Blacksburg, VA

[moneke]

I just want to offer my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the shooting at Virginia Tech. :cry:

[mea culpa]

Just accepted to a PhD at VT. But I am an international and know nothing about the place. How is Blacksburg to pursue a PhD? How about the weather there? If I won't have a car, where can I find cheap and safe housing? Anything about post-graduate job opportunities? Thanks...

[thunderdogg]

not sure about pursuing how pursuing a PHD is at VT, but i was an undergrad there and can tell you that finding cheap and safe housing is extremely easy. The city is filled to the brim with cheap, and close housing. Pretty much the entire city is students, and since the campus is really only equipped to house maybe 5000-6000 students that means the other 20,000 of us had to find housing in blacksburg. You've got loads of different apartment complexs there all on the bus route. The weather is pretty good, you're going to get all the seasons. During the winter it can get cold and windy, but nothing too absurd. You will get some snow, but nothing that isn't manageable and the summers are hot, but not unbearable. Blacksburg really is a great college city i'm sure you will love it.

[mea culpa]

not sure about pursuing how pursuing a PHD is at VT, but i was an undergrad there and can tell you that finding cheap and safe housing is extremely easy. The city is filled to the brim with cheap, and close housing. Pretty much the entire city is students, and since the campus is really only equipped to house maybe 5000-6000 students that means the other 20,000 of us had to find housing in blacksburg. You've got loads of different apartment complexs there all on the bus route. The weather is pretty good, you're going to get all the seasons. During the winter it can get cold and windy, but nothing too absurd. You will get some snow, but nothing that isn't manageable and the summers are hot, but not unbearable. Blacksburg really is a great college city i'm sure you will love it.

what about entertainment? I guess the nearest city is far far away, I couldn't even find a movie theater in Blacksburg! Is it because I don't know where to look or Blacsburg's so small/ boring?

[maroonwings]

There's a new movie theater in Christiansburg, the next town over. It takes about 10-15 minutes to get there by car. You can take the bus, which is of course slower, but it'll get you there. Downtown Blacksburg has the Lyric, which is a small theater just off campus. Downtown also has the usual bars, restaurants, a few small shops. The nearest city, Roanoke, is about a 45 minute drive from Blacksburg. Most likely you'll be flying into the airport in Roanoke when you come here.

The weather is crazy I've seen some relatively heavy snowstorms, but not recently...I guess that's climate change for ya. There's the occasional day where it's beautiful and warm in the morning and snowing by afternoon. Keep an umbrella in your bag--they don't call it Bleaksburg for nothing Mostly summers are pretty warm, and winters are chilly but not too bad.

It's really not hard to find housing. You'll want to find a place that's on the bus line, but most apartments are. VT has an off campus housing office that can help you find a place. Most people do live off campus and take the bus/bike/walk to class. Don't worry about not having a car, parking on campus is a pain and you'll probably have friends who have cars anyway. You can take the bus to the grocery store and to the mall in Christiansburg. The bus system is pretty good and will get you to most stuff in Blacksburg/Christiansburg. The bus fare is included in your student fees, so you can just show your student ID and take the bus anywhere you want.

Blacksburg is a pretty small town, but most people here seem to really love it. I've been here for seven years and I'm going to miss this place when I leave.

[mea culpa]

There's a new movie theater in Christiansburg, the next town over. It takes about 10-15 minutes to get there by car. You can take the bus, which is of course slower, but it'll get you there. Downtown Blacksburg has the Lyric, which is a small theater just off campus. Downtown also has the usual bars, restaurants, a few small shops. The nearest city, Roanoke, is about a 45 minute drive from Blacksburg. Most likely you'll be flying into the airport in Roanoke when you come here.

The weather is crazy I've seen some relatively heavy snowstorms, but not recently...I guess that's climate change for ya. There's the occasional day where it's beautiful and warm in the morning and snowing by afternoon. Keep an umbrella in your bag--they don't call it Bleaksburg for nothing Mostly summers are pretty warm, and winters are chilly but not too bad.

It's really not hard to find housing. You'll want to find a place that's on the bus line, but most apartments are. VT has an off campus housing office that can help you find a place. Most people do live off campus and take the bus/bike/walk to class. Don't worry about not having a car, parking on campus is a pain and you'll probably have friends who have cars anyway. You can take the bus to the grocery store and to the mall in Christiansburg. The bus system is pretty good and will get you to most stuff in Blacksburg/Christiansburg. The bus fare is included in your student fees, so you can just show your student ID and take the bus anywhere you want.

Blacksburg is a pretty small town, but most people here seem to really love it. I've been here for seven years and I'm going to miss this place when I leave.

It's interesting that i have noticed you are going to California. Actually I am between going to USC-LA and VT-Blacksburg. What would be your opinion about in which place to pursue a PhD, since you are going from one to (kind of) the other one?

[maroonwings]

Well, Blacksburg is probably going to be very different from LA I visited the USC campus once, about 10 years ago, and it was very pretty but I wasn't seriously considering moving to California at the time. Other than that I haven't spent a lot of time in LA. I remember that the traffic was bad and that the weather was pretty nice. In Blacksburg you'd have four distinct seasons, leaves changing color in the fall, snow in the winter, etc. LA would be warmer and probably wouldn't have all the seasonal changes that we have here. Blacksburg is a somewhat rural area in the Appalachian Mountains, and it's pretty quiet here. It's also easy to do outdoor activities like hiking and camping in this area, but if you like having a lot of nightlife or shopping, you might get bored. In Blacksburg you'd get more of a quiet, laid-back small town experience. In LA you'd be in one of the largest cities in the country. It just depends on which is more appealing to you. I love Blacksburg, but it's really a matter of what you like to do and what sort of environment you want to live in. I'm sure there are people here who can tell you more about USC since I haven't spent much time there.

[Hossein]

Well, Blacksburg is probably going to be very different from LA I visited the USC campus once, about 10 years ago, and it was very pretty but I wasn't seriously considering moving to California at the time. Other than that I haven't spent a lot of time in LA. I remember that the traffic was bad and that the weather was pretty nice. In Blacksburg you'd have four distinct seasons, leaves changing color in the fall, snow in the winter, etc. LA would be warmer and probably wouldn't have all the seasonal changes that we have here. Blacksburg is a somewhat rural area in the Appalachian Mountains, and it's pretty quiet here. It's also easy to do outdoor activities like hiking and camping in this area, but if you like having a lot of nightlife or shopping, you might get bored. In Blacksburg you'd get more of a quiet, laid-back small town experience. In LA you'd be in one of the largest cities in the country. It just depends on which is more appealing to you. I love Blacksburg, but it's really a matter of what you like to do and what sort of environment you want to live in. I'm sure there are people here who can tell you more about USC since I haven't spent much time there.

Any body seeking for a housemate in Virginia Tech?

[honeybear]

Anybody heading down there in the Fall 2011? I'm super excited! The campus is absolutely gorgeous!

[m1208]

Moving to Blacksburg this Fall for PhD program--any suggestions for places to live? I'm married, have a dog, and want somewhere peaceful but also relatively close to grocery shopping, etc. Also good restaurants to try? What are your thoughts on the city atmosphere?

[kikalique87]

I'm a current graduate student at VT. I would say to stay away from the University City Boulevard and Tom's Creek area, this is the main undergrad off campus housing strip. I used to live down South Main off Ellett Road and I loved it! There are some great townhouses down there, and it's more suitable for grad students/young professionals. Townside is the rental company I used, and I find most of its listings are geared toward that population. Looking in Christianbsurg is also an option. It's the next town over where all of the retail stores are (Walmart, Target, etc). Housing tends to be cheaper there, but then you also will have to drive to campus.

As for restaurants, my favorite places are Gillie's (vegetarian) and the Celler (the "grad student bar" but also separate good restaurant). There's also a wine bar 622 that is a little pricey but probably the nicest place in town. I will warn you, Blacksburg right now is a pretty small college town that caters mostly to undergrads. It's hard to find places to eat/study/drink or things to do for people who are above the age of 21.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions.

[m1208]

Thanks for your reply! I'll let you know if I have any questions (I'm sure I will). I will definitely look into the rental company you mentioned. Thanks again!

[lpeppersauce]

Well, I'm officially heading to Blacksburg in the fall.  Anyone have any suggestions for housing?  I'd rather rent an apartment vs. a house, because I'd rather deal with a management company than a landlord, and I don't want to do yardwork.  My requirements for an apartment are:

1. One bedroom, at least 700 square feet.

2. Washer and dryer hookups.

3. Dishwasher.

4. QUIET.  This is a big one for me.  I have no interest in dealing with undergrad or just-out-of-undergrad neighbors who are constantly partying.

5. Within 10-15 minutes driving distance of campus.

 

Obviously I'd like something as inexpensive as possible, but I'd choose to pay a little more rather than sacrifice any of those requirements.  Does anyone know of anything like this around Blacksburg or Christiansburg?  Thanks!

[gradventurer]

Hi All,

 

I shall be attending VT as a grad student in EE. Could anyone give me any pointers (or any helpful links on the internet) about whether to go for On Campus housing or Off Campus. I am what they would call a mature student (34 y.o.), Male, from India. I would want a room and bathroom to myself, apart from that I'm pretty flexible. I would prefer someone near about my age (25+would be good, but as long as the room mates are quiet and sane, I don't particularly care). How do I go about finding suitable accommodation? I already did extensive Google search on "graduate/housing/room mates" but all it took me to was VT's own links. I would like to know of any sites where there are reviews and active users seeking room mates.

 

Thanks!

[AdilB990]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm an international applicant and currently in the process of applying for VT's Transportation Engineering program for Spring 2014. Any kind of information regarding the area, the Civil Engineering Department and its faculty etc will be of great help.

 

Thanks.

[cheme2014]

I just received an offer from Virginia Tech and will be visiting in few weeks time. How much would accommodation and other living costs be? I will hope to stay within 10-30 minutes walking distance from the campus. 

[AdilB990]

I was just about to bump this thread but cheme2014 did the honours. Good to know you're on board as well, cheme!

 

I'm heading to VT this Fall. Being an international student, I can't visit prior to classes but would definitely want to know the living costs? Also it'll be great if someone can tell me of some reliable leasing companies and any scams that I should be wary of?

 

Thanks.

[samsales]

I was just about to bump this thread but cheme2014 did the honours. Good to know you're on board as well, cheme!

 

I'm heading to VT this Fall. Being an international student, I can't visit prior to classes but would definitely want to know the living costs? Also it'll be great if someone can tell me of some reliable leasing companies and any scams that I should be wary of?

 

Thanks.

Hi,

 

Congrats! I am off to VT too in the fall, but for a different program. I am going down there the 3rd weekend of March. I can get back to you about living expenses once I check it out. 

[AmmarAwan]

I got selected for a CS PhD at VT starting Fall 2014. I am from Pakistan and can't visit before the classes. I am married and have a daughter. Would definitely like to get in touch with those who are married and/or have kids as well. Want to get an idea of living expenses. I got the GTA for 4 years so I want to know if I can live with family in that money.

[AdilB990]

Hi,

 

Congrats! I am off to VT too in the fall, but for a different program. I am going down there the 3rd weekend of March. I can get back to you about living expenses once I check it out. 

 

Congrats to both above! We're all on board now. Really pleased to see some activity in this thread. 

 

@samsales: It'll be awesome if you can get back to me, I'll be really grateful! You can post your findings here or inbox me - whatever seems convenient. Thanks in advance!

Edited February 28, 2014 by AdilB990

[samsales]

Congrats to both above! We're all on board now. Really pleased to see some activity in this thread. 

 

@samsales: It'll be awesome if you can get back to me, I'll be really grateful! You can post your findings here or inbox me - whatever seems convenient. Thanks in advance!

I will be happy to inbox you when I get back....around the end of March. Glad to help!

[cheme2014]

Quite a number of undergraduates from my country manage to get by with a monthly budget of approximately $830 (accommodation+food+miscellaneous). I will be visiting from 20 to 23 this month so I guess I could furnish you with more information after that. 

Edited March 2, 2014 by cheme2014

[AdilB990]

That will be great, cheme2014. The more feedback I get, the easier it will be to make a budget before I head to the US.

Thanks in advance.

[cheme2014]

You might find the below link useful. 

http://vt.offcampuspartners.com/

The rental apparently ranges from 400++ to 600++, for those that are relatively close to the campus 15 to 45 minutes walk to the campus.

[AdilB990]

Yes it does seem quite reliable! Signed up for it around 10 days back.