NYU cost of living

[ebo]

Hello Cyburbia,

So I am about to make my decision to go to NYU and I only have one thing holding me back and that is how expensive it will be to live in NYC.

Does anyone have any advice or information about how they handle this?

I am hoping to get a paid internship once I am there... or is possible to try and line something up before I get there? (kinda think that might be a little more difficult)

Any info would be amazing... thanks so much.

[lamarr04]

live in brooklyn, somewhere near an L stop so it's easy to get into the city. you will pay much less for rent and things are less expensive in brooklyn. also, if you don't have qualms about it, you find better deals by looking for rooms/shares on craigslist.

[ebo]

Yeah, I was thinking about that. I have friends from college who are living in NYC and I was thinking about rooming with them but they will most likely want a place in Manhattan...

[dutchplanner]

As an urban planning student living in NYC, I think lamarr has some valid points. Rent in Brooklyn is more affordable compared to Manhattan. A quick search on craigslist will tell you that living in a, say 2,3, or 4 bedroom apartment with roommates will cost you at least $1000 a month in Manhattan, though $1200-$1300 is probably more realistic.
I live in Williamsburg, where you will generally be able to get a room for closer to $800 or $900 a month. If you really want to save money on rent without losing access to the City, look for something in Bushwick. It's cheaper to live there (think $500-$600 a month), though it is by no means the safest neighborhood to be in, despite the recent influx of hipsters and artists in the area.
As far as going out for food and drinks is concerned, you're generally better off doing that in Brooklyn too, though the price differences between Manhattan and Brooklyn aren't as sharp as they are when it comes to rent.

Finding a paid internship is going to be though. You'd be competing with urban planning students from the Pratt Institute, Columbia, Hunter College and (to some extent) Rutgers University. Unless you have a strong background in planning or a related field, I am afraid the odds of finding a paid internship are pretty low. Classmates of mine are interning for the city's department of transportation and they are telling me that recent graduates of planning programs in the city are still working for DOT as unpaid interns.

my 2 ct

[ebo]

Finding a paid internship is going to be though. You'd be competing with urban planning students from the Pratt Institute, Columbia, Hunter College and (to some extent) Rutgers University. Unless you have a strong background in planning or a related field, I am afraid the odds of finding a paid internship are pretty low. Classmates of mine are interning for the city's department of transportation and they are telling me that recent graduates of planning programs in the city are still working for DOT as unpaid interns.

my 2 ct

Thanks for the warning... one question: do you know how they found those internships? Do most students go out on their own or do they rely on the department to help with linking people up with potential internships?

[dutchplanner]

Going out there on your own and reaching out to potential employers can be a very effective strategy: some employers appreciate it when students show an interest in their organization or firm and have a desire to contribute to their work.
Listserv's are also a good way of staying updated about any internship vacancies that are out there. I'm pretty sure each planning program has their own listserv these days.
Additionally, I am sure that your professors would be willing to forward your resume to their peers in the field. But I would definitely argue for a more pro-active approach when you are looking for an internship.

[bklynbanjo]

Hey, I'm a NY-er already and will also be going to school here in the fall, either at NYU or Pratt. It's definitely do-able. I'm planning to work full time at my current job, which is a completely non-technical job at an engineering/architecture firm with a planning practice. I'm hoping to convince them to give me some planning work once I start my degree. This could be a good angle for others, too - impress a private firm as an administrative assistant, and maybe they'll give you some planning work to do once you start getting the skills.

My rent is very affordable because I live in a 2 bedroom with 3 people (two of them are a couple). This brings our rent waaaaaaaaaay down. Also, it's hard to find anything cheap off the L anymore. I live in Brooklyn off the Q/B train near the Beverly Rd stop. It's not a bad area and the trains get you to NYU really quickly.

[The One]

My cousin went to NYU.........if you have to ask, you can't afford it

[ebo]

My cousin went to NYU.........if you have to ask, you can't afford it

Haha... touche.

[The One]

I figured out that it cost her somewhere in the neighborhood of $200,000 for four years I'm not sure how much assistance she had, if any.....but even so.....WOW! For a degree in performing arts

[bklynbanjo]

Hey Ebo, since I'm new I can't personal message you or anything, I'll just put what I wanted to say to you for all the internet to see... I've found that it's doable on any budget, you just have to be flexible and creative. In my last apartment, we had a little home office space that could fit a twin bed and a dresser, so we rented it out for a very small amount of money - but that made all of the difference in being able to afford the place. One thing I have found is that no matter how much money you make, you manage to spend it all The first year I lived here was really rough because I was making about $11/hr, and then was in and out of work for the rest of the year. The key for me was to never use my credit card unless I absolutely had to, because the card tempted me to live outside my means. Basically, you have to be willing to lower your standard of living a little. You will learn a lot about budgeting money. Hopefully you will find a great internship and not have to worry about it

I'm leaning heavily towards going Wagner, so maybe I'll meet you there!!! Please send me a message if you have any questions about living in NYC.

[ebo]

The key for me was to never use my credit card unless I absolutely had to, because the card tempted me to live outside my means. Basically, you have to be willing to lower your standard of living a little. You will learn a lot about budgeting money. Hopefully you will find a great internship and not have to worry about it

I'm leaning heavily towards going Wagner, so maybe I'll meet you there!!! Please send me a message if you have any questions about living in NYC.

@bklynbanjo: Great advice about the credit card... I have just been learning that lesson in the past two months and it has made a world of difference in trying to save for the fall. I have a good friend who lives in Manhattan on pretty much nothing and she manages (she really only does anything if it is free and comes with food) and most of her 'rich' friends i.e. people who make 50K a year don't know how she does it...

Good luck with your decision...