View Full Version : How do I prepare for moving away to grad school?
gradschooler1
Jul 12, 2013, 09:43 AM
I'm an undergrad senior and am hoping to enter law school next year. The schools I'm looking at are a few states away. I'm not so worried about getting accepted as much as how I'm going to get there\live there. I am currently unemployed but loking for a job, and as of yet do not have my own car. Can anyone provide me with a general outline of what I should do in order to move away in a year successfully? I should mention I am more concerned about getting everything prepared correctly here and not so much what I should do once I am there. Thanks to everyone who answers.
smoothy
Jul 12, 2013, 10:29 AM
Look into the dorms... since you have none of the stuff needed to live outside the dorms ready... meaning no job or transportation... nor an affordible place lined up.
It eleminates a lot of the issues you will have to deal with.
joypulv
Jul 12, 2013, 11:54 AM
Cars are usually a huge expense, even after bought. More so when you are under 25 and insurance is high, and you have no 'safe driver credit' built yet. Plus many schools have very limited parking, and even if you can get close, it's expensive to park. So I would forget the car.
As for dorms, they can often cost quite a bit more than shared apartments close to campus. This is something you have to check out on a school by school basis. I'd spring for the dorm the first year, just to cut down on hassles of shared living, dealing with landlords, utilities, and getting back and forth.
I used to live a half block from Harvard Law, and saw lots of this in action.
To get to school, there are plenty of online 'drive share' sites. But you will have a year's worth of clothes and incidentals, and really should enlist the help of family, if you can. Save the share sites for getting home for holidays.
teacherjenn4
Jul 13, 2013, 06:19 PM
The university you are attending should have plenty of information for you. Dorms are not always an option for grad students. Most universities have transportation nearby because many students do not have their own cars. See if a train or bus can get you close to the school. My son used to drive a small university bus to and from the airport and bus stations picking up students and taking them back to school. The university should be able to provide you with all of the details you need.
ebaines
Jul 16, 2013, 06:08 AM
I would add hat the graf school office should have plenty of info on how to arrange for local housing. Most college towns have plenty of apartments available, so it's a matter of researching locations, amenities available, and prices. Some schools offer separate dorms for grad students, but these often tend to be more expensive than renting an apartment. And don't worry about not having a car - as long as it's not a commuter school (i.e it's a university with a live-in on-campus population) there should be plenty of transportation options.