Northwestern Law Class of 2013 Forum

[09042014]

Actually just signed a lease at Streeter Place.. no move in fee or security deposit, just had a 1/2 off pet deposit. I think the app fee was $60, something like that. To qualify without a cosigner you need to show an income of 2.5 X the yearly rent.

How far from Chicago is your current job? Was it plausible that you'd keep working the job? Because my job is 2,100 miles from Chicago, so if they ask me even a few questions it will be obvious that my income records and W-2s are irrelevant for my future income.

Both my job and my wife's are both around 1500 miles away. We went the cosigner route because of that. I'll be getting a living stipend from the GI Bill which makes inability to pay our rent extremely unlikely, thus providing our cosigner with enough confidence that they wouldn't get screwed over by helping us out. We had some money saved up, plus we're selling both our cars, and we're using that money to live off while we search for my wife a job. To live comfortably we need to find her something making about $10/hour full time.. however we're hoping that is the worst case scenario. She is almost finished with an MPA degree, so we're really hoping we can find a non-profit admin job somewhere.

Has she started looking yet? Chicago's unemployment is high now. But 10 dollars an hour is pretty obtainable in Chicago, but it doesn't go far at all.

[Holly Golightly]

What is the cheapest anyone has found rent around the area. The COL loans look like they won't even cover 12 months rent.

I think they'll cover rent....if you don't want to eat anything for the year.

Holly was telling me about a tea and whiskey diet. I should try it.

I like this. It's like a detox with booze.

It's a 180 plan, guys.

[Drew2010]

Actually just signed a lease at Streeter Place.. no move in fee or security deposit, just had a 1/2 off pet deposit. I think the app fee was $60, something like that. To qualify without a cosigner you need to show an income of 2.5 X the yearly rent.

How far from Chicago is your current job? Was it plausible that you'd keep working the job? Because my job is 2,100 miles from Chicago, so if they ask me even a few questions it will be obvious that my income records and W-2s are irrelevant for my future income.

Both my job and my wife's are both around 1500 miles away. We went the cosigner route because of that. I'll be getting a living stipend from the GI Bill which makes inability to pay our rent extremely unlikely, thus providing our cosigner with enough confidence that they wouldn't get screwed over by helping us out. We had some money saved up, plus we're selling both our cars, and we're using that money to live off while we search for my wife a job. To live comfortably we need to find her something making about $10/hour full time.. however we're hoping that is the worst case scenario. She is almost finished with an MPA degree, so we're really hoping we can find a non-profit admin job somewhere.

Has she started looking yet? Chicago's unemployment is high now. But 10 dollars an hour is pretty obtainable in Chicago, but it doesn't go far at all.

We just started looking recently, and ya we know the unemployment is bad. However the area we're moving from in Florida is actually worse, so we see that at least as a bright spot in the search. As far as the $10/hour not going very far luckily it doesn't really have to. Thanks to the GI Bill and the modest disability I get from the VA whatever money she makes only has to go towards food/entertainment/taking care of dogs. All our bills will be covered, so we're very lucky.

[NayBoer]

I'm trying to find something cheap, but I've realized that isn't happening without moving far away from school.

McClurg has studios listed for less than $1200. I saw Lake Shore Plaza has some really cheap studios, if you don't mind a place that takes section 8. Got lots of bad reviews on apartmentratings.com.

[rayiner]

I'm trying to find something cheap, but I've realized that isn't happening without moving far away from school.

McClurg has studios listed for less than $1200. I saw Lake Shore Plaza has some really cheap studios, if you don't mind a place that takes section 8. Got lots of bad reviews on apartmentratings.com.

I know a few people who live there. The building is nice and you don't notice the section 8 folks.

[09042014]

I'm trying to find something cheap, but I've realized that isn't happening without moving far away from school.

McClurg has studios listed for less than $1200. I saw Lake Shore Plaza has some really cheap studios, if you don't mind a place that takes section 8. Got lots of bad reviews on apartmentratings.com.

I know a few people who live there. The building is nice and you don't notice the section 8 folks.

Cool I'll check it out.

Ray do you know anyone who lives in Worcester House. I heard bad things.

[rayiner]

I'm trying to find something cheap, but I've realized that isn't happening without moving far away from school.

McClurg has studios listed for less than $1200. I saw Lake Shore Plaza has some really cheap studios, if you don't mind a place that takes section 8. Got lots of bad reviews on apartmentratings.com.

I know a few people who live there. The building is nice and you don't notice the section 8 folks.

Cool I'll check it out.

Ray do you know anyone who lives in Worcester House. I heard bad things.

I don't know anybody who lives in Worcester house.

Re: housing, I know people in most of the buildings around here so I'll give some advice.

Streeter Place is *very* nice, but very expensive. Probably $1450 for a studio. But the building is new and the kitchen is great (marble countertops, etc).

McClurg is nice, but expensive. I'm paying about $1350 for a ~600 sqft convertible. Apartments are nice, though there is no garbage disposal which is really annoying. Kitchen is cramped.

Onterie is okay, and quite cheap. A studio will run under $1000. You gotta do a little more to get the place in shape though, because at least my friend's apartment wasn't super cleaned up when she moved in.

860 DeWitt is a good choice and I think most people don't take a good look at it. A studio will run under $1000 and IMHO the units are nicer than the ones in Onterie. It's about the same distance from school as McClurg, but on the other side of Chicago Ave.

For all the units, I recommend scouting out an apartment early in the summer. The building tends to fill up from the lower-rent units (lower floors, studios) to higher-rent units (upper floors, convertibles and 1 BRs), so you can save a couple of hundred $$ a month by getting there early.

[Corsair]

..

[NayBoer]

If you're looking for a bit more space for a similar price, don't be afraid to go up into the Gold Coast area either. I've lived three years now at a mid-rise up by La Salle and Division (a little over a mile from school). I pay 1400ish for a 900 sq foot 1br in a relatively decent building; compare that to what Ray and others are paying in McClurg. There are a lot of similar buildings that will give you more for your money at the expense of an extra 10 minutes of walking to school (or 5 minutes on a bus).

How long is the walk from up there? Like 20 minutes? What about in the snow?

[scribelaw]

Streeter Place looks really awesome. It's pricey, but it looks like you can get a studio for $1,200 or so, and it's a pretty short walk to campus.

Does anyone live there or know how hard the studios are to get?

[AddyO]

Also for Streeter Place, I noticed it says it includes wireless internet and cable in the apartment. I was wondering if anyone knows if the wireless works as well as ethernet and if not having to pay for cable and internet would be comparable to the studios at Mcclurg that don't include anything utilities (or do they? I looked on the website and didn't see anything). Just wondering if anybody had asked or lives there. Thanks!

[scribelaw]

Also for Streeter Place, I noticed it says it includes wireless internet and cable in the apartment. I was wondering if anyone knows if the wireless works as well as ethernet and if not having to pay for cable and internet would be comparable to the studios at Mcclurg that don't include anything utilities (or do they? I looked on the website and didn't see anything). Just wondering if anybody had asked or lives there. Thanks!

I just noticed that the rates on the Streeter Place Web site is based on a 12-month lease with a two-month free special. Probably not ideal for a law student, unless you know for sure you'll be in Chicago for the summer.

The rates do seem to include all utilities and cable (with HBO) and wireless Internet. Not a bad deal, but Northwestern's student budget is about $1,375 a month for room and board. At Streeter Place you'd be at or above that, even with the smallest studio.

[scribelaw]

Also -- does anyone know if NU does summer PI funding for 1Ls?

[AddyO]

Also for Streeter Place, I noticed it says it includes wireless internet and cable in the apartment. I was wondering if anyone knows if the wireless works as well as ethernet and if not having to pay for cable and internet would be comparable to the studios at Mcclurg that don't include anything utilities (or do they? I looked on the website and didn't see anything). Just wondering if anybody had asked or lives there. Thanks!

I just noticed that the rates on the Streeter Place Web site is based on a 12-month lease with a two-month free special. Probably not ideal for a law student, unless you know for sure you'll be in Chicago for the summer.

The rates do seem to include all utilities and cable (with HBO) and wireless Internet. Not a bad deal, but Northwestern's student budget is about $1,375 a month for room and board. At Streeter Place you'd be at or above that, even with the smallest studio.

I didn't realize a 9 month least was even an option in Chicago. Where I'm from usually if you do a nine month lease the rent is more and it comes about to be about the same thing. I'd love to get a 9 month lease and not have to worry about securing something in Chicago for the summer. Does anybody have a 9 month lease at McClurg? Is the rate much more than the 12 month lease?

[frankjones]

Does anyone have an idea of when Northwestern is going to release most financial aid decisions? I applied back at the end of February.

[D-hops]

Does anyone have an idea of when Northwestern is going to release most financial aid decisions? I applied back at the end of February.

According to their twitter:

Word in the office is next week.

[Corsair]

..

[rayiner]

If you're looking for a bit more space for a similar price, don't be afraid to go up into the Gold Coast area either. I've lived three years now at a mid-rise up by La Salle and Division (a little over a mile from school). I pay 1400ish for a 900 sq foot 1br in a relatively decent building; compare that to what Ray and others are paying in McClurg. There are a lot of similar buildings that will give you more for your money at the expense of an extra 10 minutes of walking to school (or 5 minutes on a bus).

How long is the walk from up there? Like 20 minutes? What about in the snow?

It's about 20 minutes, yeah. It is approximately 1.1 miles. Snow isn't all that scary as long as you have some decent waterproof footwear. (The snow isn't the problem, it is the puddles at the crosswalks that get you). You also have the option of taking public transportation, but since you need to travel diagonally, you'll have to switch to the 66 bus after taking one of the N/S buses (22, 36, 156) or the red line one stop.

I should point out that Corsair has an unholy tolerance of cold. He loves it even.

As a southerner, I found it nearly unbearable to be out for more than few minutes in the dead of winter. Quoting my friend (a former TLSer) after our four block walk to Chipotle: "I can't feel my face!"

[Holly Golightly]

The snow isn't the problem in Chicago. It's the wind. It is absolute misery. No getting around it. That said, you put up with it for a few months and then it's summer, and Chicago summers are amazing.

[Corsair]

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[chutzpah]

Oy vey. So I got into the Kennedy School, which I'm considering in lieu of or in addition to law school, and their ASD is 4/9. I really want to go to the NU ASW so I'm thinking of flying from DC to Boston to Chicago and only attending the Saturday events. Is that completely insane? I guess I should check the flight prices for my outlandish plan...

[Corsair]

..

[chutzpah]

ASD/ASW is not the time to be deciding whether you want to be a lawyer.

I thought of a dozen snarky answers to this but here's the honest one: you're right. I'm deciding whether I want to go to law school next year, pursue another degree beforehand, or try to do both. Maybe its not what you would do, but given my career goals and interests it makes sense.

[PopCopyManager]

Getting twitchy re: financial aid. Really twitchy.

+1. They said something should come this week right?

[D-hops]

Getting twitchy re: financial aid. Really twitchy.