommate without the creepiness of Craigslist.  Sigh...

Tower Grove is definitely a popular area for graduate students. Otherwise, Soulard is another place where grad students can find bigger square footage for less money. I have lived off campus at SLU for the past two years and while housing in the surrounding area is nice, it is definitely more expensive and you have to deal with undergrads. I'm potentially continuing my education at SLU, but I'm waitlisted. When I've thought about housing here, I definitely would move to Tower Grove or Soulard. Both have a lot of fun restaurants and bars but a lot more space.

As for Craigslist...I'd be a little sketched out too...

[Katia_chan]

Tower Grove is definitely a popular area for graduate students. Otherwise, Soulard is another place where grad students can find bigger square footage for less money. I have lived off campus at SLU for the past two years and while housing in the surrounding area is nice, it is definitely more expensive and you have to deal with undergrads. I'm potentially continuing my education at SLU, but I'm waitlisted. When I've thought about housing here, I definitely would move to Tower Grove or Soulard. Both have a lot of fun restaurants and bars but a lot more space.

As for Craigslist...I'd be a little sketched out too...

 

Glad to hear that the Tower area is as legit as it sounds.  It's been a little nuts trying to get opinions on neighborhoods, since there are a million comments on every place, ranging from "it's amazing" to "you will get shanked on your doorstep."

 

I looked at Soulard as well, but have heard that it's a bit more rowdy of a place, with more of a bar scene, and I lean more towards the quiet side.  If I can have ice cream or any sort of Asian food within walking distance, I am in my own personal heaven.

 

Do you have any thoughts on the Shaw neighborhood?  I've heard it's not great, but also that it's not bad, and it also seems to have some cheap housing, and to be in the general area I'm looking at.

 

Thanks for your help, and good luck on your waitlist!

Edited April 1, 2014 by Katia_chan

[BeakerBreaker]

Katia - try emailing your program coordinator at SLU and explain that you are looking for a roommate. Among all of the graduate programs at SLU, I'm sure there are other students in your same situation, and you can get to know them without Craigslist sketchiness.

 

Hey,

I'll be attending WashU, the Danforth campus, and you mentioned not wanting to deal with CWE, is there a reason? I would like to find a studio or 1 bedroom for $650 or less. I have a background in art, so I'm a sucker for the architecture in that area. Is there a certain area in CWE (street crossings) you can recommend or anywhere else that has a similar vibe? I like Brooklyn types in urban settings, (local cafes, people milling about, etc.)  but not Manhattan or Chicago busy. Sorry if that's a little confusing! 

 

There's no real reason to live in CWE if you are spending your time at the Danforth campus. It's difficult to find parking, it's more expensive, and crime is worse than some of the neighborhoods closer to the Danforth campus.  My personal opinion (as someone who has only been a tourist in Manhattan or Chicago) is that you won't really be able to recreate that vibe in St. Louis.  The Loop (Delmar Blvd and Skinker/Big Bend) might be the best approximation as far as people milling about/cafes near your campus, but everything in that regard is on a smaller scale in St. Louis.  

[TonyB]

Thinking of applying to WashU. for Fall 2015. I've lived in Dayton, Ohio (southwestern part of the state, just north of Cincinnati) most of my life, and was just wondering if anyone knew how the St. Louis area would compare - politically, in terms of average rent, temps and snowfall during the winter, etc.

 

Thanks!

[glow_gene]

Hey there TonyB, 

 

I have spent a day or two at most in Cincinnati so I can't help too much with the comparison, but you may find this website useful: 

 

http://www.bestplaces.net/compare-cities/st._louis_mo/cincinnati_oh/climate

 

It compares two cities based on a number of the parameters in which you're interested. If you end up having specific questions about St. Louis, I'd be happy to help with them if I can!

 

~glow

[mdog3000]

Hi everyone,

Just accepted my offer to go to WashU for their Energy, Environment and Chemical Engineering Program for a PhD. Anybody else plan on joining me out in St. Louis? Anybody have suggestions on where to live?

[SuzyGreenberg]

Hi all,

 

I will be attending WashU for grad school (med school) this fall and was wondering about places to live in proximity to the medical school campus. I have heard mixed things about the CWE being that it is on the pricier side. Does anyone have any recommendations of where med school students typically live?

[BeakerBreaker]

Med students and that whole community tend to live in: Skinker-Debaliviere, CWE, The Loop (off Delmar), Shaw/Tower Grove, and a couple of others.  I would personally not recommend any of those unless you place a premium on proximity, but I am in the minority.  BJC/WUSM is not exactly in a good part of town.

 

The downsides of living near WUSM are basically crime and inaccessibility to shopping (think Target/Walmart, groceries, etc.).

 

If you have a car and/or don't mind spending more time on the metrolink (free light rail system; basically, are you willing to travel ~15 minutes each direction), there are far nicer and better-priced neighborhoods towards the west.  You can't roll out of bed and into your clinic/lab, but you can live without your car getting broken into or walk down the street at night without worrying too much about it.

 

My personal opinion is that more people live near WUSM because they are transplants and don't know better, or don't have the ability or desire to commute, or enjoy living down the street from your classmates, or whatever.  If you don't fall into those categories, then broadening your scope is wise. 

 

This is my $0.02 as someone who has lived here for ~20 years and just bought a condo since I'm sticking around (I looked at housing in most of the "typical" WUSM neighborhoods in the process, but I was familiar with the city already).

 

Anywho, to make a long story short, tell us more about: Price point, what you are accustomed to for safety, and what you'd like in terms of proximity/transportation.

[nano2014]

Hello everyone,

    I will also be attending WUSTL this fall. I am very unfamiliar with St. Louis and apprehensive about the whole finding a place/roommate thing. I have never lived by myself. I need your help/advice please. Ultimately, I will love to have a roommate, pay in the range of 500-600 (possibly including utilities). How do graduate students normally find roommates? (based on personality/lifestyle matching etc.) I do not have a car or plan on owning one so I will like to live at a place close to campus or with close bus routes. Will it be possible to find a place online before I get there or it will be better to go over and find a place? I will appreciate your responses. Thank you.

[Katia_chan]

Hey,

 

I'm not accepted at WashU, but am moving to St. Louis to go to SLU.  Looks like an awesome city, though trying to find a place to live seems like it's going to be stressful.

 

I've mostly had my eye on the Tower Grove area, since I won't have a car, don't really want to live amongst the bars, and like the idea of being able to walk to a lot of amenities.

 

Congrats on your decision.

[Silly_Socrates]

accepted my offer from Saint Louis University! 

[dgswaim]

accepted my offer from Saint Louis University! 

Congrats! I think I'm going to apply there on the next go around. Seems like a good place to be. 

[Dabaliga]

accepted my offer from Saint Louis University! 

Congrats!  St Louis is a fun city.  (I studied at UMSL a few years ago.)  SLU seems like a great department, and there is a lot of interaction between the three schools there (UMSL, SLU and WashU). 

 

Do you have any offers or waitlists to turn down?  In general, I think that it would be nice of those who are accepting an offer to update the rest of us on what admits/waitlists/unknowns they are turning down.

[mahmad]

 tell us more about: Price point, what you are accustomed to for safety, and what you'd like in terms of proximity/transportation.

 

Can you give any insight with these specifications? I would like to live in a studio (preferably hardwood floors because of allergies but I'll deal with carpet if I have to), under $600, not sure if I'll have a car so I'll depending on the metrolink/bike, and I would like to be in an area where there are coffee shops/restaurants close by in less than 10 min walking distance. I'm used to walking around NYC at night, but not Chicago or other cities with higher crime rates. Oh and I'll be attending WashU Danforth campus. 

 

I visited this past weekend and was only able to check out one place, the apartment itself was great but I didn't like the location (5438 Delmar)

[BeakerBreaker]

Hello everyone,

    I will also be attending WUSTL this fall. I am very unfamiliar with St. Louis and apprehensive about the whole finding a place/roommate thing. I have never lived by myself. I need your help/advice please. Ultimately, I will love to have a roommate, pay in the range of 500-600 (possibly including utilities). How do graduate students normally find roommates? (based on personality/lifestyle matching etc.) I do not have a car or plan on owning one so I will like to live at a place close to campus or with close bus routes. Will it be possible to find a place online before I get there or it will be better to go over and find a place? I will appreciate your responses. Thank you.

I'd offer the same advice above -- try the program coordinator.  You can also try craigslist to find other students, as WashU has plenty, but that's a little more risky.  You can ask the DBBS (the biology grad program) coordinators if they will help you in addition to chemistry, as the majority of students are from out of town like you.  It should be easy to figure out routes via Metro bus or Metrolink (or biking, or whatever), but you might want to ask a local or visit to get a good impression of the neighborhood you'd be in.

 

Can you give any insight with these specifications? I would like to live in a studio (preferably hardwood floors because of allergies but I'll deal with carpet if I have to), under $600, not sure if I'll have a car so I'll depending on the metrolink/bike, and I would like to be in an area where there are coffee shops/restaurants close by in less than 10 min walking distance. I'm used to walking around NYC at night, but not Chicago or other cities with higher crime rates. Oh and I'll be attending WashU Danforth campus. 

 

I visited this past weekend and was only able to check out one place, the apartment itself was great but I didn't like the location (5438 Delmar)

Delmar that far east of Skinker is considered less nice.  Try north of Delmar, south of Metcalfe Park -- there are quite a few apartments there, and I've known some students renting them that in general fit your specifications.  You'll be within walking distance of campus and near quite a few restaurants/cafes.  I wouldn't recommend going north of Olive.

[dodo1864]

Hi,

 

I was just accepted into WashU's offer of Chemistry Ph.D. program as well. I am looking for a roommate now.

[mahmad]

Delmar that far east of Skinker is considered less nice.  Try north of Delmar, south of Metcalfe Park -- there are quite a few apartments there, and I've known some students renting them that in general fit your specifications.  You'll be within walking distance of campus and near quite a few restaurants/cafes.  I wouldn't recommend going north of Olive.

 

Thanks so much for your advice and input!

 

Let me know if there's anything else I can help with. (If anyone else has questions, feel free to post here and/or pm me and I'll publicly post the response and question if it's generally helpful. I keep forgetting to check this thread regularly.) I really love this city and I'd like to do what I can to get others properly situated for maximal enjoyment

 

~glow

 

I've reconsidered and have a roommate now to make things easier looking for apartments. We've found a few and were wondering which location is better. We'll be relying on the train and our bikes/walking. We might have some evening classes as well (Danforth). We prefer to be around coffee shops, people milling about etc. I decided against the 5438 Delmar location as BeakerBreaker said it wasn't the best and I didn't like it myself. The only reason I'm gearing more towards the CWE apartments (4 blocks from the CWE metro) is because I heard the Loop can be a bit sketchy walking alone at night from campus. 

Here are the other locations:

-Herman at the Loop (a block south of Metcalfe Park)

-7355 Lindell (A block east of Danforth)

-West Pine and Euclid (Park Place Apartments)

- Buckingham Court (in between West Pine, Euclid, and Laclede)

 

Also, how much are basic utilities? 

[nano2014]

Thanks so much for your advice and input!

 

 

I've reconsidered and have a roommate now to make things easier looking for apartments. We've found a few and were wondering which location is better. We'll be relying on the train and our bikes/walking. We might have some evening classes as well (Danforth). We prefer to be around coffee shops, people milling about etc. I decided against the 5438 Delmar location as BeakerBreaker said it wasn't the best and I didn't like it myself. The only reason I'm gearing more towards the CWE apartments (4 blocks from the CWE metro) is because I heard the Loop can be a bit sketchy walking alone at night from campus. 

Here are the other locations:

-Herman at the Loop (a block south of Metcalfe Park)

-7355 Lindell (A block east of Danforth)

-West Pine and Euclid (Park Place Apartments)

- Buckingham Court (in between West Pine, Euclid, and Laclede)

 

Also, how much are basic utilities? 

how did you find a roommate?

[mahmad]

how did you find a roommate?

I met her at admitted students weekend. However, certain programs have Facebook pages where they list housing and roommates. You could contact the program about it.

[Aremik]

Hi, 

 

I was wondering, without counting the rent, how much money do you need to survive as a WashU grad student? I mean, how much do you spend per month including things as food, basic groceries, utilities, books? Take in account that I will need to buy at less a matress and the basic things for the kitchen. Thank you. 

[nano2014]

Hello Everyone,

 

So I have found an apartment that looks like its going to be a comfortable place to live. I have tried to rent an apartment through Quadrangle at WUSTL but it has been very futile getting in touch with anyone. May I know how safe 111 N. 15^th St. is? From my research it is about 30 mins by the metro from WUSTL and the price seems pretty affordable. I am not familiar with St. Louis at all but I read that this place is close to downtown and a little shady. I dont plan on spending a lot of time outdoors at night so this will be fine right? Which downtown is this? (from what I have heard STL has more than one downtown). Any input at all about this location will be greatly appreciated. Also is the distance reasonable? I am an international student and do not know much about this place. Please help! Thank you.  

[turbidite]

On 6/7/2014 at 12:15 AM, nano2014 said:

Hello Everyone,

 

So I have found an apartment that looks like its going to be a comfortable place to live. I have tried to rent an apartment through Quadrangle at WUSTL but it has been very futile getting in touch with anyone. May I know how safe 111 N. 15^th St. is? From my research it is about 30 mins by the metro from WUSTL and the price seems pretty affordable. I am not familiar with St. Louis at all but I read that this place is close to downtown and a little shady. I dont plan on spending a lot of time outdoors at night so this will be fine right? Which downtown is this? (from what I have heard STL has more than one downtown). Any input at all about this location will be greatly appreciated. Also is the distance reasonable? I am an international student and do not know much about this place. Please help! Thank you.  

 

I spent the past four years in STL but would not say I'm an expert on the city. Take this for what it's worth.

 

111 N 15th is in the west part of downtown. It is an active and relatively safe location, but isn't that close to WashU. Are you going to have a car, or are you planning on taking the metro to school? A car would cut the commute time in half since you will be going opposite the typical flow of traffic. Taking the metro from that part of town would be slightly annoying since you have to walk from your apt to the civic center metro station (~10 min) but it is totally do-able.

 

When people talk about two downtowns in STL they are referring to the original downtown and Clayton. Clayton is a high-end business center and suburb just west of WashU. Clayton would actually be a great spot to live as a grad student, but it may be outside of the price range you're looking at.

[Katia_chan]

Just got done apartment hunting in STL.  That was one of the more hellish experiences of my life... No one in that city answers their phones, seriously.

 

That rant aside, think I found a great place.  And it's within walking distance of tea.  Everything else will work itself out from there as far as I'm concerned.

 

Now just need to fill the second bedroom.