I've got a few questions for any current USUHS students --
1. Where do most people live? I remember at my interview it seemed like multiple students on the panel lived in the same apartment complex and that many more students lived there as well... does anyone know which apartment complexes most students look at?
2. Do you feel like you need a car, or is the metro/bus system good enough that you're able to do without one? I know not all students get a parking space -- when do you find out about this?
3. Do most students have roommates or live alone? It seems like you'd be able to afford your own apartment with the stipend, but do students typically have roommates anyway?
Thanks for any input you can provide 🙂
1. Depends a lot on the student and their circumstances. Many who are married- especially with kids- tend to live a bit farther out from school because your BAS will go farther in terms of getting you more space for your money. Most of us single/unmarried and/or not living with a significant other types live a bit closer, though that's certainly not a hard-and-fast rule. A ton of people live at the Avalon (by the Grosvenor-Strathmore metro stop), but there are plenty more of us scattered up and down the red line within a few stops in either direction of the Medical Center metro stop. I know of several people who are at Wentworth, The Gallery, and a bunch of other apartment buildings by my metro stop (White Flint) that I can't remember the names of.
Keep in mind commute time when apartment hunting. DC/Bethesda traffic can be hellish as is, and during rush hour it can take an hour or more to travel a distance that you could probably otherwise do in 15-20 minutes.
2. I get by just fine without a car. I take the metro to school and back home every day. I ride a bike pretty much anywhere I can't/don't want to metro to, or if it's not metro-able and a longer distance, I find someone to carpool with. I haven't taken the buses anywhere yet, but I know several of my classmates do.
Parking permits were issued during orientation, I believe. Not everyone gets one, and carpooling or taking public transit is encouraged. I believe a few more people in my class were recently able to get parking passes, since the 2nd years have now left for rotations and aren't on campus.
If you plan on taking the metro, fill out your paperwork for metro benefits AS SOON AS POSSIBLE when they give you the information about it because it takes time to process and until it goes through you'll be paying for the metro out-of-pocket, which adds up
fast.
Also of note and something that some of my classmates didn't really consider when they decided where to live with no car: location of your nearest grocery store. Without a car you'll have to walk/bike/metro home with your groceries. Plan accordingly (I chose not to live by the Grosvenor metro specifically because of the distance to the nearest grocery store). Some of my friends just get theirs delivered rather than trek to the store without a car.
3. Plenty of people have roommates, but not everyone. I live by myself- it's fantastic to not have roommates and my BAH still covers my rent and most if not all of my utilities (I haven't done the math, sorry). There are benefits and drawbacks to both arrangements. People with roommates tend to be able to pocket more leftover BAH at the end of the month, but there's always the usual roommate concerns to consider (other people's mess, noise, shared space, personalities, etc). For me, spending the extra to have my own space is worth it. Your mileage may vary.
