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Old 01-08-2012, 12:11 PM
 
13 posts, read 22,238 times
Reputation: 17

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I am planning to move with my twins and two dogs to California. Its always been a dream of mine to live there. I am planning to move there after I graduate college in two years to make California our home, attend graduate school and start a career there.

The Graduate schools I'm looking at are USC, University of California - Berkeley, UCLA and San Diego State University. What are affordable and family friendly areas to live? I'm trying to gather as much information as possible so in two years all we have to do is move.

Thank you in advance!
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Old 01-08-2012, 12:50 PM
 
Location: California
37,043 posts, read 41,975,975 times
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Only your budget, and acceptance into graduate school, can dictate whether this is doable or not.
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Old 01-08-2012, 12:55 PM
 
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2,190 posts, read 6,830,291 times
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yes, djnikki, what will your budget be?
"Affordable" is relative so you need to be more expensive.
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Old 01-08-2012, 01:56 PM
 
Location: Southern California
3,113 posts, read 8,350,707 times
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In my opinion, Ceece is right - acceptance into graduate school should be the main consideration. All of the schools listed are highly desirable and very competitive - and even if you could conceivably get accepted into all four, I would still think that the decision of where to go should be based on which program fits your needs best.

None of those schools is in a really affordable area - but if you really want to attend, you'll find a way.

Just let the selection of the right school and graduate program guide you, at this point.
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Old 01-08-2012, 02:00 PM
 
Location: Southern California
3,113 posts, read 8,350,707 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaijai View Post
yes, djnikki, what will your budget be?
"Affordable" is relative so you need to be more expensive.
It's unlikely she'll know what her exact budget is, until after she's been accepted into a particular graduate program. At this point she's probably just working with the same fuzzy, generic, average numbers that all graduate students use to compare schools and programs.
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Old 01-08-2012, 04:38 PM
 
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2,190 posts, read 6,830,291 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bouncethelight View Post
It's unlikely she'll know what her exact budget is, until after she's been accepted into a particular graduate program. At this point she's probably just working with the same fuzzy, generic, average numbers that all graduate students use to compare schools and programs.
True.
It was just a way to open a dialogue about living expenses.
She may have no idea how expensive rentals on or near the CA coast are.
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Old 01-08-2012, 05:00 PM
 
11,715 posts, read 40,322,740 times
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I sure hope the thread starter is being bankrolled by someone back home. Affording enough space for two kids in a safe area of coastal California is not cheap even when there's two working adults in the household. Are these kids school age or do they require day care? Throw two dogs into the mix and that knocks most apartments out. Renting a townhouse can easily be over $2000/mo in safe area.
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Old 01-08-2012, 10:34 PM
 
13 posts, read 22,238 times
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To answer questions:

I am doing this by myself, not being bankrolled by myself.

My kids will be in Pre-k when I move, so I will take classes when they are in school so I won't have to pay for child care

I was trying to see how much the living expenses are in the areas where I would be going to school. I am already saving so we will have a big cushion before we move out there.

There is a good likelihood I will get into one or more of these schools as the Social Work graduate program I'm applying for is not very competitive and they are going to be looking for more people to fill these spots. California is actually the top place where they will be looking for Social Workers. I've done my research on job locations thus far but I've hit road blocks as far as the areas to live.

Thanks again in advance!
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Old 01-08-2012, 10:58 PM
 
Location: California
37,043 posts, read 41,975,975 times
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Quote:
My kids will be in Pre-k when I move, so I will take classes when they are in school so I won't have to pay for child care.
That might not work out as well as you make it sound and will depend entirely on where you can afford to live. You really have to know where you will be going to school before you can look for places to live nearby. Like the other posters said, CA is just way too big to be specific. Maybe leave the dogs behind, it will make life way easier.
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Old 01-09-2012, 10:55 AM
 
Location: Southern California
3,113 posts, read 8,350,707 times
Reputation: 3721
Quote:
Originally Posted by djnikki1 View Post
I've done my research on job locations thus far but I've hit road blocks as far as the areas to live.
What kind of roadblocks?

Honestly, I would like to be helpful, but I'm just not sure what you're asking? I would think that if you get accepted into UCLA, you will want to live near UCLA, just like most of the other students who attend there. Is that not correct? Are you actually looking to move further away, and drive? And if so, why? If we knew what exactly you're looking for, and why you don't think you can find it near the schools, it might be easier to give advice.

Or, if you actually do want to stay near the school... There are nice and not-so-nice neighborhoods surrounding each of the schools you've mentioned in your first post - but since you're two years away from actually moving, you don't really need to figure all that out right now. That's the kind of thing you figure out when you come out to actually rent a place.
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