dreaming 1 Posted February 19, 2011 Posted February 19, 2011 Does anyone know anything about the Harvard GSAS residence halls? Good/bad/medium?? Any advice would be great
HopefulGrad2B Posted February 19, 2011 Posted February 19, 2011 (edited) Hey everyone! I really appreciate everyone's helpful posts on this thread! There's a wealth of great advice here! So I've recently been admitted to Harvard GSAS and I'm seriously considering attending! However, I have some questions about living arrangements. I would be living with my partner, who will not be a registered Harvard grad student. I take it that means on-campus housing is completely out of the picture... is that right? If so, then would I be missing out on the first year grad experience? I have the impression that a lot of first year grad students live on campus, have a meal plan and have social lives that revolve significantly around Dudley House, etc. Would living off campus lessen any of that for me? (I wouldn't want to have a meal plan if it meant having to ditch my partner at mealtimes...) If on-campus housing isn't an option for me, then should I consider finding off-campus housing through the Housing office? How have couples, married or partnered, navigated this process before? My stipend is ~24k for 10 months and ~5k summer research and travel funding. But I don't know Cambridge so I have no clue which areas off-campus would be reasonable considering my stipend. My partner will be flying in from abroad with some money saved up and would consider working in the area. Neither of us has a particularly extravagant lifestyle. We would definitely be somewhat frugal and realistic... I just have no clue in which areas to start looking... Finally, if I choose Harvard, when should I start looking for housing? I'd like to be moved in by mid-August; just in time for Orientation and right before the start of classes... I'd appreciate any and all advice!! Thank you so much! Edited February 19, 2011 by HopefulGrad2B
dreaming 1 Posted February 24, 2011 Posted February 24, 2011 Anyone know any good places to stay in Cambridge? I'm going out for visit day, and I get put up with current grads but I'm planning to stay a little longer as I'm international and want to explore Cambridge for a few extra days. Any recommendations of somewhere well located would be most appreciated!
pepper Posted February 24, 2011 Posted February 24, 2011 As long as your not going at a peak time (graduation) - I've always had good luck with Priceline.com... put in 3 stars, start at $50 and usually you can get something very nice, i.e.the Hyatt or the Doubletree on the Charles River. Free shuttles to Harvard Square - but walkable too. There are also some nice Bread & Breakfasts atround Cambridge.
ZeeMore21 Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 I wanted to know if anyone knew the standard of living in Medford, MA? I recently got into Tufts and was informed that i would receive a stipend of $18,000 a year. Does this sound right?
oak Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 I wanted to know if anyone knew the standard of living in Medford, MA? I recently got into Tufts and was informed that i would receive a stipend of $18,000 a year. Does this sound right? Hey, I went to Tufts for undergrad (English) and lived off-campus junior and senior years. I shared a house with two others and rent for 1 person was 600/month. This was a block or two from campus and I'm guessing there are cheaper places to be had. I'd be happy to answer any questions that come up. It's a great place to be! Congrats!
newms Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Hey, I went to Tufts for undergrad (English) and lived off-campus junior and senior years. I shared a house with two others and rent for 1 person was 600/month. This was a block or two from campus and I'm guessing there are cheaper places to be had. I'd be happy to answer any questions that come up. It's a great place to be! Congrats! Cool. That $600 is $600 per person with 3 people living together right? And not $600 for a single person dwelling? Also, how easy is it to get around Medford without a car? Thanks for your help!
oak Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Cool. That $600 is $600 per person with 3 people living together right? And not $600 for a single person dwelling? Also, how easy is it to get around Medford without a car? Thanks for your help! Yes, that was 600 per person, so 1800 for the house. Public transportation in Medford/Somerville/Boston is pretty great, reliable buses and an excellent subway system, the T. You won't necessarily be living in Medford. Tufts is on the dividing line between Medford and Somerville, and Cambridge is also close by. From the redline T-stop in Davis Square, it's maybe a 10-15 minute walk to campus and a 2 minute bus trip. The area is also very bike-friendly. So, all in all, you can easily do without a car.
ZeChocMoose Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Cool. That $600 is $600 per person with 3 people living together right? And not $600 for a single person dwelling? Also, how easy is it to get around Medford without a car? Thanks for your help! One bedroom apartment is significantly more expensive. They can range $1000+ upwards depending on location, size, and condition. I would suggest roommates to make it more affordable. Graduate students tend to live in Medford, Somerville, and Cambridge. The Tufts campus is technically 1/2 in Medford and 1/2 in Somerville. You can live further out, but I wouldn't suggest it if you are not going to have a car. I would say Medford is doable to navigate w/o a car due to the buses, but it is going to be challenging for groceries (as it is in most places without a car). There is a Whole Food within 20 mins walking distance, but Whole Foods may be a bit expensive on a grad student budget. There are other grocery stores of course (but I am pretty sure Whole Foods is the closest.) There are zipcars on Tufts campus though so that is an option. There is the subway (the "T" ), but that would take you out of Medford and into Boston proper. The closest subway stop is Davis Square, which is one stop away from the end of the Red line. During the academic year, Tufts provides a shuttle from campus to Davis Square. It drops you right in front of the T stop. I am not sure if I would call the subway system "excellent" -- it all depends on where you have come from and what you are use to. I would call Boston's public transportation "adequate," but there are far better cities to be carless in.
Zahar Berkut Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 I'd also be happy to answer any questions about Medford or Tufts (though I was not myself an English major).
garbledy Posted February 27, 2011 Posted February 27, 2011 What specific neighborhoods/areas would you suggest for living within walking distance to Tufts? I'm not sure where to start looking, as I am not familiar with the area at all and there seem to be soo many neighborhoods!
dreaming 1 Posted February 27, 2011 Posted February 27, 2011 I was wondering- do many people in Cambridge cycle? Are there places to buy bikes? Would I even need one? Thanks!
osodulce Posted February 27, 2011 Posted February 27, 2011 I was wondering- do many people in Cambridge cycle? Are there places to buy bikes? Would I even need one? Thanks! Biking in Cambridge/Boston is excellent. There are at least a half dozen bike shops in the Cambridge and Somerville: Broadway Bicycle School--you can rent time on a stand to do your own repairs or get your bike fixed; they make great city commuter bikes there, but they have a lot of the cooler than you punk/bike messenger attitude problems, ATA Cycles--more racing oriented but very convenient to Harvard, Cambridge Bicycles--closer to MIT, lots of custom work, solid shop, rent bikes by the day, Wheel Works: technically in Somerville (I think--Davis Square), decent shop, very mainstream. There are a couple of others which I'm forgetting. Harris, out in West Newton on the commuter rail, is amazing if you want anything special. For commuting, I strongly recommend a classic Raleigh or similar 3-speed internally geared hub. There aren't many hills (unless you're living farther into Somerville), and the internally geared hubs mean that you can bike easily in all weather conditions. There used to be a Raleigh factory around, so these bicycles are everywhere, and you can get them used for cheap. Pick up a copy of the greater Boston Bike Map. It's a great resource not just for cyclist but anyone new to the city as it has every single side street labeled on it.
m41 Posted February 28, 2011 Posted February 28, 2011 Hey everyone! I really appreciate everyone's helpful posts on this thread! There's a wealth of great advice here! So I've recently been admitted to Harvard GSAS and I'm seriously considering attending! However, I have some questions about living arrangements. I would be living with my partner, who will not be a registered Harvard grad student. I take it that means on-campus housing is completely out of the picture... is that right? If so, then would I be missing out on the first year grad experience? I have the impression that a lot of first year grad students live on campus, have a meal plan and have social lives that revolve significantly around Dudley House, etc. Would living off campus lessen any of that for me? (I wouldn't want to have a meal plan if it meant having to ditch my partner at mealtimes...) If on-campus housing isn't an option for me, then should I consider finding off-campus housing through the Housing office? How have couples, married or partnered, navigated this process before? My stipend is ~24k for 10 months and ~5k summer research and travel funding. But I don't know Cambridge so I have no clue which areas off-campus would be reasonable considering my stipend. My partner will be flying in from abroad with some money saved up and would consider working in the area. Neither of us has a particularly extravagant lifestyle. We would definitely be somewhat frugal and realistic... I just have no clue in which areas to start looking... Finally, if I choose Harvard, when should I start looking for housing? I'd like to be moved in by mid-August; just in time for Orientation and right before the start of classes... I'd appreciate any and all advice!! Thank you so much! DId you ever receive an answer to this question? I've been wondering the same thing (regarding couples and on-campus housing).
HopefulGrad2B Posted February 28, 2011 Posted February 28, 2011 DId you ever receive an answer to this question? I've been wondering the same thing (regarding couples and on-campus housing). Hey m41. Between a few responses I've received and my own research, I've come to a few conclusions. On-campus housing, as I suspected, is not an option if one's partner isn't also a registered Harvard student. The only options are off-campus housing either through Harvard Real Estate (i.e. "Harvard-affiliated" housing) or in the private market, i.e. via craisglist, through realtors, etc. Prices in Cambridge are on the high end, but looking into roommates seems like a good solution or even living outside of Cambridge but within commuting distance via the T. I'm personally a fan of the Harvard-affiliated housing, despite the seemingly higher cost. Some benefits seem to include no hidden fees (i.e. not having to pay a finder's fee equal to a whole month's rent, not having to pay the last month's rent), utilities are included, some options are furnished, proximity to campus (walking distance)... So the prices seem higher but if you take into account all of the benefits and the fact that there are no hidden fees (and likewise, if you add all of the above-mentioned fees to the seemingly lower prices you find on craigslist, etc.), Harvard-affiliated housing really seems like the better alternative. Sharing that with a roommate or roommates to lower the cost might make it a more attractive option. I hope that's helpful! For those of you who are LGBTQ, Harvard seems very inclusive and friendly, by the way. Here's another question I have for everyone in general. Is my stipend: 24k/10mo. and 5k/summer decent for Cambridge? (Actually the summer money is meant for research abroad, so I'd only be living in Cambridge for ~10 months/year). I'm starting to wonder whether I should consider negotiating this... Is it even negotiable... i.e. in cases where other universities are offering me more enticing packages? Thanks in advance!
db2290 Posted February 28, 2011 Posted February 28, 2011 Here's another question I have for everyone in general. Is my stipend: 24k/10mo. and 5k/summer decent for Cambridge? (Actually the summer money is meant for research abroad, so I'd only be living in Cambridge for ~10 months/year). I'm starting to wonder whether I should consider negotiating this... Is it even negotiable... i.e. in cases where other universities are offering me more enticing packages? Thanks in advance! I don't have an answer for that except my stipend is only $10500 a year!! Oh dear
oak Posted March 1, 2011 Posted March 1, 2011 What specific neighborhoods/areas would you suggest for living within walking distance to Tufts? I'm not sure where to start looking, as I am not familiar with the area at all and there seem to be soo many neighborhoods! If you don't want to take a bus or the T, then you'll probably have to live either in Medford or Somerville. My suggestion is to take a look at padmapper.com and search for Tufts University--this will map out all the available apartments in the area. You might want to live to the south of campus, the "downhill" side, in Somerville. You'll be closer to Davis Square and its restaurants and bars, and to the T, which will make it easier to get into Cambridge and Boston. Teele Square, closer to campus than Davis, is another area to consider. It has a few restaurants and a bar, and from there it's a short walk to both campus and Davis Square.
DRosvally Posted March 2, 2011 Posted March 2, 2011 I, too, am worried about living in Medford on a Grad School budget. I've been given a 16K fellowship at Tufts, but I'm pretty much resigned to finding an additional source of income.... ....so what IS the quality of life like in this area? What do you guys think is a reasonable expectation for student living budgets in this area?
michpc Posted March 3, 2011 Posted March 3, 2011 Here's another question I have for everyone in general. Is my stipend: 24k/10mo. and 5k/summer decent for Cambridge? (Actually the summer money is meant for research abroad, so I'd only be living in Cambridge for ~10 months/year). I'm starting to wonder whether I should consider negotiating this... Is it even negotiable... i.e. in cases where other universities are offering me more enticing packages? Thanks in advance! You can certainly live on that amount. You won't be living like a king, but you won't be scraping by either if you're good at budgeting! I've lived in the area for the past 4 1/2 years and will be moving soon myself for grad school, but I love it here. I'm not a Harvard student, but feel free to pick my brain about the local area if you have any questions and I'll try to find an answer.
PsychGirl1 Posted March 4, 2011 Posted March 4, 2011 Anyone know any good places to stay in Cambridge? I'm going out for visit day, and I get put up with current grads but I'm planning to stay a little longer as I'm international and want to explore Cambridge for a few extra days. Any recommendations of somewhere well located would be most appreciated! If you're still looking for Cambridge... I default to the Marriott in Kendall Square if you're going to be staying there on the weekends. It is literally on the red line (the T stop is outside the hotel door). However, during the week it gets quite pricey from all the conferences and such. The hotel @ MIT and the kendall hotel both sometimes have specials too. I'd say, stay at the cheapest place you can in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville as long as it is near a T. You can buy a week or weekend T pass (bus and subway) and you'll be more than set- our transportation is pretty awesome.
hurrah Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 Hi Boston knowledgeables -- thanks in advance for your help! What's up with Allston? Is it an undergrad ghetto, or a decent option? Like an earlier poster, I will be with my partner, who will be gainfully employed. (Yes!) When we looked on Craigslist at a price point that was higher than what the average undergrad would be able to pay, it seemed like there were some really nice places there. I also really want an easy carless commute, so the location seems convenient. But I don't want to be surrounded by bro culture or drunk people. At the very least, I would like to limit myself to tasteful drunk people. Like someone who is going to get drunk and ramble about farm subsidies or Derrida, not get drunk and pee on the street. Somewhere with plenty of youth culture and things to do, but nothing gauche. (If you're familiar with Chicago-- I'm thinking Logan Square/Wicker Park/Pilsen, not Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville). Ah! Please take this with a healthy dose of "no offense." If you are still reading and haven't been offended ("I'm a frat boy, and I'm opinionated about farm subsidies! How dare they?!") any advice would be appreciated.
osodulce Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 Hi Boston knowledgeables -- thanks in advance for your help! What's up with Allston? Is it an undergrad ghetto, or a decent option? Like an earlier poster, I will be with my partner, who will be gainfully employed. (Yes!) When we looked on Craigslist at a price point that was higher than what the average undergrad would be able to pay, it seemed like there were some really nice places there. I also really want an easy carless commute, so the location seems convenient. But I don't want to be surrounded by bro culture or drunk people. At the very least, I would like to limit myself to tasteful drunk people. Like someone who is going to get drunk and ramble about farm subsidies or Derrida, not get drunk and pee on the street. Somewhere with plenty of youth culture and things to do, but nothing gauche. (If you're familiar with Chicago-- I'm thinking Logan Square/Wicker Park/Pilsen, not Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville). Ah! Please take this with a healthy dose of "no offense." If you are still reading and haven't been offended ("I'm a frat boy, and I'm opinionated about farm subsidies! How dare they?!") any advice would be appreciated. I would avoid Allston if I were you. It is full of a mixture of bro culture and annoying hipster culture (not necessarily smart hipster). Also, there have been some pretty severe bed bug infestations there in the past five years. One of the reasons that it is cheap is because the public transportation in and out are some of the worst in Boston. You have the Green B Line to get into downtown (the oldest, slowest, most over crowded train line in the city) or the notoriously unreliable 66 Bus to get into Cambridge. If you do want to live there, stay far away from Harvard Ave and Comm Ave, where most of the loudest clubs are located.
db2290 Posted March 6, 2011 Posted March 6, 2011 Hi Boston knowledgeables -- thanks in advance for your help! What's up with Allston? Is it an undergrad ghetto, or a decent option? Like an earlier poster, I will be with my partner, who will be gainfully employed. (Yes!) When we looked on Craigslist at a price point that was higher than what the average undergrad would be able to pay, it seemed like there were some really nice places there. I also really want an easy carless commute, so the location seems convenient. But I don't want to be surrounded by bro culture or drunk people. At the very least, I would like to limit myself to tasteful drunk people. Like someone who is going to get drunk and ramble about farm subsidies or Derrida, not get drunk and pee on the street. Somewhere with plenty of youth culture and things to do, but nothing gauche. (If you're familiar with Chicago-- I'm thinking Logan Square/Wicker Park/Pilsen, not Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville). Ah! Please take this with a healthy dose of "no offense." If you are still reading and haven't been offended ("I'm a frat boy, and I'm opinionated about farm subsidies! How dare they?!") any advice would be appreciated. Haha, how could anyone not want to converse about farming or postmodernism after a few beers! I have lived in Allston before (when I was an undergrad) and it IS a bit grimy. That said, it was also a lot of fun, but I won't be living there again. BTW, hurrah, I'm also going to HGSE this fall
wreckofthehope Posted March 7, 2011 Posted March 7, 2011 Haha, how could anyone not want to converse about farming or postmodernism after a few beers! I have lived in Allston before (when I was an undergrad) and it IS a bit grimy. That said, it was also a lot of fun, but I won't be living there again. BTW, hurrah, I'm also going to HGSE this fall Hey all - Very helpful thread -thanks for everyone's contributions! I will likely be attending BC in the fall, and will be moving to Boston from the U.K. with my fiance, he'll probably end up working in the financial district or the Back Bay so we're looking for a place to live that is between downtown and Chestnut Hill. I've identified three areas I lke the look of: Coolidge Corner/ Brookline generally, Fenway/Kenmore and.... that little bit of Allston that is below Comm Ave towards Brookline (around Kelton Street/ Brainerd). The last is by far the cheapest - is it really that undergrad-saturated and unbearable? Any thoughts on all three areas generally, but particularly the last? Also, I really like the look of Jamaica Plain, but it seems like it would be a bit of a pain to travel to BC from there - is that true?
messybrownhair Posted March 7, 2011 Posted March 7, 2011 Hi everyone! I am going to attend Emerson College in the fall.. I need help on ideas on where to live! Hopefully somewhere not too expensive! Any places in mind? Thanks!
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