<p>I know I can always depend upon my CC friends to have the latest and greatest information. DD just found out today that she’s been accepted to a masters program at Brandeis. She is expected to be on campus by August 25th. She had convinced herself that she wouldn’t get in to the program this year and is now in a bit of a panic, especially since she has no idea where she will live. We have only visited Boston twice, and both times were very rushed (one day only). Can anyone suggest a safe area that won’t cost an arm and a leg? She doesn’t know anyone there, so it will just be her in an apartment. I have no idea if Brandeis has housing for graduate students or not. I just got off the phone with DD and she’s feeling overwhelmed. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>There are lots of apartments in Waltham ( the town that Brandeis is in) and in some other nearby towns. Waltham is relatively affordable as well. If she has a car, there are some other options too. (Watertown is another nearby town that is affordable.) I’ll post more tomorrow.</p>
<p>Thank you SO much, nemom! Yes, she will have her car. I look forward to seeing additional info.</p>
<p>Definitely look at Waltham and see if Brandeis has grad student housing. If not, they probably have a list somewhere of local apts and condos for rent. Waltham does have some lower rent districts, but for the most part I consider waltham and most of the surrounding towns safe. She could look at Somerville and Cambridge if she wants to be closer to Boston.</p>
<p>SplashMom, she may want to investigate sharing an apartment. My daughter has a friend who had a room in a 2-bedroom apartment in Brighton last year (Brighton is a long-time favorite area for students seeking cheap apartments), and the apartment ran about $800/month.</p>
<p>This topic came along at the right time! My d also is going to Boston for a graduate program this fall and none of us know Boston (from Philly area). She is currently home for the summer but will be meeting 2 other grad students for a weekend in July to look at places. The school put her in touch with the other students, as they don’t have housing (Longy School of Music). She needs to be within a T-ride of Harvard Square, as Longy is near there and she will be working part-time right next to Harvard Square. Where is Brighton in relationship to that? Price sounds good there. We just got a map of Boston so will check that out tonight.</p>
<p>I’d have her focus on Porter Sq, which is north of Harv SQ, and on the red line. More affordable than Harv Sq, lots of nice restaurants, big market,…</p>
<p>second choice, Kenmore SQ, which is between Harv and MIT.</p>
<p>From Brighton, she’d have to take green line, then transfer to red line.</p>
<p>Kenmore Square is in Boston proper.</p>
<p>Kendall Square is adjacent to MIT.</p>
<p>Central Square is between MIT and Harvard.</p>
<p>Porter Square could be a great choice for kpmom06’s daughter.</p>
<p>For Brandeis, Splashmom’s daughter may have already seen this: [Housing</a> for Graduate Students | Office of Graduate Student Affairs | Brandeis University](<a href=“Off Campus Living | Graduate Student Housing | Office of Graduate Affairs | Brandeis University”>Off Campus Living | Graduate Student Housing | Office of Graduate Affairs | Brandeis University)</p>
<p>Old friend, I know absolutely nothing that could help. Just wanted to say …woooHOO!!! Go SplashKid!! It’s a cc hillbilly/cedar chopper Northeast invasion. ;)</p>
<p>For kpmom06’s daughter, I second the suggestion of Porter and Kenmore/Kendall Squares. Davis Square is also a nice area on the Red Line–lots of young folks, lively area. Nothing along the Red Line is really cheap by most standards, but for Boston prices, the Somerville area is not too bad, and it’s definitely the place to be for young grad students and 20-something professional types. </p>
<p>For Splashmom’s daughter–if she’ll have a car, she probably doesn’t want to live in Porter Square (though it’s the perfect place for Brandeis grad students without cars, as it’s right on the commuter rail line out to Waltham). Waltham, Watertown, Belmont would be great places to look where it’s easy to have a car.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info, this is really helpful. The plan is NOT to take her car, she thinks she won’t need it much and will rely on the T. The school doesn’t even have a parking lot and she doesn’t want to pay for parking. Thanks again!</p>
<p>Davis is where the Tufts students live, so the rents there are influenced by that demand. </p>
<p>There are bus lines that run from Cambridge into Watertown and into Somerville, which make these areas that are not on the T lines more convenient.</p>
<p>Congratulations-parent of a Brandeis Alum who stayed another year for post-bac program in her department. She lived off-campus in Waltham while undergrad, moved to Somerville for post-bac and drove- about a 20 minute drive or could take the train if she had too. Watertown is also a good suggestion-mid-point perhaps between Somerville and Waltham as is Porter Square
I agree with the other suggestions for the other poster as well.</p>
<p>Many thanks, all, for your great suggestions! We were on vacation for ten days and I was without internet except for my phone and, if you could see me attempting to write a message on that small thing, you would understand why I didn’t reply until now. DD has been in contact with some other students and it sounds like she might have found a place. Curmudgeon, it’s always good to hear from you! I hope J is doing well … I’m sure she is kicking butt in med school!</p>
<p>SplashMom - Before making suggestions it would be helpful to have a little more info. Does you daughter prefer living in a residential suburb? In an urban environment? Where there a lot of other young singles? etc? Waltham is a fine town but very family orientated … if she slides east on Route 20 the towns will get younger, have more singles, and have a little more going on at night. I’d suggest looking a “T” map … the public transit system here is the MBTA and is called the “T” … in particular your daughter would be interested in buses and the Red Line subway (if she wants to use the T to get into town)</p>
<p>Kpmom06 - I’d also suggest you get a T map … especially for the subways … it sounds like being on the red line also would be the best best. Brighton, for example is on the green line and getting to Harvard Square from Brighton either involves a slow bus or two subway lines and a change … a lot longer commute than being on the red line … and there are some great (but pretty urban) neighborhoods on the red line (Harvard, Davis, Kendall, Center, and Porter squares are all worth checking out). </p>
<p>This map looks pretty good … notice to change lines a rider typically needs to go into town and then head out … the subways are pretty much set-up in a hub and spoke fashion … buses often travel the path a corw woudl fly but often are VERY slow … [Google</a> Image Result for <a href=“http://media.povo.com/D/3323/1/0/8/760x599/760px-MBTA_Boston_subway_map[/url]”>http://media.povo.com/D/3323/1/0/8/760x599/760px-MBTA_Boston_subway_map](<a href=“http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.povo.com/D/3323/1/0/8/760x599/760px-MBTA_Boston_subway_map&imgrefurl=http://greaterboston.povo.com/MBTA&usg=___H4gveye86hLN3UgPZ8V0RYo6zM=&h=599&w=760&sz=279&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=euzQHgrXHIK9pM:&tbnh=136&tbnw=173&ei=4cYVTsaBLs_dgQfWm6Ap&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dboston%2Bmbta%2Bmap%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D569%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=801&vpy=226&dur=1435&hovh=199&hovw=253&tx=119&ty=117&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0&biw=1366&bih=569]Google”>http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.povo.com/D/3323/1/0/8/760x599/760px-MBTA_Boston_subway_map&imgrefurl=http://greaterboston.povo.com/MBTA&usg=___H4gveye86hLN3UgPZ8V0RYo6zM=&h=599&w=760&sz=279&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=euzQHgrXHIK9pM:&tbnh=136&tbnw=173&ei=4cYVTsaBLs_dgQfWm6Ap&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dboston%2Bmbta%2Bmap%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D569%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=801&vpy=226&dur=1435&hovh=199&hovw=253&tx=119&ty=117&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0&biw=1366&bih=569)</a></p>