My trip to Iowa

[blocke123]

great review!

having spent some time in parts of west texas (and even some parts of houston) the ruralness isn't a big deal for me. i've shared the road with a horse on a few occasions, so a tractor isn't a huge deal...

the HOUSING however is a big deal...

run-down. does that mean just old? not well-kept? dilapidated? can you elaborate?

i might need to actually go and visit first before i decide where to live. yikes, i was hoping to be able to avoid that, but oh well.

again, great review. thanks for posting it.

I was totally going to PM you but I've been working almost non stop since I got back from Iowa. Housing is going to be a definite issue I think. I'm signed up for an apartment in the University Apts but they are just SO run down; they look old and institutional and just generally not so great. I will be up in the next few weeks to find some housing; hopefully we can find something a little nicer. I really want to avoid having to drive to school, though, so in that case I might just be stuck living there. There were also a lot of kids toys and I think there are a lot of families that live there which is bad bad bad for students trying to study. I dont' like kids--sorry, I like quiet. So I gotta figure that part out

Otherwise the school seems great

Cheer up!
I came from a poor family and beleive me, I have lived in some of the worst apartments known to mankind.  And generally, I would be willing to live a shithole for three years just to save money, so I will have more freedom at choosing diff. career path down the road. 
Three years is a long time, but it will pass. 

Yiplong you are right; I didnt' mean to sound like a "princess" I was just a little less than impressed. I think I"m just overwhelmed by the process in general--too many second thoughts.

We'll for sure miss you at Iowa--you seem super cool.

Greengrl...

What kind of placement questions did you ask?  Are you planning on working in Chicago after you leave?  I know there are nice townhouses esp in cedar rapids so that is always an option by the way just an FYI...

Also, maybe I'll see you there.  I haven't decided on Kent or Iowa yet..

[greengrl]

The obvious solution is for you to live in the undergraduate dorms.  Then you will be surrounded by little 18 year old teeny boppers and feel so old that you'll want, no...CRAVE to study.  Top of your class!

If Iowa is anything like my undergra, I would surely stay away from undergrads.  Imagine thundering music all day long and drunk chick everything from Thursday night to Sunday evening. 

All you're telling me is that we should go to the library during the day and stay in the dorms during the weekend.

umm...so wait-I can't play my music loud and wander around the campus drunk every night just b/c I'm in law school?? oh..maybe I don't want to go afterall

[greengrl]

great review!

having spent some time in parts of west texas (and even some parts of houston) the ruralness isn't a big deal for me. i've shared the road with a horse on a few occasions, so a tractor isn't a huge deal...

the HOUSING however is a big deal...

run-down. does that mean just old? not well-kept? dilapidated? can you elaborate?

i might need to actually go and visit first before i decide where to live. yikes, i was hoping to be able to avoid that, but oh well.

again, great review. thanks for posting it.

I was totally going to PM you but I've been working almost non stop since I got back from Iowa. Housing is going to be a definite issue I think. I'm signed up for an apartment in the University Apts but they are just SO run down; they look old and institutional and just generally not so great. I will be up in the next few weeks to find some housing; hopefully we can find something a little nicer. I really want to avoid having to drive to school, though, so in that case I might just be stuck living there. There were also a lot of kids toys and I think there are a lot of families that live there which is bad bad bad for students trying to study. I dont' like kids--sorry, I like quiet. So I gotta figure that part out

Otherwise the school seems great

Cheer up!
I came from a poor family and beleive me, I have lived in some of the worst apartments known to mankind.  And generally, I would be willing to live a shithole for three years just to save money, so I will have more freedom at choosing diff. career path down the road. 
Three years is a long time, but it will pass. 

Yiplong you are right; I didnt' mean to sound like a "princess" I was just a little less than impressed. I think I"m just overwhelmed by the process in general--too many second thoughts.

We'll for sure miss you at Iowa--you seem super cool.

Greengrl...

What kind of placement questions did you ask?  Are you planning on working in Chicago after you leave?  I know there are nice townhouses esp in cedar rapids so that is always an option by the way just an FYI...

Also, maybe I'll see you there.  I haven't decided on Kent or Iowa yet..

Woo hoo; always eager for another person to join the Iowa train. Honestly I was really impressed with the school. placement was just what I expected; you'll work almost indefinitely within a 500 mile radius of Iowa; farther is always possible (everything is possible) but the reputation of the school will dissipate the farther you go. Duh. Chicago is an option; I'm not sure that it will make sense for me to return here but yes, if you want to work in Chicago you have the opportunity.

Cedar Rapids, hu? I really don't want to put a necessary car ride between me and school; I like the idea of being on a bus line

[blocke123]

great review!

having spent some time in parts of west texas (and even some parts of houston) the ruralness isn't a big deal for me. i've shared the road with a horse on a few occasions, so a tractor isn't a huge deal...

the HOUSING however is a big deal...

run-down. does that mean just old? not well-kept? dilapidated? can you elaborate?

i might need to actually go and visit first before i decide where to live. yikes, i was hoping to be able to avoid that, but oh well.

again, great review. thanks for posting it.

I was totally going to PM you but I've been working almost non stop since I got back from Iowa. Housing is going to be a definite issue I think. I'm signed up for an apartment in the University Apts but they are just SO run down; they look old and institutional and just generally not so great. I will be up in the next few weeks to find some housing; hopefully we can find something a little nicer. I really want to avoid having to drive to school, though, so in that case I might just be stuck living there. There were also a lot of kids toys and I think there are a lot of families that live there which is bad bad bad for students trying to study. I dont' like kids--sorry, I like quiet. So I gotta figure that part out

Otherwise the school seems great

Cheer up!
I came from a poor family and beleive me, I have lived in some of the worst apartments known to mankind.  And generally, I would be willing to live a shithole for three years just to save money, so I will have more freedom at choosing diff. career path down the road. 
Three years is a long time, but it will pass. 

Yiplong you are right; I didnt' mean to sound like a "princess" I was just a little less than impressed. I think I"m just overwhelmed by the process in general--too many second thoughts.

We'll for sure miss you at Iowa--you seem super cool.

Greengrl...

What kind of placement questions did you ask?  Are you planning on working in Chicago after you leave?  I know there are nice townhouses esp in cedar rapids so that is always an option by the way just an FYI...

Also, maybe I'll see you there.  I haven't decided on Kent or Iowa yet..

Woo hoo; always eager for another person to join the Iowa train. Honestly I was really impressed with the school. placement was just what I expected; you'll work almost indefinitely within a 500 mile radius of Iowa; farther is always possible (everything is possible) but the reputation of the school will dissipate the farther you go. Duh. Chicago is an option; I'm not sure that it will make sense for me to return here but yes, if you want to work in Chicago you have the opportunity.

Cedar Rapids, hu? I really don't want to put a necessary car ride between me and school; I like the idea of being on a bus line

There is a website you can access for housing in Iowa.  I think you can access it from the main webpage.  I"m a little concerned about the housing situation myself.  However, if you truly want a better option (quality) then if Iowa is anything like UIUC you want to be at least a little off campus.

Also, what other schools did you get into?

[yiplong]

There is a website you can access for housing in Iowa.  I think you can access it from the main webpage.  I"m a little concerned about the housing situation myself.  However, if you truly want a better option (quality) then if Iowa is anything like UIUC you want to be at least a little off campus.

Also, what other schools did you get into?

The houses I looked at around UIUC are all quite far from campus, either near the railroad or north of the highway on the edge of town.  They are cheap, but are there anything with them that causes the price to drop so low?

I don't think living in Cedar Rapids would be a smart idea, especially not with $3/gallon gas. 

[greengrl]

great review!

having spent some time in parts of west texas (and even some parts of houston) the ruralness isn't a big deal for me. i've shared the road with a horse on a few occasions, so a tractor isn't a huge deal...

the HOUSING however is a big deal...

run-down. does that mean just old? not well-kept? dilapidated? can you elaborate?

i might need to actually go and visit first before i decide where to live. yikes, i was hoping to be able to avoid that, but oh well.

again, great review. thanks for posting it.

I was totally going to PM you but I've been working almost non stop since I got back from Iowa. Housing is going to be a definite issue I think. I'm signed up for an apartment in the University Apts but they are just SO run down; they look old and institutional and just generally not so great. I will be up in the next few weeks to find some housing; hopefully we can find something a little nicer. I really want to avoid having to drive to school, though, so in that case I might just be stuck living there. There were also a lot of kids toys and I think there are a lot of families that live there which is bad bad bad for students trying to study. I dont' like kids--sorry, I like quiet. So I gotta figure that part out

Otherwise the school seems great

Cheer up!
I came from a poor family and beleive me, I have lived in some of the worst apartments known to mankind.  And generally, I would be willing to live a shithole for three years just to save money, so I will have more freedom at choosing diff. career path down the road. 
Three years is a long time, but it will pass. 

Yiplong you are right; I didnt' mean to sound like a "princess" I was just a little less than impressed. I think I"m just overwhelmed by the process in general--too many second thoughts.

We'll for sure miss you at Iowa--you seem super cool.

Greengrl...

What kind of placement questions did you ask?  Are you planning on working in Chicago after you leave?  I know there are nice townhouses esp in cedar rapids so that is always an option by the way just an FYI...

Also, maybe I'll see you there.  I haven't decided on Kent or Iowa yet..

Woo hoo; always eager for another person to join the Iowa train. Honestly I was really impressed with the school. placement was just what I expected; you'll work almost indefinitely within a 500 mile radius of Iowa; farther is always possible (everything is possible) but the reputation of the school will dissipate the farther you go. Duh. Chicago is an option; I'm not sure that it will make sense for me to return here but yes, if you want to work in Chicago you have the opportunity.

Cedar Rapids, hu? I really don't want to put a necessary car ride between me and school; I like the idea of being on a bus line

There is a website you can access for housing in Iowa.  I think you can access it from the main webpage.  I"m a little concerned about the housing situation myself.  However, if you truly want a better option (quality) then if Iowa is anything like UIUC you want to be at least a little off campus.

Also, what other schools did you get into?

I've started to look at a few of the property managers on the Iowa website but I think I'm just going to drive back up there next week and start looking around. It's not that far from Chicago so it's not too bad of a day trip. You're right, though; to find something half way decent I will probably have to go off campus but I really wanted to keep my costs down so I might have to just suck it up. My concern is that b/c Iowa is so rural, I dont' want to have to drive in the snow and such; even after living in snow for 26 odd years I still hate driving in it, even though Iowa really doesn't get AS much snow as we do here in Illinois and Ohio for that matter. Anyway, I got into SLU with a scholarship and turned that down, Case, Iowa; Held at Wisconsin, waitlisted at Notre Dame, Deferred at Chicago Kent--seriously I REALLY applied too late and to too few schools. If I had it to do over again I would have applied to at least fifteen schools; I think I might like a few more options.

oh well, live and learn

[greengrl]

There is a website you can access for housing in Iowa.  I think you can access it from the main webpage.  I"m a little concerned about the housing situation myself.  However, if you truly want a better option (quality) then if Iowa is anything like UIUC you want to be at least a little off campus.

Also, what other schools did you get into?

The houses I looked at around UIUC are all quite far from campus, either near the railroad or north of the highway on the edge of town.  They are cheap, but are there anything with them that causes the price to drop so low?

I don't think living in Cedar Rapids would be a smart idea, especially not with $3/gallon gas. 

another good point on the gas--my car is big and goes through gas like CRAZY. I wish I could eliminate the expense of the car, but, alas, I am too upside down on the loan. The houses at UIUC are probably that cheap b/c think about it--it's not like there is a huge demand in the market in Southern Illinois. i don't think there is anything wrong persay

[Kevin26.2]

Blocke123,

I thought you'd decided on Kent? As I recall, your major issue is whether or not Iowa places in Chicago, is that correct?

greengrl,

You just mentioned driving in snow. I hope its not too hard, I've never done it before. I suppose I can worry about that later after I've found a place to live and started going to class, haha.

[p0six]

great review!

having spent some time in parts of west texas (and even some parts of houston) the ruralness isn't a big deal for me. i've shared the road with a horse on a few occasions, so a tractor isn't a huge deal...

the HOUSING however is a big deal...

run-down. does that mean just old? not well-kept? dilapidated? can you elaborate?

i might need to actually go and visit first before i decide where to live. yikes, i was hoping to be able to avoid that, but oh well.

again, great review. thanks for posting it.

I was totally going to PM you but I've been working almost non stop since I got back from Iowa. Housing is going to be a definite issue I think. I'm signed up for an apartment in the University Apts but they are just SO run down; they look old and institutional and just generally not so great. I will be up in the next few weeks to find some housing; hopefully we can find something a little nicer. I really want to avoid having to drive to school, though, so in that case I might just be stuck living there. There were also a lot of kids toys and I think there are a lot of families that live there which is bad bad bad for students trying to study. I dont' like kids--sorry, I like quiet. So I gotta figure that part out

Otherwise the school seems great

Cheer up!
I came from a poor family and beleive me, I have lived in some of the worst apartments known to mankind.  And generally, I would be willing to live a shithole for three years just to save money, so I will have more freedom at choosing diff. career path down the road. 
Three years is a long time, but it will pass. 

Yiplong you are right; I didnt' mean to sound like a "princess" I was just a little less than impressed. I think I"m just overwhelmed by the process in general--too many second thoughts.

We'll for sure miss you at Iowa--you seem super cool.

Greengrl...

What kind of placement questions did you ask?  Are you planning on working in Chicago after you leave?  I know there are nice townhouses esp in cedar rapids so that is always an option by the way just an FYI...

Also, maybe I'll see you there.  I haven't decided on Kent or Iowa yet..

Woo hoo; always eager for another person to join the Iowa train. Honestly I was really impressed with the school. placement was just what I expected; you'll work almost indefinitely within a 500 mile radius of Iowa; farther is always possible (everything is possible) but the reputation of the school will dissipate the farther you go. Duh. Chicago is an option; I'm not sure that it will make sense for me to return here but yes, if you want to work in Chicago you have the opportunity.

Cedar Rapids, hu? I really don't want to put a necessary car ride between me and school; I like the idea of being on a bus line

There is a website you can access for housing in Iowa.  I think you can access it from the main webpage.  I"m a little concerned about the housing situation myself.  However, if you truly want a better option (quality) then if Iowa is anything like UIUC you want to be at least a little off campus.

Also, what other schools did you get into?

I've started to look at a few of the property managers on the Iowa website but I think I'm just going to drive back up there next week and start looking around. It's not that far from Chicago so it's not too bad of a day trip. You're right, though; to find something half way decent I will probably have to go off campus but I really wanted to keep my costs down so I might have to just suck it up. My concern is that b/c Iowa is so rural, I dont' want to have to drive in the snow and such; even after living in snow for 26 odd years I still hate driving in it, even though Iowa really doesn't get AS much snow as we do here in Illinois and Ohio for that matter. Anyway, I got into SLU with a scholarship and turned that down, Case, Iowa; Held at Wisconsin, waitlisted at Notre Dame, Deferred at Chicago Kent--seriously I REALLY applied too late and to too few schools. If I had it to do over again I would have applied to at least fifteen schools; I think I might like a few more options.

oh well, live and learn

You should come to Kent, because all the cool kids are there...and by cool kids I mean me.      Oh yeah, and maybe Blocke123.  Chicago >>>>> Iowa City and you know it.   Although I was actually talking to a dental assistant today and she was like Iowa City is an awesome place, so I guess that's something.

[blocke123]

Blocke123,

I thought you'd decided on Kent? As I recall, your major issue is whether or not Iowa places in Chicago, is that correct?

greengrl,

You just mentioned driving in snow. I hope its not too hard, I've never done it before. I suppose I can worry about that later after I've found a place to live and started going to class, haha.

I haven't decided on either quite yet (see earlier comments).  However, Iowa and Kent are the contender.  I still haven't decided which one will place better in Chicago.  I'm inclined to attend Iowa because of their ranking vs. Kent Law.  Kent would be easier and my wife really wants to live in Chicago.  One thing we are going to check is salary for my wife... if she can get 20k better in Chicago its worth going to a lower ranked school and making myself get into the top 10% rather than going to Iowa and trying to get into the top 30%.  

Also, driving in snow is difficult.  When I grew up in Chicago so driving in snow for everyone I knew was second nature.  In fact I LEARNED how to drive in snow.  When I lived in NC I realized that most people can not drive in snow (even in CT it seems they have never learned).  The biggest obstacle for my southern friends moving to the north is that stores, offices, schools do not close during snowfall.