Hey-- I got an apartment in Shadyside through Mozart Management. It's called the Highmont, and it's on 5th ave about 1.5 miles from the school. I was told to get an apt. through them or Franklin West. I looked in N.Oakland and couldn't find anything I liked. If you want more details about the search/prices, feel free to PM me.
Oh, and it's definitely a good idea to organize something for the c/o '10 to hang out before school starts. I'm not from the area, and I'm living by myself, so meeting people before the stress sets in would be awesome.