[ogre]

Hi everyone. Currently living in MA, looking at grad schools, prepared to relocate to just about anywhere in the U.S. Central Michigan is among the schools I'm considering, and I need to know whether living in Mount Pleasant would work for me. Money's tight, so I won't have a car at first, maybe not the whole time I'm in school. Is it possible to find a place to live in this area that's affordable on a student budget, and is within walking distance of campus, shopping, entertainment, etc.?

I'm older than the typical student, and would prefer living where there wouldn't be so much of a heavy student party scene nearby. Not having to share an apartment would be preferable as well. Doesn't have to be a big place--a studio would be fine. Is there on-campus housing that might work? If not, I don't mind a bit of a walk, but would prefer being no more than about a mile from campus, so I wouldn't spend all day getting places.

Speaking of transportation, when it's time to get out of town for a vacation, what means are there for traveling to and from Mount Pleasant without my own wheels? Are there busses to Lansing or Detroit? Does Mount Pleasant have an airport with commuter flights to larger cities?

Hey, and anything else a newcomer would need to know? Thanks.

[M TYPE X]

Marquette is a better choice than Mt Pleasant if you must absolutely live in the Middle America without a car.

[scottmi]

Nope. You want to live in Michigan? Better have a car.

This ain't 1907.

[ogre]

Since you mentioned Marquette, I'm guessing that you've seen my thread asking about life in Marquette, as I'm also looking at Northern Michigan U. Even though I'm seeking info about both Marquette and Mount Pleasant, this isn't about whether I would enjoy living in one city more than another, but whether I could meet my basic needs in either or both. Would I be able to live there at all? I'm not looking for the place I want to settle down for life, just the place I'll be spending a few years in grad school. (Although, you never know. If I were to really fall for the place I lived while in school, I just might decide to stay there!)

I'm looking at grad schools all over the country, and consider the schools and graduate programs to be of primary importance in making a choice. Still, you have to live, get around town, eat, have a roof over your head, etc. I need to know whether someone in my circumstances (tight budget, no wheels) could manage these things in a given place in order to know whether I can even consider going to shcool there. That basic information is what I need most to know. Once I know I can basically live in a place, I'll make my decision based on which university and which graduate program looks best, not whether I would prefer one town over another.

But still, I'd appreciate any info anyone wants to provide about especially appealing features of a place. Who knows? If I find several graduate programs I especially like, quality of life in the schools' local areas could be a tie-breaker!

Thanks!

[apotheosis]

There's no such thing as public transportation in Michigan.

[magellan]

oops, please delete.

[magellan]

Hopefully this "non-snarky" reply will help you out ogre.

Greyhound Bus services much of Michigan, so I think you'll be able to travel intra-city for weekend getaways.

Greyhound.com

I don't know if they have a city bus service in Mt. Pleasant (I doubt it), but there is an older neighborhood just North of Cental's campus that you could definitely walk to campus and the retail areas. A lot of older homes that have been split up into apartments. My sister did just that.

The closest airport with decent flights is maybe Midland-Bay City-Saginaw airport East of Mt Pleasant:

midland airport loc: Bay City, MI - Google Maps

If you can go car-free, I'd say go for it!

[Lovktt9]

Hi Ogre,

I live in Mt. Pleasant and its not a very big town at all. You can easily find housing close to campus and if you get a bike you can make it to either side of town in less then 20 min. We do have busses too that can get you around town very cheap. As far as getting out of town there is a Greyhound here and thats it, but it will take you to Lansing then you can either take Greyhound or Amtrak to anywhere you want to go. My landlord has alot of really nice apts. around town if you need to find a place. Anywhere in town though you are gonna run into college kids, but you can get into some apts. thats more family friendly.

[ogre]

I know that in this nation that has been car-mad since, oh, a number of decades before I was even born, there are people who drive everywhere. There are plenty of folks who would drive three blocks to buy a gallon of milk at the neigborhood ministore. Not to judge anyone, but I just have a different outlook. I would walk those three blocks even if I did have wheels. Nothing at all against cars, but it's just not in my student budget to own one, at least not at first, and that works okay for me, as long as I can find the right set-up. Not only do I not mind walking some, but in fact I like getting out in the air and getting some physical activity, as long as it's not so long a walk that I spend half the day just gettting places. Maybe someone who drives everywhere, and says it's impossible to get around without a car just isn't thinking in the same terms I do. As long as a college is not out in the country, or well away from downtown in a purely residential neighborhood, it should work for me. If the school is in town, within a few blocks of downtown, or some collection of businesses that supply the basic needs, and if I can also find a workable place to live within, say, a mile of campus, that works.

Thanks for the info. Magellan and Lovektt9, thanks for the details you've provided. Mount Pleasant definitely sounds workable for my needs. Love, thanks for the offer of info on quieter apartments. I'll hold off until I do further research and make applications to grad schools, and find out where I'll actually be going. Wouldn't want to put you out, or your landlord, if I don't even know I'll end up at Central Mich.

Thanks again for the info, everyone. Take care.

[jaynarie]

Central is a major "party school", so you may want to go to Northern. Central is the #1 party school in Michigan, in my experience, with MSU not that far behind. Honestly, Western may be the best choice as far as not party-dominate and more public transportation.
UofM and Eastern also have better public transportation opportunities. But, MI does not have much public transportation, as mentioned above. They are close to DTW, where flights from EMU and CMU are costly when/if you can find them! Plus the commute from CMU to the nearest airport....
I honestly think you would be better off looking into WMU, EMU or UM.