Considering Denton, TX for graduate school (Dallas, Austin: apartment complexes, rentals, crime rate)

[ChristieP]

I agree with everything that Rabbit33 said. The snakes and insects are really a non-issue.

You should instead be focused on the curriculum and quality of instruction in the graduate program at UNT.

[Jay Reese]

Thank you ChristieP, rabbit33, tmtex, and widespreadfan for your responses.

From what I've gathered, "critters" aren't really going to be an issue at universities and areas that are popular with people who are affiliated with those institutions. Someone mentioned that more "urban" areas, in general, will have fewer critters compared to more suburban and rural areas. Thank you for the reassurance.

Like ChristieP suggested, I'll focus on the curriculum and quality of instruction of my desired program.

[widespreadfan]

More urban areas could have problems with rodents. I think you need to analyze the academic parts of the particular program to make your ultimate decision. To me questions like am I going to be able to get a job upon graduation that will allow me to make a better living than I do now after paying a student loan payment (if you are borrowing funds) and do I want to spend the next 2-3 years in graduate school. That will give your the best answer if UNT is right for you or not. You may also want to consider where you want to live after graduation and factor in how well known UNT is or isn't in that area.

[Pinkett]

If you are really keen on getting this graduate degree, other problems seem very insignificant. I would only worry about crime, cost of living which Denton is pretty cheap and pretty safe. I am a student too currently and small things like bugs, mosquitoes are pretty irrelevant.

[Jay Reese]

Originally Posted by widespreadfan

More urban areas could have problems with rodents. I think you need to analyze the academic parts of the particular program to make your ultimate decision. To me questions like am I going to be able to get a job upon graduation that will allow me to make a better living than I do now after paying a student loan payment (if you are borrowing funds) and do I want to spend the next 2-3 years in graduate school. That will give your the best answer if UNT is right for you or not. You may also want to consider where you want to live after graduation and factor in how well known UNT is or isn't in that area.

Absolutely! Honestly, I've been thinking about graduate school for literally the last 5+ years. There's a healthy demand for the specific program I plan on studying, but I'm more motivated by the following:
*Experiencing graduate level coursework.
*Studying in a field that fits my true interests and talents. My undergraduate field in Electrical Engineering was NOT a good fit for me.
*Improving myself. I know that the specific graduate program I'm interested in will help me become more proficient in specific areas. In contrast to my attitude during my undergraduate years, I look forward to being challenged by professors and really working on mastering my chosen craft.

Originally Posted by Pinkett

If you are really keen on getting this graduate degree, other problems seem very insignificant. I would only worry about crime, cost of living which Denton is pretty cheap and pretty safe. I am a student too currently and small things like bugs, mosquitoes are pretty irrelevant.

Amen!!! I definitely prefer being in a nice, mid-sized city (like Denton) that's clean, safe, and affordable. I want to be in a positive environment.

I guess the reason why I brought up the "bug" issue is because I heard A LOT of people complain about the critters, describe how "Large" the bugs and spiders are, and even compare Texas to Australia (which is known for their assortment of unsightly, highly venomous creatures.) All the HORROR stories I heard and read concerning the critters and wildlife caused me to become apprehensive about the idea of being in Texas.

I've only been through Texas twice in my life, and that was only through Amarillo on I-40. I was only in Amarillo for a few hours. I don't have any REAL experience in the state of Texas.

I really appreciate the time you guys have invested in providing valuable information and insight.

[Taub201]

You'll like Denton and UNT. The school has a great jazz program which is interesting to see in your spare time. I also hear that Denton has a good music scene. Solid school, lots of students and good job prospects throughout DFW after your time in Denton. Go Mean Green!

[Jay Reese]

Originally Posted by Taub201

You'll like Denton and UNT. The school has a great jazz program which is interesting to see in your spare time. I also hear that Denton has a good music scene. Solid school, lots of students and good job prospects throughout DFW after your time in Denton. Go Mean Green!

Cool, cool. Denton seems like a very nice city. I'd rather live in a nice, clean mid-sized city that's not too crowded. The University of North Texas seems solid, and the curriculum of the program I'm interested in is nice. For me, graduate school would be part of my overall self-improvement journey, and (from what I've gathered) Denton seems ideal for that process.

I appreciate your insight, Taub201. I also want to send another "thank you" to the people who addressed my fears/phobias about the area. To be honest: I still have some of those same fears (as irrational as they might be.) I might have to push through those fears and take action anyway.

What's funny: From research, I discovered that there's actually plenty of "critters" here in Southern California. Furthermore, several of the same critters in Texas are also present in SoCal ... which makes sense given that the Sun Belt covers most of California and all of Texas, creating very hospitable climate conditions for a variety of wildlife. The humidity in the Southeastern part of the country might be more attractive to certain creatures, but I think the main appeal are the mild/warmer temperatures. It seems like the MAIN difference between a warm/dry climate like SoCal vs a warmer/humid climate like Northern Texas, are the mosquitoes ... which I grew up with in Southeastern Michigan.

[WorldKlas]

If you decide to go to UNLV here in Las Vegas….. we have scorpions. I lived in the DFW area for 40 years and never even knew they existed. Probably see one or more every couple of months here.

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by Jay Reese

I appreciate your response and insight, WorldKlas.

A lot of people have complained about those palmettos in Texas. I wasn't sure if some of those people were overexaggerating the problem, but apparently not. I heard those palmettos can grow up to 2 inches (that's BIG) ... and they have wings that allow them to fly. I also heard that it's VERY hard (darn near impossible) to prevent those palmettos from entering homes and buildings.

It looks like the mosquitoes in Texas might be more of an issue than the mosquitoes in the Midwest and Northeast.

Your description of the weather in the Dallas area doesn't surprise me given the weather in Kansas. I'd say the worst thunderstorms I've ever been in were in Kansas. The storms might be a notch worse in Texas.

I'm sure the weather in Nevada is definitely more desirable than the weather in Texas and the Southeast overall. I've never lived in Nevada, but I've been through Nevada several times on road trips. Of course, it gets VERY hot in Nevada in the Summertime (particularly, the Las Vegas area), but from what I've heard it also gets VERY hot in Texas ... but with MUCH more humidity.

Thank you very much for your valuable insight and assistance, WorldKlas. I really appreciate your time.

Spiders—use a house bomb regularly and they will kill any spiders or palmetto bugs in the house
Use a good quality bug spray around the foundation of the house and pay particular attention to the open weep holes in the lower course of brick—those can deter palmetto bugs from coming in

There is nothing you can do about hail except to have covered parking but if it comes during work hours your Xe is likely to Ve in open lor—
We sisn’r lose many roofs to hail as WorldKlas and if you are in an apartment it’s not your problem

Denton has a decent bus service and there are even buses from Dallas area to Denton UNT
My son got BS and MS from UNT, loved living there. Lot of upgrades going on there with roads which were needed but housing has gotten $$$ over time

I would say check carefull that your degree will be worth the time and effort
If you have a degree in electrical engineering and have been doing manual labor lately, your degree hasn’t don’t much for you
I don’t think UNT has much reputation even in TX

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by loves2read

Spiders—use a house bomb regularly and they will kill any spiders or palmetto bugs in the house
Use a good quality bug spray around the foundation of the house and pay particular attention to the open weep holes in the lower course of brick—those can deter palmetto bugs from coming in

There is nothing you can do about hail except to have covered parking but if it comes during work hours your Xe is likely to Ve in open lor—
We sisn’r lose many roofs to hail as WorldKlas and if you are in an apartment it’s not your problem

Denton has a decent bus service and there are even buses from Dallas area to Denton UNT
My son got BS and MS from UNT, loved living there. Lot of upgrades going on there with roads which were needed but housing has gotten $$$ over time

I would say check carefull that your degree will be worth the time and effort
If you have a degree in electrical engineering and have been doing manual labor lately, your degree hasn’t don’t much for you
I don’t think UNT has much reputation even in TX

UNT has number of excellent undergraduate and graduate programs. Anyone using school wide reputation is doing it wrong.