trying to decide where in Norcal to move and go back to school to.

[wburg]

Originally Posted by Majin

wburg, would you rather live in the bad part of Oak Park or Lincoln?

Both would suck pretty much equally. Both would prevent me from doing things I like, so it's kind of a draw. And considering my politics and preferences compared to those of folks in Lincoln, I think I'd get about as many bad stares in Lincoln as in Oak Park.

[mir86]

wow, thanks for all the tips! keep it coming!

ya, I don't really care much for Tucson's downtown and have never really been a fan of any city's downtown for a place to live, things to do, yes, but not to live. Tucson's downtown is dirty and really boring for a downtown. That's why I asked where there are young people outside of Sac's downtown, but it makes sense that they would live near the colleges/universities. I like a quiet place to go home to, with a city around me, which is kind of how Tucson is. In LA, there was just too much going on everywhere I went, downtown or not, it was too overwhelming to live in.

I already looked into the rad. tech programs and the ones I plan to apply to are actually at the community colleges, I believe the Universities might have a nursing program, but that's not what I'm looking into. I can't remember the name of the college in Sac that had the rad tech program (I need to check again), but they divide the program between I believe Woodland and Marysville. the one I was looking into in Sonoma county was at Santa Rosa JC.
I was just thinking I had a better chance of getting into the program in Sac because they allow more people into the program than they do in Santa Rosa and my other biggest concern is where I can find work once I graduate and I was thinking if I stay in Sonoma county when i finish the program, I could work in Marin, Sonoma, or other bay area counties, however, I don't know how many job opportunties there are compared to Sac or if its the same.


What is there to do in the area, other than old town that I've heard about?

[wburg]

That depends on your interests. Old town is generally known here as a place where tourists go, and where you go when you have visiting relatives you want to take someplace. There are a lot of places for outdoor sports nearby (the mountains and skiing are about two hours east, the ocean is about two hours west), a couple really good bike trails in the city, two rivers run through town if you're into nautical things like rafting or waterskiing etcetera. Most of the dining and entertainment is in downtown/midtown but there are also entertainment and dining options in the suburbs. Shopping is spread throughout the region, at several malls and in several smaller shopping districts, with most of the indie shops in the midtown/central city area. There are some museums downtown, and there is a monthly "Second Saturday" art gallery event that occupies much of Midtown. There are outdoor concerts and farmer's markets, there is typically some kind of street fair or cultural event in the city every weekend, and we have a five-acre monthly antique fair.

Sacramento's a lot of things. "Overwhelming" isn't one of them.

[kiwilover70]

I am the nurse that wburg spoke of in an earlier in this post who grew up in Sonoma County but lived in Sac up until last october(for approx 18 years). The radiology programs are very impacted and very difficult to get into currently. I have a good friend who recently got into one in the San Jose area and was very lucky and very grateful to have gotten into it (was making over 100 K yearly until being laid of as middle management in the business sector in the silicon valley over 2 years ago and has not been able to find work since.Is now working at a gym while he has gone back to school).
There is a radiology program at the Santa Rosa J.C. that is very good from what I hear.But the rent is definately higher any where in Sonoma County and there is honestly not as much night life as in Sacramento.
I also work now with several radiology techs, and I do not know all the details, but they have said you have to be very careful that they are accredited schools so that the hours you are putting in are accepted by the governing body of radiology boards. I would feel somfortable that most programs associated with Junior colleges do this but I would be very careful of any "private radiology/ultrasound schools)

[mir86]

Originally Posted by kiwilover70

I am the nurse that wburg spoke of in an earlier in this post who grew up in Sonoma County but lived in Sac up until last october(for approx 18 years). The radiology programs are very impacted and very difficult to get into currently. I have a good friend who recently got into one in the San Jose area and was very lucky and very grateful to have gotten into it (was making over 100 K yearly until being laid of as middle management in the business sector in the silicon valley over 2 years ago and has not been able to find work since.Is now working at a gym while he has gone back to school).
There is a radiology program at the Santa Rosa J.C. that is very good from what I hear.But the rent is definately higher any where in Sonoma County and there is honestly not as much night life as in Sacramento.
I also work now with several radiology techs, and I do not know all the details, but they have said you have to be very careful that they are accredited schools so that the hours you are putting in are accepted by the governing body of radiology boards. I would feel somfortable that most programs associated with Junior colleges do this but I would be very careful of any "private radiology/ultrasound schools)

ya, i realize the rad. tech program is getting increasingly difficult to get into. I plan on applying to the one at Santa rosa J.C., Deanza/foothills in San Jose and the one in Sac as well. I will move where ever I can get in, in the state of CA. If it comes down to it, I may end up applying to the schools in socal, even though I don't want to live there. I've thought about moving to other states that I wouldn't mind living in, but I just don't have the moving money to move that far from AZ, so CA it is for me. with my experience in fashion/retail, I can get full time jobs to hold me over until I find a rad tech. program that accepts me. Eventually they have to let me in the program if I've met all the prereqs and requirements, right? Are the community colleges accredited in rad. tech? how do I check that?

As for living in Sonoma, I'm not worried about a lot of nightlife as long as there's a few bars/clubs to go to when the mood strikes me. what else do people do in that area? I know there's lots of outdoor activities and wineries, which is fine by me, I love wine and being outside, but I was wondering what else. What are the people like in Sonoma, as well as Sac? I get along with everyone, but I was curious.