Chicago Class of 2014 Forum

[d34d9823]

Why is it showing me pictures of the basements? That doesn't seem very helpful.

[Knock]

Why is it showing me pictures of the basements? That doesn't seem very helpful.

Yeah, they don't have very good pictures. I'm still pretty interested though. If one of them have dishwashers I might be pretty much sold haha.

[d34d9823]

Why is it showing me pictures of the basements? That doesn't seem very helpful.

Yeah, they don't have very good pictures. I'm still pretty interested though. If one of them have dishwashers I might be pretty much sold haha.

I'm more worried about W/D, although both are definitely nice.

[Knock]

Why is it showing me pictures of the basements? That doesn't seem very helpful.

Yeah, they don't have very good pictures. I'm still pretty interested though. If one of them have dishwashers I might be pretty much sold haha.

I'm more worried about W/D, although both are definitely nice.

It looked like all of them had laundry units on site?

[d34d9823]

I'm more worried about W/D, although both are definitely nice.

It looked like all of them had laundry units on site?

On site and in the apartment are two very different things.

[Knock]

I'm more worried about W/D, although both are definitely nice.

It looked like all of them had laundry units on site?

On site and in the apartment are two very different things.

Well, I don't think very many apartments have W/D in the apartments. At least none of that cluster close to the law school or at the apartments we viewed on the private housing tour.

[Sentry]

How were the places on the rest of the housing tour?

[Knock]

How were the places on the rest of the housing tour?

Not good. I thought Regents was easily the best of the 3.

[d34d9823]

Well, I don't think very many apartments have W/D in the apartments. At least none of that cluster close to the law school or at the apartments we viewed on the private housing tour.

Yeah, my current one does, so it will be hard to give up. On the other hand, my current apartment is not in Chicago.

[Jas]

Every building is a little different. Ours has no dishwasher, but some may. I assume none have laundry in the apartments, but all (again, I assume) have laundry in the building. Just be sure to read over the details.

As for the cluster to the west of the law school, it's up to you. Very close to the school, obviously. And I think the prices are lower there, just as they are lower in commercial apartments around that area. However, I personally would not want to live that close to... um... the border of Hyde Park, to put it nicely. But I never stay late at the school anyway, so I wouldn't be the best example of someone who could benefit from living there.

I thought being way up on Hyde Park Blvd was going to suck, but I am really close to a grocery store and various restaurants as well as being away from dense campus pedestrian traffic.

[Knock]

Every building is a little different. Ours has no dishwasher, but some may. I assume none have laundry in the apartments, but all (again, I assume) have laundry in the building. Just be sure to read over the details.

As for the cluster to the west of the law school, it's up to you. Very close to the school, obviously. And I think the prices are lower there, just as they are lower in commercial apartments around that area. However, I personally would not want to live that close to... um... the border of Hyde Park, to put it nicely. But I never stay late at the school anyway, so I wouldn't be the best example of someone who could benefit from living there.

I thought being way up on Hyde Park Blvd was going to suck, but I am really close to a grocery store and various restaurants as well as being away from dense campus pedestrian traffic.

Hmm, well now I don't know if I want to live there. Looks like Regents it is haha.

[d34d9823]

Hmm, well now I don't know if I want to live there. Looks like Regents it is haha.

Lol, that's quite the dichotomy you have there. Dany posted some really nice stuff a while back. I tried to look for it but didn't find it. All that to say, I think there's some nicer stuff out there that's not THAT much more expensive than Regents.

[Jas]

Lol, totally up to you. The university is very protective of us. There are cops and emergency buttons and buses on call and on and on. And you'll get a safety whistle on your keychain, too! It's just that the unsavory neighborhoods are just south of the school and to the west of Wash. Park, and if there's going to be any bleed-over, it will be there in my opinion.

[Knock]

Hmm, well now I don't know if I want to live there. Looks like Regents it is haha.

Lol, that's quite the dichotomy you have there. Dany posted some really nice stuff a while back. I tried to look for it but didn't find it. All that to say, I think there's some nicer stuff out there that's not THAT much more expensive than Regents.

I mean i'd be open to other options.

[d34d9823]

Hmm, well now I don't know if I want to live there. Looks like Regents it is haha.

Lol, that's quite the dichotomy you have there. Dany posted some really nice stuff a while back. I tried to look for it but didn't find it. All that to say, I think there's some nicer stuff out there that's not THAT much more expensive than Regents.

I mean i'd be open to other options.

Haha, just giving you a hard time, man.

[Knock]

Hmm, well now I don't know if I want to live there. Looks like Regents it is haha.

Lol, that's quite the dichotomy you have there. Dany posted some really nice stuff a while back. I tried to look for it but didn't find it. All that to say, I think there's some nicer stuff out there that's not THAT much more expensive than Regents.

I mean i'd be open to other options.

Haha, just giving you a hard time, man.

Lol, well I am. It's not like I am committed to Regents, but as of now that's my top option.

[d34d9823]

Lol, well I am. It's not like I am committed to Regents, but as of now that's my top option.

Yeah, I haven't been. If I do get in, I'm definitely taking a trip to check out apartments (sounds like some people are going in July?).

[cranberry]

I live in one of the giant grad housing buildings on Hyde Park Blvd. I have a ton of space, low price, nice view, all utilities included (except internet/cable), and three glorious elevators! The building is also very quiet. There are several families on our floor so once in awhile I hear a kid running through the hallway but that's really it. Big clean laundry facility, super accepts packages, rec room, did I mention incredibly low rent? My bf and I have gigantic 1br with closets, a real hallway, it's great after NYC. Also the people in grad housing were really nice about letting me pick where I wanted to live, and they are flexible with lease terms--I think you can move out at the end of any quarter if you give them proper notice. If anyone has specific Qs I would be happy to answer them.

Edit: and PS. My windows open. You won't get that in Regent's!

[trudat15]

I went on the grad housing tour at asw. Thought the apts I saw were really nice, esp for the price. The only thing I didn't like were the floors were like tile, but I heard there are bldgs that have hardwood floors.

[jpk5372]

Anyone have experience with furnished grad housing? I really want to downsize my life (meaning, I'm too lazy and don't think its worth it to move all of my crappy furniture halfway across the country)

[Muenchen]

Deposited and applied to Regents. Ho'boy.

[Xifeng]

.

[Sentry]

http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/cus ... sec=&p0=64

Someone in this thread has to type 4 8 15 16 23 42 every 4 minutes or else the world will end.

[Sentry]

Found this in the class of 13 thread.

A very nice future fellow student of ours saw my posts about the benefits of Hyde Park vs. Northside, and offered her advice. The student didn't want herself outed to the adcoms, but she said it would be okay to post her note for other people's benefit. There was some helpful info I didn't know.

I have lived in Chicago for [x] years now, including [x] in Hyde Park. My attitude is that I've "done my time" in HP and I never want to live down there again. [I have lived in Lincoln Park and loved it.] I'm, therefore, big-time in favor of living on the north side and commuting down. Here are some reasons:

1) Keep in mind that you're likely to be commuting around rush hour. Chicago transit is magical during peak times. You can get anywhere very quickly and efficiently. It's also a very easy drive down Lakeshore from the near northside neighborhoods where most young people live down to HP (though I prefer the bus because I can read without getting in an accident while commuting).

2) This may be counterintuitive, but I found Hyde Park to be very inconvenient. Within three blocks of my current apartment in LP, I have my grocery store, bank, PO, dry cleaner, millions of coffee shops, restaurants, bars, petsmart, bed-bath-beyond, best-buy, hair salon, yoga studio, etc. My car sits for weeks at a time. In HP, it sometimes felt like a real trek just to get groceries or go to the drug store. And forget about Target or any other reprehensible big-box type place where you periodically just have to go. Keep in mind also that Hyde Park merchants have a captive audience, and you pay big bucks for the convenience of the Regent's grocery store (Market in the Park), Harper Foods, etc. Lincoln Park/Lakeview, on the other hand, is a lot like living in New York. There's major population and amenity density and major competition for your dollars.

3) This may also seem counterintuitive because Hyde Park is full of students, but going out is expensive and inconvenient. See above about merchants having a captive audience. They have no incentive to compete for your beer dollars. In my part of Lincoln Park, though, I could get a dollar beer pretty much every weeknight. Not that I'll be going out weeknights once school starts, but you know what I mean. Also, if you're getting together with law school buddies on a Saturday night or something, I can say with 98% certainty that they'll want to go out on the north side. Being able to walk home at 3AM safely after drinks is going to feel really good when your friends who live in Regents have to worrry about a sketchy trip on the red line or a $40 cab.

4) I tend to bristle when people on sites like TLS make light of the "ghetto" surroundings of Chicago Law. HP is beautiful and thriving but, yes, it is bordered by Englewood, which has the highest murder rate in the city. Being a woman alone after dark in Hyde Park is a liability. Period. That's not white person paraonia speaking. It's a city and you should always be alert (duh), but the world opens up a lot when you're in a crowded, safe neighborhood like LP and you don't have to fret so much about making sure you have somebody to walk you home, etc. I also lived in a slightly sketchy west side Chicago neighborhood for a few years, and I feel liberated to be back in a safe neighborhood. I'm a runner, and it's so refreshing to not have to fear running after 6pm in the winter, etc.

I spoke to 1L's living on the north side, and they say it's totally doable. The argument, which I buy, is that your free time in law school is so minimal that you want to maximize its quality by being in a place you know you love. It makes me happy just to stroll through my neighborhood. You can't put a pricetag on that.

I guess you'll have to weigh that against the convenience of living in HP. Keep in mind that you're going to be on a bus to the law school even if you live in Regents. It's pretty far from the LS. I guess the only sticking point is the whole relationship-forming thing. There's this perception that a lot of bonding goes on late at night in Regent's. I guess I might be sad to miss out on that, but I'm also reasonably chatty and social so I'm not sweating that.

Lincoln Park/Lakeview is the center of the universe. All transit lines come to you there. And everybody wants to go out to eat/drink/play in your neighborhood. Win.

[Muenchen]

Found this in the class of 13 thread.

3) This may also seem counterintuitive because Hyde Park is full of students, but going out is expensive and inconvenient. See above about merchants having a captive audience. They have no incentive to compete for your beer dollars. In my part of Lincoln Park, though, I could get a dollar beer pretty much every weeknight. Not that I'll be going out weeknights once school starts, but you know what I mean. Also, if you're getting together with law school buddies on a Saturday night or something, I can say with 98% certainty that they'll want to go out on the north side. Being able to walk home at 3AM safely after drinks is going to feel really good when your friends who live in Regents have to worrry about a sketchy trip on the red line or a $40 cab.

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