Moving To LA for a Second try! Advice? (Los Angeles, Fresno: apartments, rent)

[CourtneyW]

HAHA ok so hopefully I can be an example for some of the other people on this forum wishing to move to LA. So Yeah I moved to LA June 1st to go to Santa Monica College in Fall...i spent a lot of time looking for a job, exploring LA and surrounding areas, and just experiencing LA in general. Ok so finding a job was quite difficult. Alot of places wanted bilingual employees (I can understand spanish but can't speak it fluently). I also quickly realized how EXPENSIVE LA really is. I know you guys tell people that all the time, but it's hard to comprehend it unless you experience it for yourself. I also had housing issuses. I didn't realize how expensive apartments were either. I'm only 18. I graduated in May and took all the money i had $1200, and JUMPED on a plane to LA living on nothing but a big dream lol. Don't get me wrong..LA really isn't as bad as some people on here say. I come to realize that some people really just hate LA. But i love the city so that's why i'm going to try to go back in the Spring. So that's where you guys come in. This time i'm going to be much smarter about it and actually plan my move instead of just jumping on a plane and hoping i'll figure out something when i got there. (Oh and i stayed with a friend the whole time i was there..that's how i stretched that $1200).

Anyways. I was trying to figure out which community college is the cheapest in LA. Santa Monica was really expensive. I was wondering if others were cheaper? Also, what area would be best to stay in. I stayed in Cerritos while I was there. It was niice but i'd like to be a little closer to LA. Like maybe around Torrance or Hawthorne? I want to be a Nurse Anesthetist so a school with a nursing program would be nice! Thanks for any other advice you could give me! I really appreciate it!!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by CourtneyW

Anyways. I was trying to figure out which community college is the cheapest in LA. Santa Monica was really expensive. I was wondering if others were cheaper? Also, what area would be best to stay in. I stayed in Cerritos while I was there. It was niice but i'd like to be a little closer to LA. Like maybe around Torrance or Hawthorne? I want to be a Nurse Anesthetist so a school with a nursing program would be nice! Thanks for any other advice you could give me! I really appreciate it!!

Pretty likely the closer you are to the desirable parts of LA, the more expensive it will be. You want cheaper, then you'll probably have to give something up: proximity to fun stuff, less than ideal weather, easy commutes, personal space, ...something.

LA Valley college
Moorpark College
College of the Canyons
Mission College
Pierce College

Not sure about Orange County (except Orange Coast College)

Inland Empire?

[POhdNcrzy]

CourtneyW, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. After all those months posting your location as: AL, movin' to LA, you finally "moved" to LA, now your location reads AL again.

It's similar to my experience last year.

YOU KNOW WHAT? I figured it out too. Yes, yes, yes, yes....you can try again and move there a second time!

I might hafta do that myself.

BTW, I learned if you don't have mega-$$$, better to store your stuff with your parents if you can, and just move out to LA with a few things. You'll be less tied down and have more options...when you get there, stay focused on your goals.

[timelesschild]

Well, what would it be like if you move to a cheaper part of California to establish state residency, work for a year, and then start college closer in to LA? That is one option.

I am not sure which colleges are cheapest - google will be your best friend in answering this question. However, I do know that once you are a state resident you will fare MUCH better. Much, much, much better.

[jc76]

First of all good luck to you!

My situation (minus the college part) is very similar. I'm moving back out there in January, also staying with a friend in Hollywood until I get a place. I have also looked into Fresno because it is cheaper to live there and the weather is still really nice. Only problem is I have nobody in Fresno, in LA I know a few people, that always helps. So if your real worried about price but want to live in CA, I would say look into Fresno. I think they have a few colleges too and the rent is probably closer to what you pay in AL. Just a thought.

$1200.??? I don't know, I guess it could be done but the least I would go with would be 3 or 4K and a decent credit card.
Also, I believe rent in Tarzana is a little cheaper than most of LA, but it can be a long commute to the city especially if you gotta get on the dreaded 405.

Like another poster said, it would be good to just bring what you need; clothes, grooming stuff and then once your established have someone ship you your other things one box at a time, that way if something happens (ya never know) you can depart without having to sell everything you own.

I've learned alot about LA over the past few years, one minute you love the place, the next minute you wanna run back home to the comfort of cheap rent and clean streets. Either way, LA still seems to attract me to wanna live there. Wierd.

[the one]

most JC's or colleges will charge the same amount. and it will always be more expensive if paying out of state tuition. i would suggest, you find a job, find a cheap place to live, take public trans, establish residency, save money and then go to school.

my suggestion is monterrey park or montebello. they are very decent areas, with larger asian and latino populations. they are also within a short distance of East Los Angeles College and Pasadena City College (PCC is better). you can also easily go west and be in Downtown within 15 minutes. or 1/2 hour on the bus.

i recommend the east side because housing is cheaper and public trans is better.
you can try the valley, but im not extremely familiar with that part of town.
torrance and hawthorne or other south bay cities and parts of LA are a good choice. you can be close to Sout west college or el camino college. the housing is also less expensive, but public trans is a bit more of a hit and miss, and its a bit further south of DT.

either way, move, get a job and struggle for a bit. hopefully everything else will fall into place after that.

[Sorcerer68]

Check it out...here are the least expensive areas with good JC's nearby:

Pasadena-Pasadena City College: Way cheaper than Santa Monica. Actual school costs are the same in all JC's but your living expenses would be far cheaper. I found my sister a small house in Pasadena last year for $850/mo. Good bus service, Gold Line is nearby. Nice place to live for young people. There are lots of sub $1000/mo apartments if you look.

Glendale-Glendale College: Lots of cheap little studios around campus. Decent bus service. I've been talking to someone who has found very small studios in the 700's in this area (she looked for a couple months).

Koreatown-Los Angeles Community College (LACC): If you want the urban experience, you can find a cheap place in Koreatown and ride the subway to school. Thoroughly decent places (many in cute Deco buildings) can be had for under $1000/mo. It's got a little grit but your environment is totally different.

Only housing is more. Learn where all the discount shopping is like the 99c stores and Food 4 Less. Find the cheap takeout. You can get a large pizza for $5 here.

See valley recommendations above, I'm not a valley expert. North Hollywood is as cheap as Koreatown but it's not the prettiest...