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Yeah, I was kinda thrown my my financial aid package as well-- state schools aren't cheap anymore... The other school I'm considering would be 100K less over four years-- ouch!
~~~ UCSF Class of 2012 ~~~
- Thread starter nhtreehugger
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hi everyone. i just found out yesterday that i got in and i'm super excited to go to ucsf! i live in berkeley but it looks like i won't be able to go to second look weekend because i have to work and there was no mention of it in my packet anyway.
i have a question about housing for you guys or any current med students who might be reading the forum. do people ever live in the east bay when going to ucsf? i don't have a car so that might make it near impossible but i figured i'd ask.
also you guys all seem pretty freaked out about loans and stuff...i've got pretty massive debt from my undergrad years and i can tell you that the money is worth it. if going to ucsf is really what you want to do then don't worry, you'll figure the rest out.
i have a question about housing for you guys or any current med students who might be reading the forum. do people ever live in the east bay when going to ucsf? i don't have a car so that might make it near impossible but i figured i'd ask.
also you guys all seem pretty freaked out about loans and stuff...i've got pretty massive debt from my undergrad years and i can tell you that the money is worth it. if going to ucsf is really what you want to do then don't worry, you'll figure the rest out.
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MsJ, I wish you'd made it! There were a lot of talks, free food, outdoor activities, and alcohol-related gatherings. 
If you want to know anything in particular, definitely pm me. I met a lot of people making tough decisions, but most people seemed to be leaning towards UCSF. For me, even though it's 3,000 miles away from my entire life here on the East Coast, I think it's worth it to make a change. I can't imagine being unhappy there.
I'm dreadfully ill after two extremely busy weekends, but I think it was worth it. Now off to Europe on Wednesday! Ugh. I can't wait until my life slows down.
If you want to know anything in particular, definitely pm me. I met a lot of people making tough decisions, but most people seemed to be leaning towards UCSF. For me, even though it's 3,000 miles away from my entire life here on the East Coast, I think it's worth it to make a change. I can't imagine being unhappy there.I'm dreadfully ill after two extremely busy weekends, but I think it was worth it. Now off to Europe on Wednesday! Ugh. I can't wait until my life slows down.
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It was definitely ASW that convinced me to go to UCSF! See you all in September!
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I'm committed for sure- I kept trying to justify going somewhere else for less money and just felt so grumpy at the thought of not being at UCSF.
The people I met at Second Look were so great!
The mentorship and campus left me confident that I can be happy in medical school (maybe even happier!)
I spend the day after second looks strolling golden gate park and thinking about who I could become if I lived in a place like this.
The justification I finally gave to the bank when asking for my line of credit was: "who in their right mind can pass up the chance to go to the best school in the best city in the world?"
Reminding myself of that added sugar to a sour promissory note.
Good luck to everyone else in their decisions-
reckoning
The people I met at Second Look were so great!
The mentorship and campus left me confident that I can be happy in medical school (maybe even happier!)
I spend the day after second looks strolling golden gate park and thinking about who I could become if I lived in a place like this.
The justification I finally gave to the bank when asking for my line of credit was: "who in their right mind can pass up the chance to go to the best school in the best city in the world?"
Reminding myself of that added sugar to a sour promissory note.
Good luck to everyone else in their decisions-
reckoning
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I just wanted to congratulate all of you heading to UCSF this fall. I am a graduate from the class of 2006 and I loved it there!! It was a very special time in my life and I truly feel that UCSF is a fantastic place to learn medicine! The first two years are a great time. You get to know your classmates really well and will likely make at least a couple lifelong friends during that time. The 3rd year is incredible as well. Very intense but not malignant. The fourth year...well, let's just say it was the most expensive vacation that I ever took. Again, congrats every one....UCSF rocks as a med school.
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Hey guys, I'm doing a path fellowship at UCSF this year and I'm wondering if anyone needs a roommate? I'm moving to SF this week and will be looking for a place.
I'm from KCUMB in Kansas City, MO and just finished my second year of medical school. I'll be at UCSF for one year.
Please e-mail me if interested [email protected]
Thanks!
I'm from KCUMB in Kansas City, MO and just finished my second year of medical school. I'll be at UCSF for one year.
Please e-mail me if interested [email protected]
Thanks!
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You guys should all watch both the Olympic swimming trials and then the actual Olympics...one of your classmates is going to be swimming there
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Hi All,
So I'm up in the Bay right now figuring out the whole housing situation and its been quite an education. Here's a couple things that might be helpful for those of you getting ready to find a place to live. (Note: this advice is mildly skewed toward living alone):
How to Search
For starters, know that Craigslist is king. Take a look at the Inner Sunset/UCSF page and the Cole Valley page. Theres also a UCSF section on the Places4Students site that's especially for people looking to rent to UCSF affiliated people.
Timing
From what I gather, most places start on either the 1st or the 15th of the month, with the majority starting on the 1st. They tend to get posted online within a month before they start. Often they'll be vacant and available now. This market is very "Just In Time" so you need to be here shortly before you want to move in... you can't really arrange it in May. I flew up 3 weeks before I wanted to move in and it seems like a pretty good time to be here. If you hit the middle of the month (between the 10th and 20th) you'll hit the heart of the 1st day of the month vacancies and then start to see some 15th of the month dates too.
Location
the Inner Sunset is less expensive but has more fog. Cole Valley is a bit more sunny, but really pricey. I'm looking basically in the Inner Sunset between 25th and 2nd west to east and between Lincoln and Kirkham north to south. The N-Judah is a train that runs along Judah and also along part of Irving which takes you right to the campus, so it makes transportation pretty easy. Irving is a street with tons of awesome shops and markets. The best section of Irving I've found is between 19th and 25th... tons of stuff.
Cost vs. Location
The price goes down the further west you go... so between Cole and 10th your looking at 1br/studios for $1500, between 10th and 20th its around $1350, and past 20th it gets closer to $1100. I haven't been looking for roommates so I don't know too much about the shared places... seems to run between $850 and $1100 generally.
Selling Yourself
Finding a place your interested in is the first step. Then you've got to contact the landlord and set up a time to check it out. It really really helps if you have your rental history, references, financial resources information (bank statements and student loan award) and credit report ready to go when you visit. It makes you look prepared and professional and all that any landlord really wants is a tenant who isn't going to be a hassle. The credit reporting agencies are required by law to give you a free report every year and they can be accessed here. Also be prepared to share more personalized information about yourself with the landlords. This is a super competitive housing market, so they have a wide range of tenants to choose from and they want to make an informed decision. I've had some visits that are like mini job interviews (they asked about my interests, activities, etc.) Don't be shy about selling yourself, both financially and personally.
What are you looking for?
When you visit, know what your priorities are. Do you care if the kitchen is tiny? Dishwasher? Furnished or not? Would you prefer a bathtub or a shower stall? How's the water pressure? Also be sure to ask about all utility costs because that can vary widely and add $100+ more to your monthly burden. I put together a checklist of things I wanted to ask about and printed a bunch of copies. That way, I can compare the zillions of places I visit without having to remember all of the details.
So yeah, there you have it. If you've got any questions or comments, feel free to let me know. Best of luck and I'll see you in the fall (less than 2 months!!)
-OFD
So I'm up in the Bay right now figuring out the whole housing situation and its been quite an education. Here's a couple things that might be helpful for those of you getting ready to find a place to live. (Note: this advice is mildly skewed toward living alone):
How to Search
For starters, know that Craigslist is king. Take a look at the Inner Sunset/UCSF page and the Cole Valley page. Theres also a UCSF section on the Places4Students site that's especially for people looking to rent to UCSF affiliated people.
Timing
From what I gather, most places start on either the 1st or the 15th of the month, with the majority starting on the 1st. They tend to get posted online within a month before they start. Often they'll be vacant and available now. This market is very "Just In Time" so you need to be here shortly before you want to move in... you can't really arrange it in May. I flew up 3 weeks before I wanted to move in and it seems like a pretty good time to be here. If you hit the middle of the month (between the 10th and 20th) you'll hit the heart of the 1st day of the month vacancies and then start to see some 15th of the month dates too.
Location
the Inner Sunset is less expensive but has more fog. Cole Valley is a bit more sunny, but really pricey. I'm looking basically in the Inner Sunset between 25th and 2nd west to east and between Lincoln and Kirkham north to south. The N-Judah is a train that runs along Judah and also along part of Irving which takes you right to the campus, so it makes transportation pretty easy. Irving is a street with tons of awesome shops and markets. The best section of Irving I've found is between 19th and 25th... tons of stuff.
Cost vs. Location
The price goes down the further west you go... so between Cole and 10th your looking at 1br/studios for $1500, between 10th and 20th its around $1350, and past 20th it gets closer to $1100. I haven't been looking for roommates so I don't know too much about the shared places... seems to run between $850 and $1100 generally.
Selling Yourself
Finding a place your interested in is the first step. Then you've got to contact the landlord and set up a time to check it out. It really really helps if you have your rental history, references, financial resources information (bank statements and student loan award) and credit report ready to go when you visit. It makes you look prepared and professional and all that any landlord really wants is a tenant who isn't going to be a hassle. The credit reporting agencies are required by law to give you a free report every year and they can be accessed here. Also be prepared to share more personalized information about yourself with the landlords. This is a super competitive housing market, so they have a wide range of tenants to choose from and they want to make an informed decision. I've had some visits that are like mini job interviews (they asked about my interests, activities, etc.) Don't be shy about selling yourself, both financially and personally.
What are you looking for?
When you visit, know what your priorities are. Do you care if the kitchen is tiny? Dishwasher? Furnished or not? Would you prefer a bathtub or a shower stall? How's the water pressure? Also be sure to ask about all utility costs because that can vary widely and add $100+ more to your monthly burden. I put together a checklist of things I wanted to ask about and printed a bunch of copies. That way, I can compare the zillions of places I visit without having to remember all of the details.
So yeah, there you have it. If you've got any questions or comments, feel free to let me know. Best of luck and I'll see you in the fall (less than 2 months!!)
-OFD
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That is all EXCELLENT advice, (as someone who's moved three times in the year and a half I've lived in SF). Especially the bit about selling yourself to the landlord. To get my current apartment which I am madly in love with, I literally sat with the batty old women and drank tea for two hours, and let her stinky drooly dog sit on my lap.
One more neighborhood you could all consider is the Duboce Triangle. It is over the hill from Cole Valley, if you take the N-Judah towards downtown it is the second stop from UCSF. I really loved living there, its a beautiful little neighborhood, much much sunnier than any other area near UCSF, and within walking distance of the Mission and Castro. And since the N Judah stops there its also super easy to get to Parnassus, I would say within 15 minutes. I think it is under "Castro/Upper Market" neighborhood listings on Craigslist.
Good Luck you guys!
One more neighborhood you could all consider is the Duboce Triangle. It is over the hill from Cole Valley, if you take the N-Judah towards downtown it is the second stop from UCSF. I really loved living there, its a beautiful little neighborhood, much much sunnier than any other area near UCSF, and within walking distance of the Mission and Castro. And since the N Judah stops there its also super easy to get to Parnassus, I would say within 15 minutes. I think it is under "Castro/Upper Market" neighborhood listings on Craigslist.
Good Luck you guys!
