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Now this isn't actually I guess which city is the best.... but my gf and I are looking to get our masters in a few years, and these cities all over the programs we need and are accredited. She is looking for Genetic Counseling, and myself a masters for Physician Assistant.
We don't want to spend more then $1000/month on rent for a nice 1 bedroom, or even a house to rent. Of course we need to consider what the equivelent would be with the cost of living in whatever city comapred to KC. This knocks out some of our choices like Chicago which we would love, but not sure if we could afford. Portland, OR was also a preference but it lacks an accredited program for a masters in genetic counseling.
We are in our 20s, we would rather kick back at a lounge then go to club, and like some of the more quirky type neighborhoods. We are from Kansas City which has a very nice downtown/midtown area, and would like to live in downtown if possible, but if not in the more walkable areas with cute older houses.
Downtown doesn't seem like a great option for any of the 3 cities from what i've seen personally or read. Pittsburgh i've been told from their forums has a dead downtown and it's not worth living in. Madison... obviously we wouldn't be in any skyscrapers there. Houston I think is a fun city, but from my experience there (which I admit haven't been there for around 6 years) downtown was kinda blah then, but we hung out with friends that were just outside of it so I honestly don't know much about it...
We were hoping for rail transit but Madison doesn't have it, it sounds like Pittsburgh is under used and doesn't really go many places, and I know nothing about Houstons, we never took it when there.
Pittsburgh does seem to have a lot of great neighborhoods and is extremely close to other major cities if we wanted to get away for the weekend. Madison looks really pretty, but going away for the weekend to Milwaukee is like eh.. but at least there is Chicago. Houston... well close to other TX cities at least... I love Austin =P
So just curious some other peoples opinions? Also Pittsburgh schools seem to be the best rated out of a lot of what we have looked at.
Location: The land of sugar... previously Houston and Austin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skrizzle
Now this isn't actually I guess which city is the best.... but my gf and I are looking to get our masters in a few years, and these cities all over the programs we need and are accredited. She is looking for Genetic Counseling, and myself a masters for Physician Assistant.
That immediately tells me Houston. Largest medical complex in the world (Texas Medical Center) and a high demand for medical professionals (competitive salaries too.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by skrizzle
We are in our 20s, we would rather kick back at a lounge then go to club, and like some of the more quirky type neighborhoods. We are from Kansas City which has a very nice downtown/midtown area, and would like to live in downtown if possible, but if not in the more walkable areas with cute older houses.
I'm not as familiar with the other cities, though I'm sure you could find this type of neighborhood in each of them. In Houston, you'd want to look at Midtown, Rice Village area, Montrose, or Heights/W. Alabama St area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by skrizzle
Downtown doesn't seem like a great option for any of the 3 cities from what i've seen personally or read. Pittsburgh i've been told from their forums has a dead downtown and it's not worth living in. Madison... obviously we wouldn't be in any skyscrapers there. Houston I think is a fun city, but from my experience there (which I admit haven't been there for around 6 years) downtown was kinda blah then, but we hung out with friends that were just outside of it so I honestly don't know much about it...
The areas I mentioned above have some nightlife. Though downtown has some as well, along Main St. mostly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by skrizzle
We were hoping for rail transit but Madison doesn't have it, it sounds like Pittsburgh is under used and doesn't really go many places, and I know nothing about Houstons, we never took it when there.
I'm not familiar with the rail systems of the other two, but Houston has a small one (though it is expanding.) It runs between the Astrodome area up to downtown (with several stops in the medical district, museum district, and a few others along that line.) I used it all the time when I worked in the Texas Medical Center and it was always full of others in white lab coats.
Quote:
Originally Posted by skrizzle
Pittsburgh does seem to have a lot of great neighborhoods and is extremely close to other major cities if we wanted to get away for the weekend. Madison looks really pretty, but going away for the weekend to Milwaukee is like eh.. but at least there is Chicago. Houston... well close to other TX cities at least... I love Austin =P
Houston also has Galveston nearby. I think more locals go there than Austin.
Quote:
Originally Posted by skrizzle
So just curious some other peoples opinions? Also Pittsburgh schools seem to be the best rated out of a lot of what we have looked at.
Houston and Pittsburgh are large cities with all the big-city amenities. From what I know about Madison, it is primarily a college town (I worked on a few research projects between M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and Univ of Wisconsin at Madison.) Seems to me if you want more small/medium sized town, you'd look at Madison. If you want big city, you'd look at Houston or Pittsburgh.
I've never done the medium size town thing so not sure how much i'd really like it. Ive just seen pictures and it looks nice, but it might be a bit odd. For example Columbia is a cool city in MO, college town, I have fun there, but don't think i'd want to live there.
The only real down side for us on TX is the weather, we prefer the 4 seasons and summers in KC SUCK, we want to get away from the extremely humid summers. However, we deal with it now and we could continue to deal with it...
I've never done the medium size town thing so not sure how much i'd really like it. Ive just seen pictures and it looks nice, but it might be a bit odd. For example Columbia is a cool city in MO, college town, I have fun there, but don't think i'd want to live there.
The only real down side for us on TX is the weather, we prefer the 4 seasons and summers in KC SUCK, we want to get away from the extremely humid summers. However, we deal with it now and we could continue to deal with it...
Well if you hate the humid weather in KC; Your going to think your dying in Houston. It's very humid here and stays like that for awhile.
I've never done the medium size town thing so not sure how much i'd really like it. Ive just seen pictures and it looks nice, but it might be a bit odd. For example Columbia is a cool city in MO, college town, I have fun there, but don't think i'd want to live there.
The only real down side for us on TX is the weather, we prefer the 4 seasons and summers in KC SUCK, we want to get away from the extremely humid summers. However, we deal with it now and we could continue to deal with it...
No way around the humidity thing. Most transplants spend the summers indoors for the first four or five years until their body (and mind) makes the adjustment.
And about the rail, yeah, rail in Houston is currently slight, but the bus system is rather extensive. If you were to live in any of the areas AK123 mentioned (though W Alabama doesn't run through the Heights), you'd be easily able to survive without a car. You may want to rent one for the weekend getaways though.
3 different types of cities, Houston is much bigger than Pittsburgh and both are way larger than Madison. If you like a small college town with a more liberal open minded population Madison is your choice. If you like a segregated racist city where Blacks and Hispanic are largely excluded from professional class jobs Pittsburgh is the place for you.
If you like heat humidity and a very large southern type of city Houston is your town.
3 different types of cities, Houston is much bigger than Pittsburgh and both are way larger than Madison. If you like a small college town with a more liberal open minded population Madison is your choice. If you like a segregated racist city where Blacks and Hispanic are largely excluded from professional class jobs Pittsburgh is the place for you.
If you like heat humidity and a very large southern type of city Houston is your town.
I get the feeling you don't like Pittsburgh?
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