Going to college..need a city near laguna beach/irvine (Los Angeles: apartment, lease) - Orange County - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

readinvin92 · 06-23-2009, 07:28 PM

Ok I am from michigan, going to college in So Cal, but not sure exactly where.

I am looking for a 2 bed/2bath aptment, which I will share with a roomate. Pretty sure my good friend will be my roomate, so i dont have to worry about finding one.

I want a nice place, which is like anywhere around here, and looking anywhere around 1600/month.

Where are some good areas, and where should i stay OUT of?..

Thanks

Charles · 06-23-2009, 07:43 PM

I hope you aren't going to be majoring in English, Geography, or Finance.

EscapeCalifornia · 06-23-2009, 07:46 PM

How do you know you're going to come to SoCal but not know which college? Are you just going to start knocking on admissions offices hoping to get in somewhere? Would you still want to live in Laguna Beach if you went to Cal Poly Pomona? Do you watch a lot of MTV?

missionhome · 06-23-2009, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

How do you know you're going to come to SoCal but not know which college? Are you just going to start knocking on admissions offices hoping to get in somewhere? Would you still want to live in Laguna Beach if you went to Cal Poly Pomona? Do you watch a lot of MTV?

Haha, very true Escape, it seems there are so many people who are posting stuff like:
"Hi, I'm moving to So Cal in one month (September 1) and I think I would maybe like to go to USC. Or maybe Cal Tech. Or Cal State Fullerton. Or UCLA. Or Chapman, etc.... like these people think a competitive university just has a spot waiting for them the second they move here.

If you aren't accepted into a university yet (colleges accepted students in April for the fall 2009 semester/quarter) then you will be going to a community college (which has also started the registration process for Fall 2009 students). Irvine Valley (Irvine), Saddleback (Mission Viejo), Orange Coast (Costa Mesa), Santiago (Orange), Fullerton (Fullerton), Cypress (Cypress), etc.... are some community colleges in Orange County. Are you sure you are ready for college???

readinvin92 · 06-25-2009, 06:56 AM

I have another year, I am lookin for suggestions to look for. I am not going anytime soon.

jordanrbennett · 06-25-2009, 12:55 PM

readinvin92,
Depending on where you are going to be studying, rents around Southern California vary tremendously! I'm originally from Toronto so first off, congrats on your potential move to the west coast. I have lived just outside of Malibu, in down town Los Angeles, and currently in Orange County. I have to say that I am happiest in Orange County. It is such an idyllic setting. In terms of renting an apartment, finding something for under $1600 a month should be no problem unless you expect to live on the beach, in which case you won't be able to find a shack for under $2000.

that1guy · 06-25-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by readinvin92

I have another year, I am lookin for suggestions to look for. I am not going anytime soon.

With traffic and gas prices, find out first where you are going to school, then decide where to live. What if you got into LA area schools? The traffic is bad. It takes me about and hour and a half to travel 45 miles between Torrnace and Yorba Linda (rush hour traffic). On a good day it's still about an hour or so. Also, SoCal is HUGE. There are colleges in Riverside/San Bernardino in the east, Santa Barbara in the north, San Diego in the south, and Malibu in the west. So you are talking of a 400 mile difference N-S and an 70 mile difference E-W. Unless you get into Chapman, UCI, or Cal State Fullerton...by all means look into Laguna (maybe not for Cal State Fullerton or Chapman...why waste money on gas?)

Just some advice.

readinvin92 · 06-26-2009, 08:40 PM

Ok let me explain something. I hate Michigan, and I visted ca twice and i know its for me. I golf, and I can golf year round, I love the weather, and I dont plan on living there my entire life, but I think it will be something incredible to just do 4 years there, thats why I want to go to college. I have also been told ca colleges are pretty solid in general.

I want to be out of the way of LA, and I went to laguna beach, laguna hills, and it is sick. There is nowhere else I want to go to college but somewhere in the socal area. I know its huge, thats why I am here, tyring to narrow down some choices.

So then again I ask, where should I go. And fwiw, I dont plan on going to a UC/ UC state school to start. I want to go to a smaller school, just a solid college for 2 years, then transfer to UC state or something like that. I would live with a roomate, and i have a couple of close friends who also want to go to college out there, and we could room together. But anyways, I want somethng for ~$1600/month 2bd/2baths..so 800/person

missionhome · 06-26-2009, 09:05 PM

Ok, well there are plenty of community colleges if you want to do a transfer after two years. However you will still have to work on establishing residency by severing all ties at home if you don't want to pay double the tuition a resident would pay. Read lots of websites about establishing residency. You can't have family pay your $1600 rent in any way for example. You will also pay non-resident fees at the community colleges. IMO the best community colleges in no particular order in OC are Irvine Valley College, Orange Coast College, Saddleback College, Santiago Canyon College, Cypress College, and Fullerton College. Also, in Orange County you will need a car because these community colleges do not have dorms (they are for commuters) and you will also need a job to drive to.

The only four year universities (that are respected IMO) within Orange County are University of California-Irvine, California State University-Fullerton, and Chapman University. Each of these have strengths in various majors. CSU Fullerton is a bit far from Newport or Laguna Beach (two very expensive cities), as is Chapman possibly for a full time student. By avoiding Los Angeles and only wanting to live in Newport Beach area you miss out on some great universities in Southern California like UCLA, University of Southern California, Cal Tech, or Pepperdine as options. You might want to focus on the schools rather than just the enviornment for example. What if UCI, Fullerton, or Chapman aren't good fits for you??? What if you don't like them??? What if they aren't strong in your major??? You really need to consider looking at every school in So Cal rather than limiting yourself to three.

Also, what kind of student are you if you don't mind me asking??? You will still need to get good grades in community college to transfer to a school like UCI. If you have a 2.8 GPA now in high school, things aren't likely to change at community college here in CA, especially considering you will be balancing having a job likely as well.

readinvin92 · 06-28-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missionhome

Ok, well there are plenty of community colleges if you want to do a transfer after two years. However you will still have to work on establishing residency by severing all ties at home if you don't want to pay double the tuition a resident would pay. Read lots of websites about establishing residency. You can't have family pay your $1600 rent in any way for example. You will also pay non-resident fees at the community colleges. IMO the best community colleges in no particular order in OC are Irvine Valley College, Orange Coast College, Saddleback College, Santiago Canyon College, Cypress College, and Fullerton College. Also, in Orange County you will need a car because these community colleges do not have dorms (they are for commuters) and you will also need a job to drive to.

The only four year universities (that are respected IMO) within Orange County are University of California-Irvine, California State University-Fullerton, and Chapman University. Each of these have strengths in various majors. CSU Fullerton is a bit far from Newport or Laguna Beach (two very expensive cities), as is Chapman possibly for a full time student. By avoiding Los Angeles and only wanting to live in Newport Beach area you miss out on some great universities in Southern California like UCLA, University of Southern California, Cal Tech, or Pepperdine as options. You might want to focus on the schools rather than just the enviornment for example. What if UCI, Fullerton, or Chapman aren't good fits for you??? What if you don't like them??? What if they aren't strong in your major??? You really need to consider looking at every school in So Cal rather than limiting yourself to three.

Also, what kind of student are you if you don't mind me asking??? You will still need to get good grades in community college to transfer to a school like UCI. If you have a 2.8 GPA now in high school, things aren't likely to change at community college here in CA, especially considering you will be balancing having a job likely as well.

i am not gettign a job. Right now I plan on taking on some loans, and my job right now is a professional poker player. I have a solid amount of money saved up, where I can pay for rent/food/car etc, and be ok. I just want to take out a loan for tuition. And as far as schooling, i def. will be doing alot more studying and applying myself to the work. In HS I never studied and usually just had all B's, i got a 24 on ACT, which is ok i guess.

btw, do I need to take the SAT? I will be able to establish residency if I live there for a year right? The lease will be in my name when I go there.