Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I come from a developing country. I received a bursary to do post graduate studies at Columbia University in NY. I hope to be living in campus housing and will have $1500 post tuition, health care and rent. I am bringing my family (2 small children) and my spouse will not be allowed to work due to visa issues. We will be there for one year only and are willing to give up some things for this year. What I want to know is whether I would be able to keep my young ones warm and safe and fed on this amount of money??????? My eldest will be starting school in NY and there is no way we would be able to afford private schools. He is 6 years old and a sensitive soul, would be be OK in the public schools.
I don't know about public schools up in that area of the city. That area's right in Washington Heights, a bad area of the city. I'd think about private schools but he's only 6. Not much will go on in a 1st grade classroom.
Columbia U. in Wash Heights? I believe most if not the whole medical school is in Wash Heights., by Presbyterian Hospital (a great hospital). The immediate area around the hospital is not a bad area BTW.
But most of the Columbia U. campus is in morningside heights. Which is a nice neighborhood. I don't know how the public schools are over there though.
Futurecop your giving some people some bad, biased advice. Are you familiar with the different neighborhoods in the city? It doesn't seem so. I remember in another post you made it seem like City College was in East Harlem, when it is not.
Last edited by NooYowkur81; 04-26-2007 at 03:51 PM..
I went to Columbia for medical school: the MEDICAL school is in Washington Heights. The rest of the university is in the area of Morningside Heights. But the area around it, especially around Broadway, is FINE. Not sure about the schools, however!
Look for a review of the local schools at www.insideschools.org. Public elementary schools tend to be better than the higher grades. We pay about $750/month for food for a family of four.
My uncle got an emergency call at Columbia University and they said Washington Heights. But nom, I'm not really familiar with Washington Heights.
The crime rates between East Harlem and Harlem are not much different. The Bloods are highly-concentrated in East Harlem, but don't think for a second there are no Bloods in Harlem.
I'm not being biased at all. I'm being honest. Harlem is not a good place to raise a family. For a year, you should be fine. But long-term.... No. A lot of people seem to think Harlem's becoming great. Be realistic, this won't happen anytime soon. Yes, they're cleaning it up, but whatever gets cleaned gets messy again. Harlem doesn't have a lot of time to be fixed up because crime's coming back in NYC and it's going to bite somebody in the ass someday.
My uncle got an emergency call at Columbia University and they said Washington Heights. But nom, I'm not really familiar with Washington Heights.
The crime rates between East Harlem and Harlem are not much different. The Bloods are highly-concentrated in East Harlem, but don't think for a second there are no Bloods in Harlem.
I'm not being biased at all. I'm being honest. Harlem is not a good place to raise a family. For a year, you should be fine. But long-term.... No. A lot of people seem to think Harlem's becoming great. Be realistic, this won't happen anytime soon. Yes, they're cleaning it up, but whatever gets cleaned gets messy again. Harlem doesn't have a lot of time to be fixed up because crime's coming back in NYC and it's going to bite somebody in the ass someday.
I'm moving to LA before I get caught up in it.
Your dissing on NYC for crime and gang activity, but your moving to LA? Come again. LA has plenty of crime issues, especially problems with gangs.
BTW there are some very nice areas of Harlem and Washington Heights, ever heard of Striver's Row? Ever taken a walk around Fort Washington in Washington Heights? It's not all projects and gun shots.
Yeah there are better places to raise a family, but hey that's subjective. Some people don't like the sheltered car/mall obsessed culture of suburbs and prefer the idea of raising their kids in a city environment. Plus if the public schools happen to be bad in a certain area there are affordable private schools in the city (mainly catholic), and charter schools are becoming more and more of an available option.
I come from a developing country. I received a bursary to do post graduate studies at Columbia University in NY. I hope to be living in campus housing and will have $1500 post tuition, health care and rent. I am bringing my family (2 small children) and my spouse will not be allowed to work due to visa issues. We will be there for one year only and are willing to give up some things for this year. What I want to know is whether I would be able to keep my young ones warm and safe and fed on this amount of money??????? My eldest will be starting school in NY and there is no way we would be able to afford private schools. He is 6 years old and a sensitive soul, would be be OK in the public schools.
$1500/month seems to be cutting it very tight, if it's even possible. I would want more of a cushion if it was just me and my wife, let alone kids.
Yeah your statements don't make any sense. Los Angeles is a LOT worse than NYC in terms of crime.
Los Angeles has one of the lowest ratios of police to people for a population of its size for just about any city in the country. This is why crime, especially gang crimes, have become such an epidemic in LA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FutureCop
My uncle got an emergency call at Columbia University and they said Washington Heights. But nom, I'm not really familiar with Washington Heights.
The crime rates between East Harlem and Harlem are not much different. The Bloods are highly-concentrated in East Harlem, but don't think for a second there are no Bloods in Harlem.
I'm not being biased at all. I'm being honest. Harlem is not a good place to raise a family. For a year, you should be fine. But long-term.... No. A lot of people seem to think Harlem's becoming great. Be realistic, this won't happen anytime soon. Yes, they're cleaning it up, but whatever gets cleaned gets messy again. Harlem doesn't have a lot of time to be fixed up because crime's coming back in NYC and it's going to bite somebody in the ass someday.
I would grab the opportunity and enjoy it; eat, drink and be merry!
I did the same many years ago (in reverse, and left NYC for a fellowship in Western Europe). Sure I ate less, or differently, but boy did I learn lots and have terrific experiences.
If you have your health care, rent and tuition accounted for and only need to feed yourself, the family and have some entertainment, I suspect you'd be okay--!
And Columbia may have some good school resources for the youngsters! Check with their administration or graduate student fellowship office.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Durbs
I come from a developing country. I received a bursary to do post graduate studies at Columbia University in NY. I hope to be living in campus housing and will have $1500 post tuition, health care and rent. I am bringing my family (2 small children) and my spouse will not be allowed to work due to visa issues. We will be there for one year only and are willing to give up some things for this year. What I want to know is whether I would be able to keep my young ones warm and safe and fed on this amount of money??????? My eldest will be starting school in NY and there is no way we would be able to afford private schools. He is 6 years old and a sensitive soul, would be be OK in the public schools.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
LA has plenty of crime issues, especially problems with gangs. 
