Need advice regarding Sacramento to San Francisco commute for school. (Concord: to rent, loans)

[pseudomancer]

So here's the quick story; I have finally achieved a huge dream of mine and have been accepted to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Problem: I live in Sacramento and I don't have money like a lot of their current students. In fact, I'm pretty damn poor. The only way I am able to afford that school is that I have a bunch of loans and managed to get some decent scholarships. None of this would help with the living cost though.

There is just no way I can afford to live there and my Fiance has a very decent job in Sacramento that she can't give up. On top of that, we have a HUGE place in Sacramento for only 800/month. A place that is less than half the size of my current residence costs over 13000/m in SF!

So my only option it seems is to commute. However, I can't find any ways of getting to the bay area that make any sense! It seems like AmTrack WANTS to fail so that option would take me 5-6 hours of commuting including the BART transit. It seems that driving is also insanely expensive and hardly that much faster. I've considered getting a motorcycle but I've got no clue what I'd do when I need to bring home a large canvas for homework. It's all so frustrating!! Why hasn't anyone built a faster option for Sac-Bay area commuters???

How do the non trust fund babies do this?

[clongirl]

This is gonna suck all around for you but you have a few options..

Move closer to the city- perhaps somewhere in between- Get a part time job (most students are poor, even the ones from Academy of Art (I knew plenty of graduates, and none were trust fund babies).

Find room mates or rent a room in a house in/around SF. Plenty of other starving students do it- I worked an independent movie cinema when I was an art student. Most young people do this. It's not going to be what you're accustomed to, but you're going to have prioritize.

Commuting is not really an option in my opinion. 4+ hours on the road every day..when will you have time for homework/assignments, making friends and getting involved with the artistic community? This can't go on for very long without seriously affecting you and your emotional well being.

I know it's ridiculous that there is no high speed rail from Sac to SF but it is what it is. Gas is expensive, rail is expensive and BART is expensive. Just no way around the cost or efficiency.

Another option is for your girlfriend to support your dream and find another job closer to SF. I know she's got a good job in Sac, but there are plenty of better jobs closer to San Francisco. Unless you are open to attending Sac State or something closer, you or your girlfriend are going to have to compromise.

I'm sorry if my advice sounds bleak, but I know from experience that commuting every day in and out of one of the most congested areas in the US, while you're trying to get an education is not really an option if you want to succeed with your dreams. Sometimes you just have to give up something comfortable to get something better in the long run. Perhaps your girlfriend can support herself for a while, get a cheaper place in Sac while you do your "thing" in SF during the week?

[wburg]

Taking Amtrak will cost $28 a day, plus what you pay to ride RT and BART/MUNI, figure total about $35 a day. For a moment let's assume you only have classes 3 days a week--that's $400-500 a month just to commute, not counting the 4-6 hours a day when you can't work (either on your art or at a job.) That closes up the gap between $800 rent in Sacramento and $1300 in San Francisco pretty fast.

Driving and parking in San Francisco will cost more than that. Even on a motorcycle it won't be cheap.

Bite the bullet and move to San Francisco. Remember, going to art school is as much about meeting the people you're going to market yourself to as it is learning how to create art, and you won't meet those folks riding the train. Plus, if you're living in SF you would be far more able to find some work in the city if you needed to make a little more cash. Not having a 4-6 hour commute frees up your schedule that much more.

I think I'm just echoing what clongirl just said, but she said it very well and it bears repeating. You've got a hard choice to make, but trying to commute will end in failure.

[edwardius]

The Amtrak fairs are cheaper if you buy them in bulk. Depending on how many trips you expect to make to SF it may make sense to buy either the ten trip or monthly passes here.

::: The Capitol Corridor: fares & tickets ::: (http://www.capitolcorridor.org/fares_and_tickets/ - broken link)

[Kd7788]

I went through something similar as I lived in Sacramento and commuted to Sf to go to school for about 18 months. My intention was to move there, but then it never happened.

What you have to think is that even though rents are higher there, most of the places are in poor shape, the competition to find an apt is brutal as well. Going to school is already a huge change in your routine that takes a lot of mental energy. I would not make that worse by changing to a new job where everyone is new and you have to get used to it and learn some more.

I did just fine socializing and with study groups. Everyone went out of their way because I was from out of town and I even stayed in SF as classmates places some of the time. You might be able to find an arrangement like that. Maybe one of your classmates has a room or a sofa to rent to you for a while.

It was stressful and with all the coming and going I spent a lot of money plus with all the studying my salary for that year was only $6,000, but heck, it was well worth it, the experience was enriching. I advanced my career greatly and those 6,000 have turned into 60,000 when I would have to struggle to make 36,000 before I went to school.

I drove, but you can get a monthly pass at Amtrak and use your time commuting for studying and anything else you might need to get done. There are also van pools. Try to limit your schedule to no more than 3 days a week of school. The only concern would be your girlfriend and that you will spend a lot of time apart. You both have to really work on your relationship and always look at the purpose of why you are doing this.

Good luck!

[limorider]

Best way for us rent a town car 4 friends at $225and split we paid avarage $55.00 include tax toll & everything forthe transportation from sacramento to Fan Francisco.

[KC6ZLV]

Have you checked the rents in Concord?

You could take BART from Concord into SF.

[CityGirl72]

Congrats! That is a wonderful school.

I will say - I agree with everyone that after commuting that way for only a month - you'll realize it's pretty much hell.

Have you tried taking a look at Craigslist and renting a room at someone's house - or checking out for roommates? And you don't have to live IN THE CITY - try right out of it - concord is a good idea.

Lots of people are trying to make extra income by renting rooms - it could work. And you'll LOVE the experience of living in San Fran, you are just the right age.

[CityGirl72]

PS - you seem really young - way too young to have a finance - but that's your issue. I will tell you anyone who loves you will let you move out there and still be waiting to see you in Sacramento on the weekends.

[ecvMatt]

Buy a van, stay in the Bay Area 2 or three nights a week.


I have a friend who does the opposite, lives in the Bay Area, commutes to Sacramento, but for work, and damn good paying work.