MarkK

Your ideal location would be west Center City/ University City - 21st St through 42nd Street (east to west), Spruce Street to Chestnut Street (south to North). Drexel is within walking or short riding disatance from these locations, and offers shuttle service throughout Cnetral Philly.. These are also your expensive areas. Further north, south, and west are cheaper, but get rough quickly. East of 22nd takes you into the heart of Cneter City, which is very expensive. Bala Cynwyd/ Manyunk is a fun area with many recent college graduates, bars, restaurants and night life. Rent can be high, but cheaper than Central Philly. Many roomate situations exist in houses. Getting out of Manyunk at rush hour can be brutal due to narrow roadways and high volume. You must drive or commute from Manyunk (10-15 drive with no traffic). King of Prussia is a longer commute and comparable pricewise, but offers easy access to King of Prussia Mall, largest in the area. Cheaper, further housing options in safe neighborhoods exist in Far Northeast Philadelphia and Conshohocken. That's the extent of my experience. Check http://www.septa.com (or maybe septa.org) for public transportation access. All of these locations have pretty easy pt access, but I'm not sure of the specifics.