Boston & Cambridge, MA

[fuzzylogician]

I really want to bring my car to Cambridge, but I'm concerned about parking. If you rent an apartment, does a parking spot cost extra? Is parking available for shopping centers, or is everything street parking?

Depends on the apartment probably but at least at my place and what I know from my friends, parking is extra. There is parking at shopping centers.

Hey fellow probable-MITer. Are you gonna do grad housing or apartment? I am leaning apartment but I don't want to feel isolated

Grad (non-family) housing is not cheaper and not any better than renting an apartment. Most grad students rent apartments, and there are tons of us around Cambridge and Somerville. Don't worry, you won't be isolated!

[fosgfp]

Most probably going to get an apartment. I was given a tour of graduate housing and it didn't look that great.

Same! How are you going to find a roommate?

[Elysia]

Thanks Fuzzy, good to know I can continuing lacking parallel parking skills

@fosgfp, I'm probably going to live alone. Seems to be very doable even with the inflated apartment prices in Boston.

[fuzzylogician]

Thanks Fuzzy, good to know I can continuing lacking parallel parking skills

Oh, there's lots and lots of parallel parking as well...

[Khayzuran]

Does anyone know if you can rent apartments (whether Harvard's or outside) for just the academic year (September to May/June)? I'm probably going to be abroad in the summer so I don't really want to be in a year-long contract. I'm also considering the GSAS dorms but I'd rather not live in a dorm as a postgrad .

[gellert]

^ No, but you can always sublet out your room during the summer!

fosgfp - I'm going to be living in an apartment near Kendall with two MIT grad students. When I was seeing the place, they pointed out three apartments nearby that housed their classmates and said the area was inundated with MIT students. I don't think you'll be isolated at all.

[dhm0219]

Anyone know what the situation is with on-street neighborhood parking passes? Do they issue these in Cambridge? And what do they cost?

[loulou29]

Anyone have any thoughts on MIT grad housing (Eastgate or Westgate)? I'll be moving to Cambridge with my husband in the fall and I welcome any opinions about the benefits/ drawbacks on living in either of these family grad housing options/ is it really sought after/ do we even have a chance at getting a unit?

[fosgfp]

Anyone have any thoughts on MIT grad housing (Eastgate or Westgate)? I'll be moving to Cambridge with my husband in the fall and I welcome any opinions about the benefits/ drawbacks on living in either of these family grad housing options/ is it really sought after/ do we even have a chance at getting a unit?

Hey, we are discussing this on the MIT forum on gradcafe if you are interested

[loulou29]

Hey, we are discussing this on the MIT forum on gradcafe if you are interested

Thanks!!!

[rainy_day]

Anyone know what the situation is with on-street neighborhood parking passes? Do they issue these in Cambridge? And what do they cost?

They issue them for $20. http://www2.cambridgema.gov/traffic/rpp.cfm

[oziak]

My girlfriend and I were planning to live in the Chelsea or East Boston area next year. Based on the units available on craigslist, we would be getting a lot more space/amenities/etc for our money. We'll both be attending graduate school in Boston. I've heard mixed reviews about Chelsea and East Boston. I'm hoping someone here would be able to give a bit of insight about these areas.

Thanks!

[starmaker]

East Boston is a big Latino culture area. It has a lot of parks and beaches, and other attractions. The obvious drawback (though it's also a convenience) is that you're right next to a major airport, with all the noise and other implications (like airport expansions possibly seizing land). You have easy access to the Blue Line (subway). Chelsea is diverse and blue-collar. Public transit is less convenient - Chelsea has a commuter rail stop, but not a subway stop.

[starmaker]

Haha I'm not surprised that you're not a fan of Waltham...you shouldn't be. Waltham is rightly cheaper to live in, since there's nothing there.

Seriously? South Waltham/Moody Street is great!

[jaywalker]

Seriously? South Waltham/Moody Street is great!

Comparatively speaking, it should be cheaper to rent in Waltham than Boston proper. There's FAR more upside to living in Boston than there is to living in Waltham. I'm sure in its own context, Waltham is livable...hehe

[oziak]

East Boston is a big Latino culture area. It has a lot of parks and beaches, and other attractions. The obvious drawback (though it's also a convenience) is that you're right next to a major airport, with all the noise and other implications (like airport expansions possibly seizing land). You have easy access to the Blue Line (subway). Chelsea is diverse and blue-collar. Public transit is less convenient - Chelsea has a commuter rail stop, but not a subway stop.

Thanks for the info. I was wondering if you knew if these areas are relatively safe. I've read/heard bad reviews on Chelsea and mixed reviews for East Boston.

[starmaker]

My understanding is that Chelsea is quite a bit rougher than East Boston, crime-wise. The SpotCrime maps can give you an idea of the recent history of both, and also allow you to compare with the rest of Boston (though their maps for most other nearby towns, other than Cambridge, don't seem to have data).

I will say that there's almost nowhere in the Boston area, that I know of, where I'd be afraid to walk alone, briefly, during daylight hours. There's not that "OMG never go there ever" feel that you hear about with some neighborhoods in some cities. However, there are places where I wouldn't walk alone at night, or want to wander around lost for a prolonged period of time.

[UnbearableNausea]

All of these replies are about 6 years old but I thought I would post in here first rather than start a new one...

I am considering an offer from Brandeis, and the best financial aid they can offer would still have me taking out a loan to cover part of tuition and living expenses. What I am wondering is if anyone could ballpark it for me what a modest but livable amount of money would be for a single grad student living in Waltham and attending Brandeis. 10K? 12K? 15K? More?

Also, with regard to Waltham, is there literally nothing there (i.e. no grocery stores, cafes, bars, etc.) or is it just quiet compared to Boston? I would easily be able to bring a car, but would prefer not to if I can to keep costs down.

Thanks in advance!

[edenseye]

I am also considering an offer from Brandeis.

I'm looking at craigslist to understand the market. you can try to do the same if you feel that's appropriate.

[rainy_day]

Also, with regard to Waltham, is there literally nothing there (i.e. no grocery stores, cafes, bars, etc.) or is it just quiet compared to Boston? I would easily be able to bring a car, but would prefer not to if I can to keep costs down.

Thanks in advance!

There is some stuff going on-- decent restaurants, grocery shops, a second run movie theater. But it's mostly a quiet suburban town. It would be really hard to live in Waltham without a car. There is not any public transportation around Waltham, and everything is pretty spread out. If you live in Boston (or more accurately, Somerville or Cambridge) you definitely don't need a car. If you're looking into living in the city and commuting (which about 60% of grad students do) check out these neighborhoods: Inman square, union square, porter square, teele square, Davis square. PM me if you have any questions!

[skechym]

Hi everyone, I'm trying to get a sense of the LGBTQ scene for grad students in the Cambridge/Boston area. I've heard that the area iis very gay-friendly, but I have a few concerns. For instance, what opportunities does the city provide to meet gay people in the 20s outside of clubs and bars? I recently received admits from Harvard and MIT and I'm considering them seriously. How active are the queer grad student groups in these schools - what kind of activities do they have and how often? I tried checking their websites, but they seem to be out of date.

I also have offers from schools in the bay area, so I'm trying to compare it with Cambridge in terms of grad life for a queer student. I'm an international student and I haven't stayed in both these parts of the US for long, but I get the vibe and I also heard that the gay scene in San Francisco is more easy-going than in Boston where it is a little more cliquey. Would it be easier to build a circle of gay friends in one place over the other?

I'd really appreciate advice/information of any sort. Thanks in advance!

[champagnecake]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post, but do any females plan on visiting Brandeis in the next few weeks? I was wondering if anybody would want to stay in a hostel with me, or an affordable hotel. Also, do you have any thoughts on making my visit more budget friendly?

[fosgfp]

Hi everyone, I'm trying to get a sense of the LGBTQ scene for grad students in the Cambridge/Boston area. I've heard that the area iis very gay-friendly, but I have a few concerns. For instance, what opportunities does the city provide to meet gay people in the 20s outside of clubs and bars? I recently received admits from Harvard and MIT and I'm considering them seriously. How active are the queer grad student groups in these schools - what kind of activities do they have and how often? I tried checking their websites, but they seem to be out of date.

I also have offers from schools in the bay area, so I'm trying to compare it with Cambridge in terms of grad life for a queer student. I'm an international student and I haven't stayed in both these parts of the US for long, but I get the vibe and I also heard that the gay scene in San Francisco is more easy-going than in Boston where it is a little more cliquey. Would it be easier to build a circle of gay friends in one place over the other?

I'd really appreciate advice/information of any sort. Thanks in advance!

Hey! I identify as a gay woman/queer and I am attending MIT this fall. I've done a bunch of research on this topic and Boston/Cambridge seem very lgbtq friendly. I know a few gay people there now and all of them speak of the area approvingly. I signed up for this mailing list as well (http://www.queeragenda.org/) and I've gotten a few things from them-- they have advertisements for various events and it seems there is always something going on, including outside of the bar/party scene (reading clubs, discussion groups, etc etc).

If you don't mind me asking, what is your gender identity?

I'm actually looking for queer roommates for this upcoming year in the Cambridge area. You should send me a PM and we can chat about our various Boston/Cambridge concerns, as well as perhaps housing together (or just the former if you have housing plans/if we are wildly incompatable!).

[champagnecake]

Ugh, so I just started looking at apartments in and around Boston/Cambridge. The cost of housing here is atrocious. I already live in a very large city (one of the country's biggest), and I have found very little that seems to be reasonable. Does anybody else feel the same way? Any tips?

[Silent_G]

Ugh, so I just started looking at apartments in and around Boston/Cambridge. The cost of housing here is atrocious. I already live in a very large city (one of the country's biggest), and I have found very little that seems to be reasonable. Does anybody else feel the same way? Any tips?

I agree! Where are you people finding affordable one bedroom apartments in Somerville? I can't find a studio for less than $1600, and I definitely need a one-bedroom. This is ridiculous.