Places to live near colleges (Long Beach, Pomona: 2013, low crime, neighborhood)

[ashamc9]

I've gone through this forum looking at past posts and got some ideas. I'm a 26 year old female looking to move to the west coast for grad school for Fall 2013. The schools I'm interested in are CSU LA, CSU DH, USC, CSU LB, and CSU Northridge. I'm looking for good areas to reside in, zero to low crime. I'm coming from the suburbs of Queens,NY and looking for a neighborhood similar to that. Looking for an area where I could get a studio or one bed/one bath for up to $1100, with parking, and not too much of a commute but willing to except up to an hour and a half.

Thanks for the help!

[genjy]

I have nothing much to add except I would avoid attending CSULA and living in that area if possible.

CSU Long Beach and Cal Poly Pomona are the top CSUs in this region.

[ashamc9]

I keep seeing people discouraging CSU LA attendance, reasons?

[genjy]

Originally Posted by ashamc9

I keep seeing people discouraging CSU LA attendance, reasons?

CSULA is not at all one of the best state universities. There are so many state schools to choose from in SoCal; it's sort of hard to justify going to CSULA.

Compared to other CSUs, CSULA's student population is a bit older and a bit poorer, and the school itself isn't as well-kept and updated. Academically, CSULA doesn't really stand out except for conferring education-related degrees and teaching credentials.

CSULA is also surrounded by ghettos (by LA's standards)--pretty gritty areas and definitely not the safest.

[Ceece]

What grad program? Being admitted will get you 50% of the way, being able to afford it as an OOS student will get you another 49%. The remaining 1%, where to live, will be easy once the first two issues are taken care of. And since there is no "zero crime" anywhere you will have choices.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by Ceece

What grad program? Being admitted will get you 50% of the way, being able to afford it as an OOS student will get you another 49%. Where to live will reveal itself once the first two issues are handled. There is no zero crime anywhere.

OP could go to Cal Poly Pomona and live in Walnut or Diamond Bar. It's not zero crime, but it's pretty close.

[Samoi137]

You're considering USC, a private university, but have a low housing budget? Even at the public universities you'd pay an out of state tuition. Expecting a scholarship? Not considering UCLA? Sure you'll get into any of these schools? Mightn't you get that first, and then worry about housing costs and commuting? Zero to low crime in a major urban area? Have you visited the area? With your long time frame, I'd strongly suggest that. I grew up in Van Nuys, a few miles form Northridge, and while it's certainly not ghetto, I don'tknow if it's zero to "low" (however you define that) crime. You say you want to go to school on the West Coast. Why? Why specifically the schools you listed? Have you considered other areas, such as Humboldt State University in Arcata? Should be safe. Cal State Chico? I think housing costs should be lower in Chico; don't know about Arcata. Even UC Merced and CSU Stanislaus should have lower housing costs than the L.A. area. BTW, I went to UCLA.

[ashamc9]

Planning to study Social Work and looking to visit the area in January.

[Tasksgirl]

CSU Northridge is in a suburb. Quiet, safe, should be able to find a studio in that price range.