I'm getting ready to apply to the Columbia's ETP for 2010. I was just wondering who else was applying and what you were doing to make your application stronger! Also where else are you applying and what do your stats look like (GPA, GRE, experience, etc) ? I'm getting nervous as I start the whole application process and just thought I'd turn to the forums for some support and guidance!
I'm looking forward to sharing the journey with y'all! Hope to hear from you soon! :)
Hi! Anyone on the waitlist hear back yet? UCSF & other schools sent out decisions recently, so I'm wondering if anyone was lucky enough to hear from Columbia since I'm sure ppl applied to multiple schools & are making their final choice.
You should have already heard back about this years start. They always notify applicants in Feb. of each year. If you haven't heard I would contact the school.
Hi guys, I'm also worried about housing because I also cannot make it to NYC before June! The one thing here is... I have a pet kitty, which complicates things... I was hoping to find a sublet somewhere... possibly do the dorm thing (though I really wouldn't like to!)... but I guess I'll take what I can get.
Also, for people moving to NYC from further afield, you can use http://www.hopstop.com to calculate how long your commute will take on public transportation. I live in the Village and commute to NYP/Columbia. You don't HAVE to live on campus (although its cheaper). There are deals in other parts of the city.
My experience with apartment hunting (from two years ago) was that most real estate agents will pull the bait and switch. Apartments flip so quickly that they don't have time to put up photos. So if you see an apartment you like and call the realtor, they'll make you come in and fill out paperwork (saying that you won't try to rent the apartments you see with them without going through them), THEN they'll take you to see apartments which may or may not be the one you wanted online. They'll say they are similar. Bring a map and know the city. I was specific about wanting to live in certain neighborhoods and they assumed that because I was new to the city, I might not know the difference. So I was dragged to other neighborhoods that are fine, but not what I wanted (ie - close to certain subway lines, etc). Also, realtor fees are NEGOTIABLE. They'll say they aren't, but when you come down to signing something, know you can haggle. You'll have some luck haggling with landlords but more with the real estate agents.
This one's kinda obvious, but a landlord would rather sign a new tenant that they believe is employed than a student. So don't mention you're going back to school if you can present documents that say you're working now. Its easier to say you're transferring to the NYC office of your company than to say that you will absolutely be able to pay your rent without a co-signer, even though you're a student.
New York is pretty big - there are a lot of safe neighborhoods! It might be easier to have you ask about specific neighborhoods and see what people respond with. It depends on where you want to live, your budget, etc.
In terms of neighborhood safety, the only place I was advised not to live in Manhattan (which is presumably where you will live, since Brooklyn would be a long commute) is East Harlem. Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Wash Heights, and Inwood are all safe and nice places to live. And really anywhere below 125th street will be safe...but expensive. In Wash Heights, west of Broadway is much quieter and possibly safer than east of Broadway.
I was hoping to find a sublet somewhere... possibly do the dorm thing (though I really wouldn't like to!)... but I guess I'll take what I can get.
sfrntobe
26 Posts
Thanks sportsgirlly, that sounds like a good option. Would sure make moving easier and less to figure out by end of May. Hopefully it all works out.