TUFTS: where should i live next year??

[lbennett]

Hey, I want to live somewhere near the school but I also want to be somewhere that isn't toooooo shabby. A fun area would be nice. I found some studio apartments in the Back Bay for decent prices actually, but where else would you suggest I look? Obviously cheaper is preferred. Thanks!

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[scooter31]

Wow. Tough order. Cheap but not in the hood, but close to campus. Hmmm.

I'd say look at Back Bay and beyond, some parts of Dorchester are okay. Maybe Jamaica Plain?

I live in in Cambridge and the trip from my apt to the med school takes 35 minutes, tops. So if you stay in Boston, youre guaranteed no more than that as far as a commute. Good luck.

 

[lbennett]

Thanks for the help! Where would you say most of the dental and med students live? Does Tufts help you find a roommate? Also, sorry, last question I swear, does the school have discounts on computers or should I get one while i'm still in school now?

 

[scooter31]

Thanks for the help! Where would you say most of the dental and med students live?

No idea. I keep to myself. I do know there is a small contingency of us in Cambridge.

Does Tufts help you find a roommate?

I think there may be some sort of mailing list or webpage. I knew there was for undergrad. Also, there are tons of flyers strewn all over campus for folks looking for roomies.

Also, sorry, last question I swear, does the school have discounts on computers or should I get one while i'm still in school now?

Again, no idea.

 

[OMFSdoc]

Boston is a fantastic city to live in. You are going to have a blast as I did while at Tufts, but you will get frustrated at times like any dental student and you will work your butt off, and you will be a competent dentist in 4 years. With that said, if you found some studios in Back Bay that you are considering, then you can obviously afford to pay a decent amount in rent. I would look in Back Bay and Beacon Hill (both pretty $$$). Also, Fenway is really nice too (not as $$$ but not cheap). My first year, I lived in the Symphony area (same as Fenway as far as $$$). After 1 year, I moved out to Cleveland circle on the Brookline / Brighton border and this was much less expensive (get more space for your $$$ and I could rent a decent parking spot for a decent $$$), first year in the city I didn't have a car. My first year commute was about 10-15 min, but for the last 3 years, I had a 40 min commute. I would recommend living in the city for at least 1 year, it's fun and being closer to the school will make you go to classes more.

Good luck

 

[dudelove]

A lot of my classmates lived in malden. The orange line stops right at the hospital. All of the other areas mentioned aren't bad either. I lived in the Brighton area my first year. The place was nice and relatively cheap and nice, but the B line sucked when college was in. Brookline is also nice as that is where I ended up moving to.

 

[Ruprick]

I am hoping to get into Tufts or BU for 2005 and am also curious about housing there. I've been to Boston to visit a few times (my brother lives in Attleboro and is a resident doctor at BI).

Here's my dilemma: I'm married, have a one-year old boy and a 90lb Yellow Lab. I own a home in the Phoenix area and am established in a career, so dental school will be a financial sacrifice for me. I am willing to commute. Are there homes/apartments that you can recommend if I want to be able to keep my dog -- and have a reasonable commute time -- and are not ghetto?

Thanks in advance!

 

[scooter31]

I am hoping to get into Tufts or BU for 2005 and am also curious about housing there. I've been to Boston to visit a few times (my brother lives in Attleboro and is a resident doctor at BI).

Here's my dilemma: I'm married, have a one-year old boy and a 90lb Yellow Lab. I own a home in the Phoenix area and am established in a career, so dental school will be a financial sacrifice for me. I am willing to commute. Are there homes/apartments that you can recommend if I want to be able to keep my dog -- and have a reasonable commute time -- and are not ghetto?

Thanks in advance!

I live in Cambridge and live in a pet friendly complex; I have a small dog, but I know that my neighbor has a yellow lab, so its not impossible. The next town over, Arlington, is decent rentwise for homes and apts, and is also more pet friendly vs. Boston. Boston is NOT a pet friendly town, from my experience. My commute to the medical campus is about 25-40 mins by subway, so I have no idea what that amounts to car wise. Either way, look at the western and northern suburbs, maybe even past Cambridge, Somerville and MEdford area, as the rent will get chepaer once you pass these communities.

Just to give you a ball park; I live in a 1 bedroom off the subway line and pay 1300/month. You can pay this much in Arlington and parts out further into the suburbs and get a 2-3 bedroom house for rent.

 

[Ruprick]

snip

Just to give you a ball park; I live in a 1 bedroom off the subway line and pay 1300/month. You can pay this much in Arlington and parts out further into the suburbs and get a 2-3 bedroom house for rent.

Thanks for your advice. I am open to even buying a home, despite the outrageous housing costs in New England. I have a nice chunk of equity in my home in Phoenix and would love to invest in a home and build some more equity during my four years in dental school. I realize this means I may have to move further from town and that I will have to take a step down from what I am used to.

This may sound stupid but I really want to be able to keep my dog--she's part of the family and my son is completely attached to her. I may be asking for too much but I also don't want to cram in a 1000 sq foot apartment.

I am also more than willing to use public transportation.

 

[mikhiel]

thanks for all this info! I'm headed to Tufts this fall as well. I heard that the housing coordinator contacts students in April/May... does this help much with finding a place to live? Does the housing corrdinator have access to some good listings?

 

[Mithridates]

I live in Cambridge and live in a pet friendly complex; I have a small dog, but I know that my neighbor has a yellow lab, so its not impossible. The next town over, Arlington, is decent rentwise for homes and apts, and is also more pet friendly vs. Boston. Boston is NOT a pet friendly town, from my experience. My commute to the medical campus is about 25-40 mins by subway, so I have no idea what that amounts to car wise. Either way, look at the western and northern suburbs, maybe even past Cambridge, Somerville and MEdford area, as the rent will get chepaer once you pass these communities.

Just to give you a ball park; I live in a 1 bedroom off the subway line and pay 1300/month. You can pay this much in Arlington and parts out further into the suburbs and get a 2-3 bedroom house for rent.

Hey Scooter31. This is a little off topic but: your avatar. Did you just randomly pull that off the internet somewhere? Or do you know what it is?
I'm not a 100% sure, but I think that's a still from the video "Apparitions" by the Matthew Good Band from Ottawa, Canada. I was a little surprised to see it because I see you live in Boston & LA. I didn't think anybody in the US had even heard of this band. That guy in the photo is Matthew GOod himself, and I'm pretty sure of the photo because it looks exactly like him and you can see a metal bar in the background -he's in an elevator when he does that.

 

[scooter31]

Hey Scooter31. This is a little off topic but: your avatar. Did you just randomly pull that off the internet somewhere? Or do you know what it is?
I'm not a 100% sure, but I think that's a still from the video "Apparitions" by the Matthew Good Band from Ottawa, Canada. I was a little surprised to see it because I see you live in Boston & LA. I didn't think anybody in the US had even heard of this band. That guy in the photo is Matthew GOod himself, and I'm pretty sure of the photo because it looks exactly like him and you can see a metal bar in the background -he's in an elevator when he does that.

Oh, I know who he is, and his music and stance on many issues really appeal to me; hence, the avatar. Good eye with the video too! It's the very end of the video when he's in the elevator with his mop and bucket after the CEO-esque dude kills himslef and the hooker runs off. Sweetness...

I really miss MuchMusic-- in the US, they changed it up a bit and call it FUSE now. Good stuff, but I miss my Canadian music fix. If you havent already, get White Light Rock and Roll Review; fantastic stuff.

 

[Mithridates]

Oh, I know who he is, and his music and stance on many issues really appeal to me; hence, the avatar. Good eye with the video too! It's the very end of the video when he's in the elevator with his mop and bucket after the CEO-esque dude kills himslef and the hooker runs off. Sweetness...

I really miss MuchMusic-- in the US, they changed it up a bit and call it FUSE now. Good stuff, but I miss my Canadian music fix. If you havent already, get White Light Rock and Roll Review; fantastic stuff.

Dude, that's awesome. You really know your music. Yeah, matthew good is very political and quite a character. They sell t-shirts at his concerts that say "Matt Good is a Jerk." MuchMusic is pretty cool, or it was pretty cool. When I went home to canada over x-mas I watched a bit. It used to be all videos. Now it's turned into MTV and plays Newlyweds, PimpMyRide, and all this other crap nonstop. Mind you, PimpMyRide is pretty cool. I'd just rather watch videos. Now that I think about it Matthew Good Band might be from Vancouver, not Ottawa - anyway they're certainly canadian.

Sorry to go off topic here folks, I'm done.

 

[mikhiel]

back to the topic...

1. What are the dorms like at Tufts? What's the cost like? Would it be worth checking out to avoid the high cost and large headache of finding off-campus housing?
2. Off-campus... I'd be interested in a studio, likely, unless I found some cool people to live with. Where is there affordable housing?
3. After doing some Boston research, and following areas sounded interesting to me: South Boston, Jamaica Plain, Fenway, Roxbury, East Boston/Orient Heights, and South End. Any info on these areas? Would the commute be horrible? I'm looking for an inexpensive place to live (my only money will be whatever loan money I receive), and I'm drawn to vibrant, eclectic areas... similar to Capitol Hill in Seattle, if anyone's familiar. Although I'm certainly not too picky, as long as there's a roof and it's not like a 4-hour commute to school.
4. Any particular places I should avoid?

 

[scooter31]

back to the topic...

1. What are the dorms like at Tufts? What's the cost like? Would it be worth checking out to avoid the high cost and large headache of finding off-campus housing?
2. Off-campus... I'd be interested in a studio, likely, unless I found some cool people to live with. Where is there affordable housing?
3. After doing some Boston research, and following areas sounded interesting to me: South Boston, Jamaica Plain, Fenway, Roxbury, East Boston/Orient Heights, and South End. Any info on these areas? Would the commute be horrible? I'm looking for an inexpensive place to live (my only money will be whatever loan money I receive), and I'm drawn to vibrant, eclectic areas... similar to Capitol Hill in Seattle, if anyone's familiar. Although I'm certainly not too picky, as long as there's a roof and it's not like a 4-hour commute to school.
4. Any particular places I should avoid?

Southie, Roxbury, East Boston. Their either ghetto and out of the way for a commute or both.

JP, Fenway, Brighton, Allston, South End are all places that would be resonable rentwise that are somewhat close to campus...