Prospective UVA grad student looking for help (Richmond, Charlottesville: sublet, apartment)

[theyeti85]

Hello everyone. I am very interested in pursuing an MA or possibly a PhD at UVA, but am interested in becoming a resident of Virginia so as to qualify for in-state tuition first. I have no contacts in Virginia and no frame of reference for addressing the questions I have.

I am basically interested in just living ANYWHERE in VA for a year where I could work a steady job, possibly two jobs, pay taxes, and qualify for in-state residency. I would literally be willing to work just about any job. My skill base is relatively limited though- my BA was in philosophy (though my GPA was impeccable!). I'm basically just looking for a safe living environment where I could definitely find work and pay rent without too many concerns. Given today's economic situation, I really just don't know which places in Virginia could provide me with those needs.

On to the requisite questions:



-Where you are working: I am currently studying Mandarin in Beijing, China. I guess that's an answer?

-How much you are willing to spend on housing- I want to rent an apartment for maybe $400 a month, utilities not necessarily included

-How long of a commute you're willing to tolerate- Maybe half an hour

-If you have kids: Private school or public school? NA

-What type of neighborhood environment you are looking for: small town feeling? small city excitement? suburbia delight?

No excitement needed. I am very boring. Safety and reliable job prospects are the most important things to me.

-Community amenities important to you- A gym would be nice, but not absolutely necessary.

-Pie or cake? Somewhere between.

I realize these are very vague criteria. But it really is that open ended for me. I WANT this MA degree and I just can't beat UVA's in state tuition ($14,000 for two years!).

Any help at all would be appreciated.

[kitkatjmu]

Why not look for jobs and apartment in Charlottesville. It's a nice area, and then you will be familiar with the are when you start school, and you will have contacts perhaps and it just seems like it would be a nice transition. Maybe you could even look for a job at UVA.

[theyeti85]

I have heard nothing but how tight the Charlottesville job market is. While I usually think that a large student population means many jobs with low demands in regards to a skills base, the economic situation is making me more and more nervous. I'm living abroad right now and our news makes the economic situation sound like the apocalypse, so this might just be an accumulative psychological effect. You think a student with a worthless BA fresh out of college would have no trouble finding work in Charlottesville? Nothing would make me happier if it were true!

[blossom4792]

In your situation, it might be fun to find a resort in the luxury hotel industry. There is a beautiful resort near Charlottesville called Wintergreen that seems to employ a lot of bright young transitional people (people not necessarily determined to make a career in the industry).

[alice_61]

I've worked at Wintergreen and they certainly hire in season. The trouble is that seasonal jobs start dying off in February when it gets too warm for snow.

For establishing residency, it's also helpful to do other things like register to vote, get an in-state drivers licence, and pay state taxes as early as possible. I would think that employment prospects would be best in the metropolitan areas of the state, such as Richmond, northern VA, and maybe Charlottesville. If you are flexible, you can often find some housing quickly (for instance, with someone looking for a housemate). I came to Charlottesville in 1985, not knowing a soul, and found a full time job, a part-time restaurant job, and a house to stay in (full of very nice people looking for a housemate) in under 24 hours. I stayed 13 years and enjoyed Charlottesville and surrounding area a lot.

Best wishes,
Alice

[theyeti85]

Thank you all for your insight.

Another concern of mine is that I will be returning to the sates approximately mid-June. My intuition tells me that all the summer jobs in a town like Charlottesville would already be taken up by then.

[alice_61]

But arriving in June, you will have a jump on the students arriving in August and a chance at a cheaper summer sublet to tide you over until you find a better place for fall. The Charlottesville area is pretty busy in summer with construction and tourism so you might be ok.