THE OFFICIAL PENN THREAD! c/o 2011

[Neuronix]

Very few students do this, but most of the faculty do. I am surprised every admissions season at how many faculty talk about how great Philly is only to know that most of them live out in the burbs.

The rail route isn't a bad plan, it just has a few issues. First, you need to make sure that your route runs fairly frequently, even at odd hours. Some routes shut down entirely when it's not rush hour (i.e. R2 to Delaware for example) and others become very infrequent at night or weekends. Unfortunately, med students tend to keep weird hours and you will be required to be there sometimes even before clinics pretty late or on weekends. The reason I know so many faculty/staff live on these rail lines is because I frequently hear "I HAVE TO GO! I'LL MISS MY TRAIN!" Med students don't have this flexibility. Once you get into clinics, it's a whole new ballgame. It's tough for everyone to figure this out, with some sites in the city and not giving parking and other sites forcing you out of the city and require a car.

If you also have a car, you can wiggle with this a bit AND clinics won't be so bad later (still a commute of course). However, you'll probably end up paying more for the suburban apartment and car than you will for only the center city apartment without a car. Parking for students is difficult to come across, expensive, and inconvenient (you'll probably end up parking >4 blocks from the med school). I know one guy who did it, and he hated it and now doesn't do it.

Another thing to consider is that only the R1, R2, and R3 stop at University City (about 3 blocks from the med school). The others stop at 30th Street Station, which is on the order of 10 blocks from the med school. Those who come in that way transfer to the trolley line and walk from those stops. You can imagine that lengthens the commute significantly.

Hope that helps,
Eric

Hey everyone (wow, how did I get through this process without this place??)...

Neuronix, I'm looking for housing ... what is your opinion about living on the rail route (lansdowne, swarthmore, media) ? housing seems a bit cheaper there and I'm used to a commute already, I just don't want it to be TOO long...and the SEPTA website says that lansdowne to university city is only 12 minutes?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[IHeartNerds]

Hope that helps,
Eric

Thanks a lot, that was very useful indeed. This process is confusing but I think I'll figure it out...

 

[444]

hey neuronix and anyone else with inside knowledge,

I'm flying out next week to start looking for 1br places. Ideally I would like to be within walking distance of campus, and that sounds like West Philly. Is there a more definitive definition of that area? Are there streets or portions that it's best to avoid? I really know nothing about the area around the Penn campus and any comments would be helpful.

Also, I've seen a lot of advertisements for places near the art museum. Is that a viable option? it seems fairly close to the campus but i haven't seen it discussed here.

Thanks for the help.

 

[jojo_1981]

Hey 444, I've been looking for places, too, and the Art Museum area seemed to be a little too far away from the school for my taste. The general Art Museum area seems to cover the region north of Spring Garden and west of 20th (correct me if i'm wrong!).

The rents there ARE cheap - I was seeing 2 bedrooms going for under a thousand, and 3 bedrooms for 13-14 hundred. BUT, that area looks like its at least 2-2.5 miles from the medical school. I plan to walk to campus a lot, and that seems like too far of a walk for a normal foot commute. Of course, if you have a car, maybe that's not so much of an issue.

 

[Neuronix]

hey neuronix and anyone else with inside knowledge,

I'm flying out next week to start looking for 1br places. Ideally I would like to be within walking distance of campus

You and just about everyone else who goes to Penn. This is why prices around Penn are so inflated... Prices aren't just limited by what students can get their hands on, it's limited by what their parents will contribute. There was a time when West Philly was considered THE GHETTO AND OMG HOW CAN YOU LIVE THERE, but it's not that way anymore, so prices near campus have risen to almost CC prices.

, and that sounds like West Philly. Is there a more definitive definition of that area? Are there streets or portions that it's best to avoid? I really know nothing about the area around the Penn campus and any comments would be helpful.

I would give a big not necessarily to your statement that it sounds like West Philly. Look at it on a map. The closest you can live to the medical school (3600 Spruce) is about 5 blocks in any direction unless you get on campus housing, live in the medical frat, or get some special rarely found deal that's extremely close somehow.

So that being said, the distance from 3600 Spruce St to 4100 Spruce is roughly the same distance as over the South St bridge (slated to close for at least 1.5yrs soon) or the distance to the Walnut St bridge. This means that walks are going to be at minimum ~10-15 minutes, but most students not living RIGHT ON THE BORDER walk more on the order of 20-25 minutes. Like I said, look on a map and decide for yourself. The areas of West Philly that are liveable or not liveable are debated frequently among Penn students and is going to depend on your taste. Look at anything you're considering before you sign. In general, pretty much nobody lives past 50th and many consider the high 40s sketchy. But, West Philly is pretty block by block so it can be hard to say. Also, don't consider anything south of South St across the river unless you don't mind a so called "transitional" area and the area bordering Grays Ferry ranges from transition to downright ****** up.

Also, I've seen a lot of advertisements for places near the art museum. Is that a viable option? it seems fairly close to the campus but i haven't seen it discussed here.

The art museum district is large and somewhat poorly defined. I mean I'm sure there's an official definition, but realtors just call their stuff whatever will sell. Loosely, I've heard it refer to anything from the river to 16th from Market to Girard. That's a fairly large and diverse spread. Look at the actual street addresses and decide. If you're thinking about walking distance, that's also hard to say. I know a guy who walks 45 minutes each way from 16th and Spring Garden. Is that walking distance to you? Not trying to be obstinant, but again look at a map and decide. The area around north of Market to say Vine and a little above that is nice and relatively close. The mass transit sucks up there with pretty much nothing going to West Philly unless you transfer at city hall or walk down to Market. Prices more or less change there with their distance from Penn and the shadiness of the area.

 

[444]

You and just about everyone else who goes to Penn.

no way, i'm the only one.

I would give a big not necessarily to your statement that it sounds like West Philly.

looking at a map prompted my question because i don't know what area is actually considered "West Philly."

In general, pretty much nobody lives past 50th and many consider the high 40s sketchy. But, West Philly is pretty block by block so it can be hard to say. Also, don't consider anything south of South St across the river unless you don't mind a so called "transitional" area and the area bordering Grays Ferry ranges from transition to downright ****** up.

cool, thanks for the heads up, finding out about the bad areas was my main concern. i'll obviously look at places before i sign but it's nice to know at least a little more about the area before i head out. i didn't leave the campus during my trip out for the interview so i don't have much for a frame of reference.

I know a guy who walks 45 minutes each way from 16th and Spring Garden. Is that walking distance to you? Not trying to be obstinant, but again look at a map and decide.

I've done plenty of map looking, but unfortunately they don't tell you the kind of neighborhoods you have to walk through. 45 minutes through decent areas i can handle, but 45 minutes through the ghetto would make me more than a little leery.

anyway, thanks for the information. at first i thought the mass transit in philly sounded pretty good, so thanks for the heads up on that one too.

one final question. the philly weekly list comes out each wednesday morning, is that in print or is it updated online wednesday morning too? or maybe philly weekly is only an online thing to begin with and i sound like a *****. either way thanks again.

 

[Neuronix]

one final question. the philly weekly list comes out each wednesday morning, is that in print or is it updated online wednesday morning too? or maybe philly weekly is only an online thing to begin with and i sound like a *****. either way thanks again.

Both, I think.

West Philly is considered everything west of the Schuylkill River. That includes University City as well as everything further West until you hit (I think) Cobbs Creek or other neighborhoods that are fairly far away from Penn (definately not walking distance). My apologies for sounding contrarian earlier, I just wanted to warn you that a 1BR apartment on Penn's budget in a nice area within walking distance may not be affordable without extra funding.

 

[444]

Hey 444, I've been looking for places, too, and the Art Museum area seemed to be a little too far away from the school for my taste. The general Art Museum area seems to cover the region north of Spring Garden and west of 20th (correct me if i'm wrong!).

The rents there ARE cheap - I was seeing 2 bedrooms going for under a thousand, and 3 bedrooms for 13-14 hundred. BUT, that area looks like its at least 2-2.5 miles from the medical school. I plan to walk to campus a lot, and that seems like too far of a walk for a normal foot commute. Of course, if you have a car, maybe that's not so much of an issue.

Yeah, I'm anxious to get out there and actually see the areas I've been reading about. I'm sure there are a few good bargains out there, it's just a matter of finding them.

For about a year and a half during undergrad I biked to school from my apartment about a mile from most of my classes and that didn't work out too bad. That's always an option for me, though I don't know how conducive the Penn area is to bikers.

Anyway, good luck to you in your search. See you in 6 weeks!

 

[444]

My apologies for sounding contrarian earlier, I just wanted to warn you that a 1BR apartment on Penn's budget in a nice area within walking distance may not be affordable without extra funding.

No worries. The thing is that I don't have much in the way of money but my parents helped pay for my undergrad at the cheap in-state school. While it's nice to have no debt at the moment, I don't qualify for much in the way of need based aid because of it...which sucks because my parents aren't helping me out for med school. I sort of feel like since I'm paying rent with loans I might as well get a place I'm happy with and that will be an easy (easier) commute, at least for my first year.

Thanks for the knowledge.

 

[searun]

Yeah, I'm anxious to get out there and actually see the areas I've been reading about. I'm sure there are a few good bargains out there, it's just a matter of finding them.

For about a year and a half during undergrad I biked to school from my apartment about a mile from most of my classes and that didn't work out too bad. That's always an option for me, though I don't know how conducive the Penn area is to bikers.

Anyway, good luck to you in your search. See you in 6 weeks!

The Penn area is conducive to bikers as long as you wear a bullet proof vest and a military flak helmet, you should be fine.

 

[jbs62]

I got a 1br at the Left Bank, which is still on the Penn side of the Schukyll river (31st and Walnut). Very nice place but overly inflated rent. Apparently some other med students I know live there. What's the consensus on where everyone else is living?

 

[lilnoelle]

I have an odd request, but here goes. I'm in charge of getting people to respond to the 31 question's thread in the mentor forum and am looking for current students at all of the med schools of the US. So, I realize this is the class thread for the incoming class, but perhaps someone from previous classes has been helpful in answering your questions and giving you advice in this thread. I have no time to read through every single class thread to get this info, but if you could post some user names of some such people (or pm them to me, including what school you are from), I can pm them with my request. Thanks!

 

[jojo_1981]

Can anyone access the "Guide to First Year" that is up now on the orientation button on the website? I can't seem to get past the PennKey authentication, and I KNOW I have a key and the password is right and everything.

So, is anyone else having this problem? If not, would anyone mind sending me a copy of this info? PM me if you can.

 

[mr burrito]

yeah i got in yesterday... and i dont recall seeing much new info

 

[dottore07]

Other than the email that Penn sent out a couple weeks ago, has anyone received any info about loans? I tried to apply for the stafford loan with Penn as a lender, but when I go to fill out the promissory note, it still says that Penn hasn't initiated the loan process. Thoughts?

 

[jojo_1981]

Dottore07, I have, over the last week, applied for a loan with the T.H.E. program, filled out their own master promissory note, canceled the UPenn-sponsored loan, and re-applied for a loan on the UPenn loans website for a T.H.E.-sponsored loan.

The most important URL in that long, confusing email from the financial aid office was, at least for me, horribly mangled by some grouchy email program. You need to go to this website to check out the status of your loan applications: http://www.sfs.upenn.edu/loans/index.htm

The link at the bottom for "Penn Loan System" will take you to an authorization page, and then on to a page where you can view your own loan applications, change lenders, file MPNs, etc.

Hope this helps...

 

[dottore07]

Thanks so much Jojo! I can't believe I missed that site -- this helps a lot!