How are the Northwood apartments?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

<p>Hi guys,</p>

<p>I am a foreign student enrolling in the Ford School's MPP this coming fall. </p>

<p>Just wondering if the Northwood apartments are a good housing option. All the classes I'll be taking will be at the Ford School and other schools on Central Campus. I have no plan to get a car during my stay in Ann Arbor. </p>

<p>I'd really appreciate any help you can provide with the following questions (especially from those of you who've lived or are living in Northwood):</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Are the apartments clean/well furnished? </p></li>
<li><p>How is the Northwood community environment? Are there lots of social and recreational events, opportunities for interactions, etc.? </p></li>
<li><p>How easy is it to commute from Northwood to Central Campus and back by the UM buses? Do they operate till late? </p></li>
<li><p>Is it possible/advisable to walk/bike especially during cold weather (where I'm from you're more likely to come across unicorns than snow so I am not exactly very keen on the Michigan cold)? </p></li>
<li><p>How's the surrounding area? Is it easy to find eateries, convenient stores, cinemas, book shops, bars, etc.?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Thanks a lot in advance!</p>

2

<p>I am by no means a Northwood expert, but a number of your questions depend on the answers to a couple of questions.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Are your studies Undergraduate or Graduate/Beyond</p></li>
<li><p>Which Northwood are you talking about, there are a couple different communities, and answers can vary widely.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>The one thing that I can answer now for sure is that it is NOT advisable to walk from any Northwood complex to Central Campus during the winter.</p>

3

<p>Wolverine2014, I’m a grad student at UM’s Ford School of Public Policy. I’m now looking at apartments at Northwood I. </p>

<p>I know Northwood is a little out of the way but unfortunately that’s the only available housing option for grad students at the moment. </p>

<p>I am also looking at renting a house near Central Campus and share it with other grad students, but most likely I’ll stay at Northwood for the first semester or two, not having to worry about paying separate bills. After I’ve hit the ground running with school work and get to know other grad students, I’ll move out into a rented house.</p>

4

<p>panhayou, I haven’t seen many grad students on the forums here, but I’ll answer the question that I can. If there is something that I cannot answer, my best suggestion would be to try contacting the housing department (<a href=“mailto:housing@umich.edu”>housing@umich.edu</a>) they should be able to help you.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>How easy is it to commute from Northwood to Central Campus and back by the UM buses? Do they operate till late?</p>

<pre><code> Northwood I is in an akward spot along the Northwood Bus Route. To get to the Ford school it would take a ~10-20 minute bus ride followed by ~5-10 minutes of walking. Buses Run from ~7 AM to 2AM depending on the day.
</code></pre></li>
<li><p>How’s the surrounding area? Is it easy to find eateries, convenient stores, cinemas, book shops, bars, etc.?</p>

<pre><code>While there are a number of shops located relatively close to the Northwood Apartments, most of the shopping is near Downtown Ann Arbor/ Central Campus.
</code></pre></li>
</ul>

5

<p>Thanks very much for your help, wolverine2014. How about the co-ops around campus? Would they be a good alternative to Northwood?</p>

6

<p>That I cannot answer; I have never, looked into, or heard much about co-ops. You might try searching the forums here for coops. I remember reading about them a few months ago on here.</p>

7

<p>I’d recommend against Northwood if your classes are on Central Campus. I’ve lived in Northwood for two years and I’m moving soon. They have been fine because all my classes and research work was on North Campus. That was thier only redeming value.</p>

<p>As for your questions:</p>

<ul>
<li>Are the apartments clean/well furnished? </li>
</ul>

<p>No & No. Mine was not furnished. Mine was not clean when I moved in.</p>

<ul>
<li>How is the Northwood community environment? Are there lots of social and recreational events, opportunities for interactions, etc.? </li>
</ul>

<p>No…It didn’t really matter to me because I didn’t have the time anyway during my first couple years of a PhD program.</p>

<ul>
<li>How easy is it to commute from Northwood to Central Campus and back by the UM buses? Do they operate till late? </li>
</ul>

<p>It’s hard, and there are troubles with the buses at night and on weekends. The transportations from North Campus to Central campus is a real problem at Umich.</p>

<ul>
<li>Is it possible/advisable to walk/bike especially during cold weather (where I’m from you’re more likely to come across unicorns than snow so I am not exactly very keen on the Michigan cold)? </li>
</ul>

<p>From Central to North and back…No you can’t easily bike in the Winter. It’s a rather long walk.</p>

<ul>
<li>How’s the surrounding area? Is it easy to find eateries, convenient stores, cinemas, book shops, bars, etc.?</li>
</ul>

<p>There is a grocery store and a few good resturants. No real bars, cinemas, or book shops. All the fun stuff is on Central Campus. I’m moving to a Central Campus apts. where many other grad students stay.</p>

8

<p>I lived in a co-op last fall, and had a blast. I can try to answer some questions about co-op if you have any.</p>

9

<p>I would not suggest Northwood. I lived there my first semester, and it was terribly far from my classes , and wasn’t really all that nice. (At least for Northwood III)</p>

<p>It’s also not very social at all imo.</p>

10

<p>I’m living at Northwood next semester and this hasn’t been a reassuring thread Haha</p>

11

<p>I liked Northwood III and would have moved there if I had any more years left at Michigan. I was a transfer student so a lot of my friends from orientation ended up living there. I heard it was quiet and not really social, but my friends apartments were great. A bit small, but very comfortable. I lived right on State Street last year on central campus and being right in the thick of things ALL the time does have it’s disadvantages.</p>

12

<p>If you are a graduate student, there are plenty of cheaper off-campus housing in the vicinity. Many graduate students live on the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti border (you can get more apartment square footage at a great price) and the Old West/Kerrytown neighborhoods. The public bus system (AATA) is reliable and safe (and FREE to U-M faculty, staff and students). I highly recommend those areas. Off-campus housing that is over a mile away from Central Campus also tends to have fewer rowdy undergraduate students and higher-quality housing stock.</p>