i live in deming. The only positive thing to say about it is that it's convenient (so you don't need transport to school). Other than that... I won't lie it's not wonderful. Yes utilities are included, yes maintenance is a phone-call away but it's kind of clinical. If you're in a studio it's really cramped and solitary... the apartments are a little better and a little roomier (in comparison) and while not at all aesthetically pleasing aren't too bad if you have a good apartment-mate BUT apartment-mate assignment is a crapshoot and based on nothing at all, so there are of course several horror stories.
The french quarter and garden district tend to be on the pricy side and uptown (particularly near the Tulane uptown campus) isn't too bad (and you can get the shuttle for free to school from the uptown campus)... it's a nice area and although you'll probably pay at minimum anywhere from 450-500 a month (possibly without utilities) to more deming-like prices, you'll probably get a nicer accomodation. If you go out to Metairie your money will get you something even nicer for much cheaper... of course if you go out to Metairie you need a car, definitely.
I'm staying in deming for next year solely because of the convenience (ok and because i signed a superlong contract that it's hard to get out of). By the time my contract runs out, i'm almost graduationg so it's not going to be worth mywhile to look for a new place.
Bottom line. It may be worth it to sign a one-month contract with deming (yes the expense i know but wait) if you don't have anything set by the time you move to New Orleans... it will give you an opportunity to get a feel of deming (to find out if you absolutely can't bear it) and it will give you an opportunity to get a feel of the different neighbourhoods and possibly meet classmates looking for off-campus roommates etc... or even to go apartment-hunting yourself... As far as i can tell, there's no shortage of students looking for roommates and landlords looking for students...
