NYU 2Ls taking questions Forum

[alex.feuerman]

This isn't so much about the school as much as about how to get there... How do you recommend getting to the campus from the airport? I've never flown into NY before, and I've only been there twice, once when I was very young (and once for the Quidditch World Cup, which was really just a big blur...)

Based on what I've found online, it's best to fly in to LaGuardia. But the prices to get to NYU from there seem to be super expensive. Does the subway run to the airport or something? Or, to your knowledge, will NYU provide some sort of shuttle to the campus for ASW folks?

Thanks in advance!

ETA: Holy shit. I thought Miami's bus system was complicated. Compare Miami to NYC. (It's complicated because if you're going to the airport you have to make sure you don't get on the train that goes to Hialeah...)

ETA2: Okay, I found this...

From La Guardia, Kennedy, or Newark Airport, take the airport shuttle bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal or Grand Central Station. From Port Authority, take the A or E subway downtown to West Fourth Street-Washington Square Station, or from Grand Central, take the Lexington Avenue subway (No. 6 train) downtown to Astor Place Station.

Can you confirm these instructions are accurate? if so, do you have an approximate cost? (I'm assuming it's under $10?)

For everyone attending the ASD, just don't fly into Newark, the taxi fare is rape.

[JamMasterJ]

A broker can be expensive (around 1 month's rent) but is SO worth it. You can be sure your apartment is ok and legal, plus find better places.

It's still better to try to avoid this but if you're coming in from out of town or really want a place that requires a broker, this can sometimes be credited. I'm gonna make a bigger post about apartment information and add it to the OP, but suffice it to say, avoid CitiHabitats at ALL COSTS.

[xlawschoolhopefulx]

A broker can be expensive (around 1 month's rent) but is SO worth it. You can be sure your apartment is ok and legal, plus find better places.

It's still better to try to avoid this but if you're coming in from out of town or really want a place that requires a broker, this can sometimes be credited. I'm gonna make a bigger post about apartment information and add it to the OP, but suffice it to say, avoid CitiHabitats at ALL COSTS.

Also, a lot of apartments listed online end up having a broker's fee, even if you do all of the legwork and find the place yourself. Nevertheless, some good places to start the apartment search are:

craigslist.com
hotpads.com
padmapper.com (my personal favorite and how I found my apartment)

As for CitiHabitats- Jam has hit the nail right on the head. Run. Away.

[jubee]

Is merit aid always released in April? If so, that appears to leave a strong possibility of not hearing until the seat deposit deadline for many other schools. That seems like a weird move on their part, and makes negotiation pretty hard? Is this accurate?

[ph5354a]

A broker can be expensive (around 1 month's rent) but is SO worth it. You can be sure your apartment is ok and legal, plus find better places.

It's still better to try to avoid this but if you're coming in from out of town or really want a place that requires a broker, this can sometimes be credited. I'm gonna make a bigger post about apartment information and add it to the OP, but suffice it to say, avoid CitiHabitats at ALL COSTS.

Also, a lot of apartments listed online end up having a broker's fee, even if you do all of the legwork and find the place yourself. Nevertheless, some good places to start the apartment search are:

craigslist.com
hotpads.com
padmapper.com (my personal favorite and how I found my apartment)

As for CitiHabitats- Jam has hit the nail right on the head. Run. Away.

I haven't actually rented in NYC before, but Naked Apartments has been a pretty helpful website in getting familiar with neighborhoods/costs etc. The guide below is also great, especially if anyone hasn't rented at all before.

http://www.nakedapartments.com/
http://www.nakedapartments.com/guides/nyc

[JamMasterJ]

A broker can be expensive (around 1 month's rent) but is SO worth it. You can be sure your apartment is ok and legal, plus find better places.

It's still better to try to avoid this but if you're coming in from out of town or really want a place that requires a broker, this can sometimes be credited. I'm gonna make a bigger post about apartment information and add it to the OP, but suffice it to say, avoid CitiHabitats at ALL COSTS.

Also, a lot of apartments listed online end up having a broker's fee, even if you do all of the legwork and find the place yourself. Nevertheless, some good places to start the apartment search are:

craigslist.com
hotpads.com
padmapper.com (my personal favorite and how I found my apartment)

As for CitiHabitats- Jam has hit the nail right on the head. Run. Away.

I haven't actually rented in NYC before, but Naked Apartments has been a pretty helpful website in getting familiar with neighborhoods/costs etc. The guide below is also great, especially if anyone hasn't rented at all before.

http://www.nakedapartments.com/
http://www.nakedapartments.com/guides/nyc

nabewise.com is also pretty good. Another incredible resource for searching is Streeteasy.com. Though they don't have info on Jersey.

[JamMasterJ]

I'm working on updating the OP to include some information on apartment searching in the city. I've done a little rundown on the neighborhoods (though I'm by no means an expert. If anyone has anything they'd like to add, that would be great.

[Vincent]

Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to do this.

I'm actually planning a visit at the end of January. NYU said they would mock up a schedule for me. Are there any things, events, eateries, or classes you particularly would visit (or avoid, as the case may be)?

[dcg2120]

From La Guardia, Kennedy, or Newark Airport, take the airport shuttle bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal or Grand Central Station. From Port Authority, take the A or E subway downtown to West Fourth Street-Washington Square Station, or from Grand Central, take the Lexington Avenue subway (No. 6 train) downtown to Astor Place Station.

Can you confirm these instructions are accurate? if so, do you have an approximate cost? (I'm assuming it's under $10?)

I'm a 0L, but I've lived in NYC for a few years now. You can get into Manhattan from LaGuardia by taking the M60 or the Airporter:

The M60 will take you across upper Manhattan and can drop you at the 125th street subway station (at the intersection of 125th st. and St. Nicholas Ave.), where you can take the A or D downtown to the West 4th St. station, which is close to NYU. That'll take an hour and a half or so, depending on traffic--there are slightly quicker routes by subway but that is the easiest. That's the cheapest way--if you can buy a MetroCard at the airport (the internet says there's a machine at Terminal B) then it's $2.50 total because you can transfer to the subway for free (just use the same card that you used to get on the bus). Otherwise, you'll have to pay the $2.50 in cash (exact change) and then buy another card at the subway station for $5 total.

I don't use the Airporter (probably what they mean by "airport shuttle bus") much but it might be a little quicker. That will take you to Penn Station or Port Authority, and from there you take the A, C, or E downtown to W. 4th st., or do whatever they tell you to from Grand Central. It's $13, but I guess you can spare the $8 if you're gonna be a big-shot lawyer. You'll probably save yourself a few minutes, but since you spend longer on the bus it might end up being slower if traffic is bad.

[JamMasterJ]

Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to do this.

I'm actually planning a visit at the end of January. NYU said they would mock up a schedule for me. Are there any things, events, eateries, or classes you particularly would visit (or avoid, as the case may be)?

let us know when you get a date set and what your options are, then we'll let you know. I would say to try to hit Mamoun's, John's, Saigon Shack

[indigomachine]

Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to do this.

I'm actually planning a visit at the end of January. NYU said they would mock up a schedule for me. Are there any things, events, eateries, or classes you particularly would visit (or avoid, as the case may be)?

let us know when you get a date set and what your options are, then we'll let you know. I would say to try to hit Mamoun's, John's, Saigon Shack

Lol you and Saigon Shack. Srsly. (it is good though).

If you're willing to venture a bit further from campus, I'd hit up St. Marks about a 10min walk east (if it's even that much..?)
Bunch of cool, reasonably priced Asian restaurants there. (Klong is a personal fav if you like Thai).

If you're talking about visiting general NYC things

#1 avoid: Time Sq (totally unbiased)

#1 see: High Line (totally biased, but it's still awesome)

[forza]

Mmmm, Saigon Shack......

[eerie_erie]

Another vote for Saigon Shack here, though it can get crowded at times. I personally also prefer the place across from Mamoun's, where I get my shawarma. There's also a good gelato place a little ways down from Washington Square Park where they make rose-shaped gelato servings for you, with as many flavors as you like (Amorino's).

[Justin Genious]

Hope this hasn't been asked already.

Obviously you can't give me a 100% correct response, but what are your views in regards to NYU and their reasonably low biglaw placement numbers? Are there that many student who self-select to go into PI?

[Keeper1125]

shot in the dark perhaps, but i'm an HLS student looking for 1 BR nyc sublet for may 4 - august 4 (can be a bit flexible). i'll be checking all the usual places, but in case anyone here is working elsewhere over the summer, shoot me a PM.

[khaleesi]

What do people usually do for housing on admit weekends? I understand NYU doesn't subsidize costs, so a $200 hotel room is pretty unfeasible. So hostels or couchsurfing then?

[ssteiner]

Hope this hasn't been asked already.

Obviously you can't give me a 100% correct response, but what are your views in regards to NYU and their reasonably low biglaw placement numbers? Are there that many student who self-select to go into PI?

To me, it largely seems like self-selection. NYU has a reputation for having high PI placement, so a large number of people with an interest in PI choose NYU over other similarly ranked schools based on that reputation. I have a ton of friends who came with PI goals in mind.

What do people usually do for housing on admit weekends? I understand NYU doesn't subsidize costs, so a $200 hotel room is pretty unfeasible. So hostels or couchsurfing then?

Yeah, most people I know either stayed with a friend or found a reasonably priced hotel/hostel.

[JamMasterJ]

Hope this hasn't been asked already.

Obviously you can't give me a 100% correct response, but what are your views in regards to NYU and their reasonably low biglaw placement numbers? Are there that many student who self-select to go into PI?

about 80% of those that participate in EIW get an offer. That includes people who interview with like 2 organizations and don't get anything.

What do people usually do for housing on admit weekends? I understand NYU doesn't subsidize costs, so a $200 hotel room is pretty unfeasible. So hostels or couchsurfing then?

Hotels in Queens in the low $200s. It's one train away if you do it right.

[alex.feuerman]

HI. I'm no expert either but contributing with some thoughts about housing (because I am beyond bored):

Finished finals Thursday, bored for a month.
indigomachine will be here. Others feel free to jump in

Our school is awesome and you should all come here and mess up yield prediction

Qs on NYU, NYC, whatever welcome




Apartment information (PM me for anything you'd like to add):

Neighborhoods

Additional Information:
nabewise.com
nakedapartments.com/guides/nyc

Upper West Side:
15-30 minutes to school (all distances are by train unless walking is faster and ranges are based on closest part of neighborhood to furthest part).
Good: quiet, super safe, decent subway access to the whole city except Queens and the UES, prices are among the lowest of neighborhoods within 1/2 hour of school, Central Park access, better restaurant options than UES, all around good neighborhood for people not wanting to go full-NY.
Bad: Not a young crowd, a little out of the way, restaurants are a little expensive and geared toward 30-somethings.

Upper East Side:
20-40 minutes from school.
Generally similar to the UWS. Slightly cheaper - especially the further east you get. Restaurants are a little more expensive and as there's only one subway, access is pretty bad.

So I live in the UES. Def. cheaper the farther east you get. Access is not THAT bad, depends on how close you live to the train, the 6 takes you directly to NYU. If you're on York it's a bit of a walk, though. This neighborhood is very, VERY safe. Just like UWS. Everyone is old, but there's a few bars on 1st ave that have a younger (in their 30s) crows. Restaurants are VERY expensive, and the food is not good. (I mean, unless you go to the cities' bestest restaurants, that cost $150 per person). Not so in SoHo and the Village, where you can find all the best food. Like UWS, good place to be if you don't like the feel of a big city or want a quieted environment, because it's very quiet at night, unlike the Village.

Midtown:
10-20 minutes from school.
Pretty expensive (except maybe Hell's Kitchen). Access to everywhere in Manhattan. Tons of restaurants and bars - pretty expensive. Incredibly packed so not great if you're from a small town and don't want to be completely overwhelmed.
Not really a place where students live except Hell's Kitchen.

Hell's Kitchen is very packed, and as such I feel like the streets can get pretty dirty and a little sketch at night. Def. a fun neighborhood though.

East Village including Stuy-town:
10-20 minutes (generally walking only since there's not really a subway over there). Get a bike!!!!
Awesome restaurants and bars at great prices. No subway access without walking over to Astor Place or Union Square.
I didn't really look at prices there but they're generally high and the housing stock is not very good.

East Village is awesome, great bars, great prices. OP Missed SoHo. Re: SoHo, some parts of it are the most expensive in town, and some parts along Bowery and near China Town (technically not SoHo but close enough) are a LOT less expensive, but you are still very close to NYU and SoHo. Def. due your due dilligence because you could find something here for around $2000 if you search carefully. This is one of those areas where a broker would probably do you some good.

OP also missed Union Square and Gramercy Park. Union Square itself is very very crowded all the time, but if you go above 17th street it can actually be very quiet during the week and is obviously close to NYU and amazing stores / restaurants / bars. Gramercy Park is a beautiful, quiet area, an older crowd. Those two neighborhoods will usually most likely be very expensive, but hey, it's an info thread right?

West Village/Greenwich Village:
0-15 minutes.
Really expensive unless you're in student housing (which is still pretty high. Great bars and restaurants and obviously incredible proximity to school.

Brooklyn part 1 (Williamsburg, DUMBO, BK Heights, Fort Green, Boerum Hill, Park Slope etc.):
20-40 minutes generally. Pretty bad late at night.
Prices are similar to UES/UWS in many areas with slightly worse train access. More college-y and a greater number of students there than uptown. Great bars and restaurants at awesome prices. However, if you're a BK person, you probably won't hang out in the city quite as much and it can be a little tough to get people to come out that way.

Brooklyn part 2 (Prospect Heights and other outer neighborhoods).
Cheap and really inaccessible. Be careful - some of the neighborhoods are still a little unsafe.

Queens part 1 (Astoria and Long Island City)
25-40 minutes to school.
I'm not too familiar with the area but I do know that some places in Astoria are incredible for the money. The neighborhoods in Queens that are close to MH are very safe.

Queens part 2 (further reaches)
far and not necessarily a great place to be at night. Super cheap and inaccessible. Some of the neighborhoods (i.e. Forest Park) are supposed to be pretty nice but I don't really know much.

Search tools:
Streeteasy.com - you can sort by price, whether or not you want a broker, bedrooms, etc. Make sure you are looking at rentals rather than sales.
Padmapper - pretty good but NYC apartments move quickly and a lot of these will be unavailable when you call.
NYU law coases listserv and NYU listserv - the general list-serv has an apartment search function and if you ask for help on the law-specific listserv, people are pretty helpful.
Insurent.com - for people unable to get a guarantor, a limited number of landlords will take insurent. This is a program where you pay a percentage (generally between 75 and 100% of one month's rent for this company to provide a lease guarantee, which is a type of insurance that they pay your landlord in the case that you default on your lease. They still generally require good credit, or a parent guarantor that makes 50x your monthly rent, but it's a lot better than 80x. Obviously, there's the same problem of essentially throwing money away as there is for getting a broker.

Sublet.com and nytimes.com are other places to find apartments. Keep in mind most of the places you will find in the nytimes classifieds are probably being sold by a broker.

FAQ:
Should I use a broker?
Not if you can avoid it. Brokers in New York charge between 8% of your annual rent and 2 full months of rent. They do provide a valuable service - there are amazing, well-priced apartments that cannot be gotten without their exclusive access. They can definitely help if you're unfamiliar with New York and don't want to get screwed on your cost/value. However, note that a 2K per month place without a broker ends up costing 24K for the year, and you can only get between $1725 and $1850 worth of apartment for the same money if you use a broker.

How much money do I need to move in?
That really depends. If you have all your ducks in a row - a NY/Conn/NJ guarantor who makes 80x your monthly rent, you can pay first month's rent and a security deposit (generally one month of rent). Sometimes, they require first, last, and a security deposit. Don't forget that even if you're not moving particularly far, and aren't using a service, moving can be a bit expensive.
If you don't have a guarantor, things can get really tricky. We ended up paying first two months, last two months and security (five months rent). If you definitely can't get a guarantor, be prepared to pay up to six months rent. You really should try to live on campus if you're in this situation.
REMEMBER: loans are disbursed around the time classes start. Unless you can find a short term sublet, you won't be able to use loan money toward these costs.

Guarantor???
In NYC, demand for apartments is way higher than supply. Therefore, landlords will do everything they are allowed to legally do to guarantee that they make money, and can create horrible hoops to jump through. Generally, this means that you must make 40x the monthly rent. So if you have a 2k/month place, you need an annual salary of 80K. Unless you have a roommate that makes bank, you can't fulfill this requirement. Therefore, you will need a person to guaranty your lease who makes 80x the rent. This can sometimes be a combination of people (i.e. your parent makes 90K and your roommate's parent makes 70K). However, many old-school landlords will not take guarantors from states other than Connecticut, New Jersey, or NY. See the section on insurent for possibly getting around this.

[h_jane_w]

Just found this little gem over at the Columbia 1L's taking questions thread and thought I would share it with you all: (Look at the last line)

Guchster Post subject: Re: Columbia 1L(s) taking questionsPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:41 pm

Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:38 pm
Posts: 1819 puppylaw wrote:
Thanks for answering questions.

I'll probably be moving to New York with my non-law student significant other. We're both about 25. What neighborhoods should we look at? What websites should we use? When should we start looking and try to sign a lease? Any other tips for a couple?


If you're not down with Columbia housing, I would look at Harlem first, and then make your way towards other parts of Manhattan and Brookyln. If you couldn't find something you like, then maybe I'd move towards the Bronx/Queens. Look for something along the "1" line (upper west side is a great option for a couple). Also related to the "1" is the "2,3," which you can cross over pretty easily at express stops (72nd, 96th, 125th etc.). The B/C lines are not as close, but they're about a 6-8 block walk from the law school if you don't feel like transferring at 59th street.


I don't know of any websites, but I'm sure the CLSers that live off campus will post something soon.

Are you planning on coming here this summer? I guess timing of your lease depends on when you're looking to move/start paying NYC rent and how fast you're looking to get out of your apartment after a year (and where you plan to be for the summers)

In terms of tips for couples, you should call Columbia and ask to be in touch with CLSers who are married. While I realize you're not married, they'd be the easiest targets for getting couple advice.

No rational human being would date me or many of my classmates

[k5220]

Is merit aid always released in April? If so, that appears to leave a strong possibility of not hearing until the seat deposit deadline for many other schools. That seems like a weird move on their part, and makes negotiation pretty hard? Is this accurate?

i got my offer on march 8th and had until april 6th to accept it. even after they extended my deadline by about a week, the deadline to accept the financial aid offer was more restrictive than any seat deposit deadlines i was facing

[JamMasterJ]

HI. I'm no expert either but contributing with some thoughts about housing (because I am beyond bored):

Finished finals Thursday, bored for a month.
indigomachine will be here. Others feel free to jump in

Our school is awesome and you should all come here and mess up yield prediction

Qs on NYU, NYC, whatever welcome




Apartment information (PM me for anything you'd like to add):

Neighborhoods

Additional Information:
nabewise.com
nakedapartments.com/guides/nyc

Upper West Side:
15-30 minutes to school (all distances are by train unless walking is faster and ranges are based on closest part of neighborhood to furthest part).
Good: quiet, super safe, decent subway access to the whole city except Queens and the UES, prices are among the lowest of neighborhoods within 1/2 hour of school, Central Park access, better restaurant options than UES, all around good neighborhood for people not wanting to go full-NY.
Bad: Not a young crowd, a little out of the way, restaurants are a little expensive and geared toward 30-somethings.

Upper East Side:
20-40 minutes from school.
Generally similar to the UWS. Slightly cheaper - especially the further east you get. Restaurants are a little more expensive and as there's only one subway, access is pretty bad.

So I live in the UES. Def. cheaper the farther east you get. Access is not THAT bad, depends on how close you live to the train, the 6 takes you directly to NYU. If you're on York it's a bit of a walk, though. This neighborhood is very, VERY safe. Just like UWS. Everyone is old, but there's a few bars on 1st ave that have a younger (in their 30s) crows. Restaurants are VERY expensive, and the food is not good. (I mean, unless you go to the cities' bestest restaurants, that cost $150 per person). Not so in SoHo and the Village, where you can find all the best food. Like UWS, good place to be if you don't like the feel of a big city or want a quieted environment, because it's very quiet at night, unlike the Village.

Midtown:
10-20 minutes from school.
Pretty expensive (except maybe Hell's Kitchen). Access to everywhere in Manhattan. Tons of restaurants and bars - pretty expensive. Incredibly packed so not great if you're from a small town and don't want to be completely overwhelmed.
Not really a place where students live except Hell's Kitchen.

Hell's Kitchen is very packed, and as such I feel like the streets can get pretty dirty and a little sketch at night. Def. a fun neighborhood though.

East Village including Stuy-town:
10-20 minutes (generally walking only since there's not really a subway over there). Get a bike!!!!
Awesome restaurants and bars at great prices. No subway access without walking over to Astor Place or Union Square.
I didn't really look at prices there but they're generally high and the housing stock is not very good.

East Village is awesome, great bars, great prices. OP Missed SoHo. Re: SoHo, some parts of it are the most expensive in town, and some parts along Bowery and near China Town (technically not SoHo but close enough) are a LOT less expensive, but you are still very close to NYU and SoHo. Def. due your due dilligence because you could find something here for around $2000 if you search carefully. This is one of those areas where a broker would probably do you some good.

OP also missed Union Square and Gramercy Park. Union Square itself is very very crowded all the time, but if you go above 17th street it can actually be very quiet during the week and is obviously close to NYU and amazing stores / restaurants / bars. Gramercy Park is a beautiful, quiet area, an older crowd. Those two neighborhoods will usually most likely be very expensive, but hey, it's an info thread right?

West Village/Greenwich Village:
0-15 minutes.
Really expensive unless you're in student housing (which is still pretty high. Great bars and restaurants and obviously incredible proximity to school.

Brooklyn part 1 (Williamsburg, DUMBO, BK Heights, Fort Green, Boerum Hill, Park Slope etc.):
20-40 minutes generally. Pretty bad late at night.
Prices are similar to UES/UWS in many areas with slightly worse train access. More college-y and a greater number of students there than uptown. Great bars and restaurants at awesome prices. However, if you're a BK person, you probably won't hang out in the city quite as much and it can be a little tough to get people to come out that way.

Brooklyn part 2 (Prospect Heights and other outer neighborhoods).
Cheap and really inaccessible. Be careful - some of the neighborhoods are still a little unsafe.

Queens part 1 (Astoria and Long Island City)
25-40 minutes to school.
I'm not too familiar with the area but I do know that some places in Astoria are incredible for the money. The neighborhoods in Queens that are close to MH are very safe.

Queens part 2 (further reaches)
far and not necessarily a great place to be at night. Super cheap and inaccessible. Some of the neighborhoods (i.e. Forest Park) are supposed to be pretty nice but I don't really know much.

Search tools:
Streeteasy.com - you can sort by price, whether or not you want a broker, bedrooms, etc. Make sure you are looking at rentals rather than sales.
Padmapper - pretty good but NYC apartments move quickly and a lot of these will be unavailable when you call.
NYU law coases listserv and NYU listserv - the general list-serv has an apartment search function and if you ask for help on the law-specific listserv, people are pretty helpful.
Insurent.com - for people unable to get a guarantor, a limited number of landlords will take insurent. This is a program where you pay a percentage (generally between 75 and 100% of one month's rent for this company to provide a lease guarantee, which is a type of insurance that they pay your landlord in the case that you default on your lease. They still generally require good credit, or a parent guarantor that makes 50x your monthly rent, but it's a lot better than 80x. Obviously, there's the same problem of essentially throwing money away as there is for getting a broker.

Sublet.com and nytimes.com are other places to find apartments. Keep in mind most of the places you will find in the nytimes classifieds are probably being sold by a broker.

FAQ:
Should I use a broker?
Not if you can avoid it. Brokers in New York charge between 8% of your annual rent and 2 full months of rent. They do provide a valuable service - there are amazing, well-priced apartments that cannot be gotten without their exclusive access. They can definitely help if you're unfamiliar with New York and don't want to get screwed on your cost/value. However, note that a 2K per month place without a broker ends up costing 24K for the year, and you can only get between $1725 and $1850 worth of apartment for the same money if you use a broker.

How much money do I need to move in?
That really depends. If you have all your ducks in a row - a NY/Conn/NJ guarantor who makes 80x your monthly rent, you can pay first month's rent and a security deposit (generally one month of rent). Sometimes, they require first, last, and a security deposit. Don't forget that even if you're not moving particularly far, and aren't using a service, moving can be a bit expensive.
If you don't have a guarantor, things can get really tricky. We ended up paying first two months, last two months and security (five months rent). If you definitely can't get a guarantor, be prepared to pay up to six months rent. You really should try to live on campus if you're in this situation.
REMEMBER: loans are disbursed around the time classes start. Unless you can find a short term sublet, you won't be able to use loan money toward these costs.

Guarantor???
In NYC, demand for apartments is way higher than supply. Therefore, landlords will do everything they are allowed to legally do to guarantee that they make money, and can create horrible hoops to jump through. Generally, this means that you must make 40x the monthly rent. So if you have a 2k/month place, you need an annual salary of 80K. Unless you have a roommate that makes bank, you can't fulfill this requirement. Therefore, you will need a person to guaranty your lease who makes 80x the rent. This can sometimes be a combination of people (i.e. your parent makes 90K and your roommate's parent makes 70K). However, many old-school landlords will not take guarantors from states other than Connecticut, New Jersey, or NY. See the section on insurent for possibly getting around this.

thanks for the additions. This was just a start and I haven't really added anything to it. I didn't hit Soho because students can't really afford the vast majority of places there or in tribeca.

[zebra6777]

What do most male students wear to ASW? Business casual? Or would that be overkill, and I should go with jeans/nice polo?

Sorry if this sounds silly/OCD, I'm stoked I got accepted given my numbers and don't want to look asinine the moment I arrive

[Smushface]

I did jeans and polo. It's not a big deal. Just don't be the kid that shows up in a suit.

[ssteiner]

I'm a girl and I wore jeans and a nice top, and I fit right in. So jeans and a polo for a guy are fine.