Looking to move to Alaska (Anchorage, Fairbanks: apartments, crime, home)

[BrittnyNaomii]

Hi! I'm Brittny.
i'm 19 and I currently live in california.

I have been wanting to move to Alaska for quite a while, I have heard such great things and it sounds like my kind of place.
the past couple days I have been looking up apartments and cheap housing throughout alaska
but I haven't found much.
i can't even figure out where exactly I would like to live.
I want to be surrounded by forest.
I was thinking Healy.
but I figured I would ask for opinions.

and if you could give some general information like:
how hard it is to find a job
where would I go to find living arrangements/prices
what's the year round weather like?
crime rate
and schooling [i want to go to college to major in wildlife] I can't afford a university, so a community college will probably be what I will be doing.

[naturesdreams]

[blueflames50]

Brit...seriously search and read this forum.....Alaska is not cheap to move to, start out in, or live in....the responses you will get here will seem mean, hostile and such...but trust me all responses are in your best interest....you are going to need a lot of money...like over $5000 to move to AK....maybe less as a student if you get on campus housing ....that I am not sure of...really you should visit first before you "think" you want to live in Alaska! it is not anything like what you think it is.

[Metlakatla]

For what you want to major in, you're going to have to go to a university after you get your required courses in...but you probably already know that so....

why not stay in California for the first two years of college? Sounds like money's an issue and like Blue said, Alaska isn't cheap. And then in the summers, come to Alaska and work seasonally for extra money and to get a feel for it...this thread in the Anchorage forum might be of interest to you:

//www.city-data.com/forum/ancho...periences.html

[warptman]

If you are seriously looking into the wildlife field, start by going college there and get on with Alaska Department of Fish & Game summer hire. This is one way to get a foot into the wildlife field.

ADF&G Careers, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

You can also look into the Fish & Wildlife...

USFWS - How Can I Find Employment Information?

[LittleJazzyP]

You might also want to check this out:

AmeriCorps.gov > AmeriCorps In Your State

I noticed when I previewed this that the link displays as "in your state," but it is the AmeriCorps page for Alaska.

[globetraveler]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

For what you want to major in, you're going to have to go to a university after you get your required courses in...but you probably already know that so....

why not stay in California for the first two years of college? Sounds like money's an issue and like Blue said, Alaska isn't cheap. And then in the summers, come to Alaska and work seasonally for extra money and to get a feel for it...this thread in the Anchorage forum might be of interest to you:

I'll second what Metlakatla said. California residence rates for a community college are $36.00 per semester unit. Alaska residence rates are around $154 a semester hour. For what it's worth, non residence rate are over $500 a semester hour. Calfornia and Alaska are part of the WUE, so if you transfer you are eligible to request a reduced WUE tuition rate of 150% of the resident rate at some of the schools in Alaska. Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)

My daughter is attending University of Alaska Fairbanks, majoring in Wildlife Biology, so I have a decent idea of college costs and dorm rates for UAF. She's in her third year there. If you haven't been here before, I'd recommend a trip before making a commitment here. My daughter tells me she's run into students who come here from out of state with a vision of what Alaska is like from movies, books, and TV shows. Once the lack of sunlight and the cold temps set it, some of these "dreamers" have trouble with Alaska reality at UAF. Even for my daughter, it was a bit of an adjustment her first year back in Fairbanks after living overseas for quite sometime.

[Gennaver]

Originally Posted by BrittnyNaomii

Hi! I'm Brittny.
i'm 19 and I currently live in california.
...
how hard it is to find a job
where would I go to find living arrangements/prices
what's the year round weather like?
crime rate
and schooling [i want to go to college to major in wildlife] I can't afford a university, so a community college will probably be what I will be doing.

Hi,
You are definately at a crossroads.

I take it you are out of high school. Perhaps living at home with your parents?

Had you spoke with you h.s. advisor about college and degrees and your choice of education and your work goals.

Maybe you'd want to first meet with someone face to face at a local school just to get a start and create a list of classes that you may need for your degree, find a program, (even if it isn't the one in AK yet but, just find a program because it will take a little while to get started.)

The school year starts in Fall and I think you'd need to fill out your FAFSA as soon as possible, (even if you are paying cash...) come the new year because it will help, check out the FAFSA website.

So aside from not having filled out your FAFSA, (yes, you can do this even without being certain of your school or all of your information because you can go back online and edit it and update it and schools really want you to have this done fast,) you have to meet with school advisors too.

They may want a couple of things nailed down, like what degree you'd like.

The living costs and apartment and travel and food...well, how are you taking care of all those things where you live now?

Jen
p.s. editing to add, wow, you've gotten some GREAT replies from previous posters in this thread, kudos to them!

[naturesdreams]

Like Gen said.. you guys rock.. great advice

[AKStafford]

Just to add to the discussion... Alaska doesn't have "community colleges." The University of Alaska has 3 main campus: Anchorage, Fairbanks & Southeast. And then each of these have local branches. But I'm pretty sure the tuition rate is the same regardless of where you take the classes.
There's been some good ideas suggested in this thread, including a visit before committing to move, or getting a summer job here. Some of the jobs in the tourist industry include the option of housing.
Remember Alaska is a HUGE state. Life in Fairbanks is vastly different than life in Juneau which is vastly different than life in Bethel.
If you like being surrounded by forest, I'd suggest looking at Valdez or any place in Southeast Alaska.