<p>Like, how many months prior in advance do you have you take in order to register for an apartment? What if you haven't decided until a month before school starts? If that's the case, are you necessarily hopeless in finding an apartment?</p>
<p>Well, I hunted down my apartment in the spring and found one around mid-April, to move in May, but you would probably need to find one around the same time to get one for fall. I don't know where you live though, so it could be different there, but here the good places are gone by May. If you've waited this late, you may be stuck with some crappy (and possibly ghetto) places.</p>
<p>i found a subletting opportunity in 3 days...</p>
<p>well you'll probably be able to find an apartment, just all the good ones will be gone. This means that both the really nice apartments are already rented, and any that were good deals are gone. The one's that are left are going to be rather expensive, in undesirable areas, or of bad quality. There may be some diamonds in the rough though.</p>
<p>it probably depends mostly on the area.
In Davis, since everyone lives off campus after freshman year, there are tons of apartment complexes but also fairly large demand. A few years ago when I was looking, I had to put my name on a waitlist in JANUARY for an apartment for September. It's gotten better in the past few years though so I have to start my search a few months prior to moving out. In Davis, most places only do 12-month leases (september to september), and don't allow subletters. If you want someone to take over your lease (permanantly), you can - just make them sign the lease & cross your name off. </p>
<p>Craigslist.com is a good place to find apartments where people are trying to move-out early, sublet, or apartments that are vacant.</p>
<p>It depends on the situation. I recently moved to law schoo with my girlfriend, and we were able to find a place in about three days, which would be ready for move in three weeks later. However we didn't have to do any type of roommate searching, plus we are living about 8 miles from the university. Both of us have already done the undergrad experience, and were looking for something that is a little further and hence a little more quite.</p>