In at Harvard! Forum

[nixxers]

lol really?? i'll be there week of july 11 through the first week of november (they haven't figured out the precise dates of my flights yet). any chance we'll overlap?

aw shame -- ill be in shanghai pretty much throughout the month of june

boo.

[DoubleChecks]

i think it is a lottery, but it is a little different from the lottery for dorms. If you apply after the lottery you still can get an apartment, you just get a window in which to look and select that is after the initial lottery people (i think!). After the peak period you can view and select from what is remaining at any time. The peak period is March 1st to the end of April. You can apply at any time, and you don't have to wait for your seat deposit or anything. It is not binding until you sign your lease and there is no fee for the application. That is what I've gotten from the website at least. I could be wrong. Anyway i hope that was at least a little helpful. If anyone knows more about it, I'd like to hear what you think as well.

here's the link of FAQs http://harvardlive.yardiportaln.net/Pro ... aspx#faq16

and here is a chart of the rent ranges that I found...most of them do not look affordable at all http://harvardlive.yardiportaln.net/Doc ... osting.pdf

Thanks for the heads up, I went ahead and applied also. And yea those rates are horrible. A studio in Terry Terrace seems affordable though. I am really set on living alone my first year but these prices are scaring me

wow the prices are pretty insane. anyone know how nice these apts are? i dont mean in location, i just mean in cleanliness or when it was last renovated, etc.

[adameus]

i think it is a lottery, but it is a little different from the lottery for dorms. If you apply after the lottery you still can get an apartment, you just get a window in which to look and select that is after the initial lottery people (i think!). After the peak period you can view and select from what is remaining at any time. The peak period is March 1st to the end of April. You can apply at any time, and you don't have to wait for your seat deposit or anything. It is not binding until you sign your lease and there is no fee for the application. That is what I've gotten from the website at least. I could be wrong. Anyway i hope that was at least a little helpful. If anyone knows more about it, I'd like to hear what you think as well.

here's the link of FAQs http://harvardlive.yardiportaln.net/Pro ... aspx#faq16

and here is a chart of the rent ranges that I found...most of them do not look affordable at all http://harvardlive.yardiportaln.net/Doc ... osting.pdf

Thanks for the heads up, I went ahead and applied also. And yea those rates are horrible. A studio in Terry Terrace seems affordable though. I am really set on living alone my first year but these prices are scaring me

wow the prices are pretty insane. anyone know how nice these apts are? i dont mean in location, i just mean in cleanliness or when it was last renovated, etc.

shit yeah thos are pretty high and if you add internet it seems to skyrocket. I wonder if internet is even available in these buildings if not stated?

[lz06]

I will probably still do HRES even with the expensive pricing because I know absolutely no one in Boston and would feel much better living around H students lol. My problem is I have a kitten and there are only 2 apts that are pet friendly so my options are really limited

[owhlcn]

I will probably still do HRES even with the expensive pricing because I know absolutely no one in Boston and would feel much better living around H students lol. My problem is I have a kitten and there are only 2 apts that are pet friendly so my options are really limited

+ 1 to all of that, but if I can't find a place that's cool with my cat then I'll prob venture outside HRES...

[bluedolphins]

I think I will be okay with Gropius. The outside is truly ugly though...

[lz06]

I think I will be okay with Gropius. The outside is truly ugly though...

I wouldn't mind a dorm but I can not do community bathroom. I did that my freshman year of college and never ever ever want to go back to that again lol.

[englawyer]

i think it is a lottery, but it is a little different from the lottery for dorms. If you apply after the lottery you still can get an apartment, you just get a window in which to look and select that is after the initial lottery people (i think!). After the peak period you can view and select from what is remaining at any time. The peak period is March 1st to the end of April. You can apply at any time, and you don't have to wait for your seat deposit or anything. It is not binding until you sign your lease and there is no fee for the application. That is what I've gotten from the website at least. I could be wrong. Anyway i hope that was at least a little helpful. If anyone knows more about it, I'd like to hear what you think as well.

here's the link of FAQs http://harvardlive.yardiportaln.net/Pro ... aspx#faq16

and here is a chart of the rent ranges that I found...most of them do not look affordable at all http://harvardlive.yardiportaln.net/Doc ... osting.pdf

Thanks for the heads up, I went ahead and applied also. And yea those rates are horrible. A studio in Terry Terrace seems affordable though. I am really set on living alone my first year but these prices are scaring me

those prices are way too high; you can get a cheaper place outside HRES for sure. as an example, my old studio in cambridge was $1025 /mo.

[citydweller09]

For interested folks, the preliminary ASW schedule is up on the Admitted Students' site. Looking forward to meeting folks there!

[lz06]

those prices are way too high; you can get a cheaper place outside HRES for sure. as an example, my old studio in cambridge was $1025 /mo.

Where did you live and how close was it to campus?

[englawyer]

my old place was a bus ride to campus. this is not my real address but within the vicinity:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=300+broad ... CAgQ8gEwAA

i don't think you could get a studio within walking distance to HLS for that price. you could probably get a studio in the porter/davis area for ~ $1100 though, which is worth the upgrade over my old place in my opinion. a 1BR in porter/davis would be roughly $1300.

trying to get a place in/near harvard square probably adds 100-200 dollars to the rent. if you are willing to live in the less prestigious somerville, you can usually save 100-200 off the prices i listed . davis/porter are on the somerville/cambridge line so there are plenty of convenient places in somerville as well.

[s419]

my old place was a bus ride to campus. this is not my real address but within the vicinity:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=300+broad ... CAgQ8gEwAA

i don't think you could get a studio within walking distance to HLS for that price. you could probably get a studio in the porter/davis area for ~ $1100 though, which is worth the upgrade over my old place in my opinion. a 1BR in porter/davis would be roughly $1300.

trying to get a place in/near harvard square probably adds 100-200 dollars to the rent. if you are willing to live in the less prestigious somerville, you can usually save 100-200 off the prices i listed . davis/porter are on the somerville/cambridge line so there are plenty of convenient places in somerville as well.

What's the area east of Harvard's campus (on the map kind of in between Harvard and MIT) like? It seemed like from a quick search that apts were a little cheaper in that general area, but is there a particular (negative) reason why that is?

[englawyer]

my old place was a bus ride to campus. this is not my real address but within the vicinity:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=300+broad ... CAgQ8gEwAA

i don't think you could get a studio within walking distance to HLS for that price. you could probably get a studio in the porter/davis area for ~ $1100 though, which is worth the upgrade over my old place in my opinion. a 1BR in porter/davis would be roughly $1300.

trying to get a place in/near harvard square probably adds 100-200 dollars to the rent. if you are willing to live in the less prestigious somerville, you can usually save 100-200 off the prices i listed . davis/porter are on the somerville/cambridge line so there are plenty of convenient places in somerville as well.

What's the area east of Harvard's campus (on the map kind of in between Harvard and MIT) like? It seemed like from a quick search that apts were a little cheaper in that general area, but is there a particular (negative) reason why that is?

lots of low-income housing. it is not a dangerous neighborhood, but it is not "nice" like davis sq which is a bit more fantasy land (clean streets, no poor people, hipsters, yuppies, etc)

[sayan]

my old place was a bus ride to campus. this is not my real address but within the vicinity:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=300+broad ... CAgQ8gEwAA

i don't think you could get a studio within walking distance to HLS for that price. you could probably get a studio in the porter/davis area for ~ $1100 though, which is worth the upgrade over my old place in my opinion. a 1BR in porter/davis would be roughly $1300.

trying to get a place in/near harvard square probably adds 100-200 dollars to the rent. if you are willing to live in the less prestigious somerville, you can usually save 100-200 off the prices i listed . davis/porter are on the somerville/cambridge line so there are plenty of convenient places in somerville as well.

good tips. porter/davis is about a 5min train ride to harvard +10min walk, right?

[bluedolphins]

If you got your financial aid packet already, how did they send it to you? Email or snail mail?

[s419]

If you got your financial aid packet already, how did they send it to you? Email or snail mail?

Email to your Harvard email telling you to go log onto the SFS website and see it.

[englawyer]

my old place was a bus ride to campus. this is not my real address but within the vicinity:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=300+broad ... CAgQ8gEwAA

i don't think you could get a studio within walking distance to HLS for that price. you could probably get a studio in the porter/davis area for ~ $1100 though, which is worth the upgrade over my old place in my opinion. a 1BR in porter/davis would be roughly $1300.

trying to get a place in/near harvard square probably adds 100-200 dollars to the rent. if you are willing to live in the less prestigious somerville, you can usually save 100-200 off the prices i listed . davis/porter are on the somerville/cambridge line so there are plenty of convenient places in somerville as well.

good tips. porter/davis is about a 5min train ride to harvard +10min walk, right?

exactly. porter is a bit closer (shorter train ride, shorter walk) but not so much that you should base a decision purely on that. porter is one stop away while davis is two.

[ConMan345]

Got the aid package today. I was actually surprised it left me with essentially the same amount in loans as SLS.

[adameus]

Got the aid package today. I was actually surprised it left me with essentially the same amount in loans as SLS.

is that good or bad?

[lz06]

Has everyone gotten theirs in 2 weeks or did some peoples come sooner? My parents FINALLY did their taxes and I'm just a liiiitttle anxious

[psychomohel]

Has everyone gotten theirs in 2 weeks or did some peoples come sooner? My parents FINALLY did their taxes and I'm just a liiiitttle anxious

Mine took only a week, but I only got loans.

[adameus]

Are there any internationals who have completed the Financial aid forms yet? If so, do you know where we would find the exchange rate we are supposed to use for converting our financial information into US Dollars?

[sayan]

Are there any internationals who have completed the Financial aid forms yet? If so, do you know where we would find the exchange rate we are supposed to use for converting our financial information into US Dollars?

Still waiting for income tax returns, but I wasn't aware you needed to do a conversion. If you do, I'd just email the financial aid office and ask which service they recommend. They always respond promptly and politely in my experience.

[adameus]

Are there any internationals who have completed the Financial aid forms yet? If so, do you know where we would find the exchange rate we are supposed to use for converting our financial information into US Dollars?

Still waiting for income tax returns, but I wasn't aware you needed to do a conversion. If you do, I'd just email the financial aid office and ask which service they recommend. They always respond promptly and politely in my experience.

I will likely do that. I think they have a form which states which rate to use as I remember another Canadian student mentioning that to me during the ASW. He said the canadian rates were very favourable.

[sayan]

Are there any internationals who have completed the Financial aid forms yet? If so, do you know where we would find the exchange rate we are supposed to use for converting our financial information into US Dollars?

Still waiting for income tax returns, but I wasn't aware you needed to do a conversion. If you do, I'd just email the financial aid office and ask which service they recommend. They always respond promptly and politely in my experience.

I will likely do that. I think they have a form which states which rate to use as I remember another Canadian student mentioning that to me during the ASW. He said the canadian rates were very favourable.

Favorable in which way? Wouldn't it be better if they were terribly unfavorable (i.e., less USD per CAD) so you can score more grant aid by having a lower USD income? I think the CAD was recently worth more than the USD, but now it has retreated back to about .97, thankfully.