moving for school (Anchorage, Fairbanks: apartment, rentals, condos)

[Mdberner]

I am a non-traditional student (an adult), coming back to school. I figured this would be a good way to "try" the Alaskan frontier before deciding if AK is the place for me. (my boyfriend has dreamed of living in alaska, but never been. Not willing to make a committed move without some time there first)
I am preparing for the move, bringing my man, and several pets... the only hitch I am running into is a place to live. Finding a relater that deals with rentals is an issue. I can't live on campus with the pets, and I'm not giving up the dogs. (Alaskan appropriate breeds)
Any suggestions on that note, and above and beyond that, I'm looking for a good, relocating to Alaska "checklist" winterizing the vehicles and what not.

Thanks in advance!

[Xa'at]

Which campus? Juneau, Fairbanks, or Anchorage?

[Mdberner]

Anchorage, I forgot to mention that didn't I?

[shatteredzman]

I plan on moving to alaska to finish my college degree, I'm taking about 2 years in oklahoma and finishing up the rest of my degree in anchorage. What I have learned so far is that(I'm not 100% sure!) classes are very expensive until you become a "resident of alaska"

Heres some general info from Alaska Residency

I'm not really sure but for me it looks like I will have to live in alaska for a year before I can afford classes in anchorage.

check the tuition costs

Tuition and Fees

Its about $200 per credit, I'm not sure if they mean per class because classes count as 1-4 credits. Dont quote me on that because I am not sure.

I am still confused about this as it is way too much info but I am sharing what I know.

Oh and if you attended college already see if your credits transfer by going here.

Transfer Credit Resources

[Xa'at]

If you are a resident of one of the following states, you probably qualify for WUE:

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming



It's not quite resident tuition, but it's better than non-resident.

[shatteredzman]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

If you are a resident of one of the following states, you probably qualify for WUE:

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming



It's not quite resident tuition, but it's better than non-resident.

Not to hijack this thread, but is there anything like this I can get? I live in oklahoma

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by shatteredzman

Not to hijack this thread, but is there anything like this I can get? I live in oklahoma

Not that I know of, sorry. You should look into scholarships, though. They aren't just for the top 5 anymore- you can get all sorts of stuff. I found one that is for left handed people, there's tons of them if you're a GED recepient, don't even get me STARTED on what's available for people with disabilities or who are minorities.
Paying for college isn't as difficult as people think. You just have to get creative.
If that fails, you can always rob a bank-

[Mdberner]

I am going to UAA in the fall. Out of state tuition is 400 something per credit hour... This is actually fairly standard out of state tuition for any state college. One good way to encourage in state students to go to the school in their state, and hopefully stay there after graduation.

Financial aid does take into consideration oos costs. And any financial aid for Alaska takes into account Alaska's cost of living. It's not cheap, but financial aid makes it possible. And for me it's a good way to decide if Alaska is the place for me, without the financial hardship of just moving and hoping I find a job and like it....

I am affording school through a variety of grants and student loans. The big disadvantage for me is I also need a extra student loan to get up to Alaska from KS.... NOT CHEAP AT ALL....

My only problem is finding a place to live before I get there. Perhaps I will have to have my things moved in one of those storage cubes and live in a hotel for a bit while finding a place. (I don't want to do that)

So if anyone has ideas for me as how to get a small house or 2 bedroom apt that will allow pets... that's what I am looking for

Shatter , if I can help you at all with the research you are doing... I will... and yes TONS of info. But UAA is awesome at helping at their enrollment offices. I've even had a couple of people there offer to let me call and get any help I need. Contacted a realtor and he has offered me some ideas of where to live.. and gave me more contact info as questions come up. Getting that place before I move, that's the only hold up, and I can't afford a trip up their before the move

[Xa'at]

...pm sent...

[rotorhead]

Try widening out your search for condos and duplexes, of which Anchorage has a LOT of. They're typically cheaper than detached single-family homes, and sometimes you can find one where the owner lives in the other duplex half so the landlord isn't hard to find when something breaks in the middle of the night. Might be an inconvienance for a twenty-something, but I'm sure someone would love to have a tenant/neighbor that isn't partying all the time.

Maybe someone living in ANC can find you one of the free "apartment finder" booklets, they're everywhere in the grocery store lobbies. Or maybe try the Chamber of Commerce, they can send out a "welcome package". All the big realtors are there, Coldwell Banker, ReMax, etc. so keep bugging them until you find someone that'll deal with rentals. Or look up "property managers" in the phonebook online, they'll certainly know who's renting.

Best yet, try coming up on vacation and get a look around for yourself, you can sometimes find some good deals on airfare in the summer when there's lots of flights but that's less and less common as fuel costs erode the airlines profit margins. Be prepared for some sticker shock coming from the midwest, Anchorage is hemmed in on all sides so buildable land is getting harder to find and prices have always been higher than down south.