Living in Berkeley

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>I was admitted as a spring transfer, so I don't start at Cal until January. However, I need to use the fall semester to take a couple of major prereqs and GEs at Berkeley City College. My first class is on August 23, so obviously I need to get up there relatively quickly.</p>

<p>My conundrum: I have no cash. All I have is a credit card. I have contacted nearly every hotel in Berkeley about monthly rates and a few were helpful, namely La Posada Guest House, Shattuck Hotel, and one other one that's always advertising on craigslist (is it Nash?).</p>

<p>Here's what I've bee given so far, with the few details I know:</p>

<p>La Posada
$975/mo with three month commitment
Regular guest room, fully furnished
Satellite TV, internet, phone for local calls, access to kitchen</p>

<p>Shattuck Hotel
$1050/mo, no commitment
regular 1 bed room, private bath
local channel TV</p>

<p>Nash Hotel
$750/mo, $1000 deposit if staying more than one month
No details. When I called, some kid answered and was extremely rude and had no idea what to say to me when I asked, told me to call back later. I'm willing to give him the benefit of a doubt -- maybe he was new -- but that was a big turn off.</p>

<p>So, does anyone have experience with any of these? Any advice? Alternative options would be great, too. I need to make this move so I get up there in August, in time for classes, but I'm okay with a one-month solution leading to another option because I will have a job (plus parents and friends to borrow from) that hopefully allows me to make a deposit on another place.</p>

<p>Thank you for anything! You can't believe how stressful this is. :P</p>

2

<p>la posada sounds pretty good. those deals are not bad i suppose. living in the dorms is about 1100 dollars a month but that includes food. so i suppose its almost the same.</p>

3

<p>did berkeley JUST stop admitting spring transfers? thats what i've heard...true or false?</p>

4

<p>Wait, why not an apartment? It'll be half to 2/3 the cost of a hotel. I'm sure you can find something more reasonable than a hotel. Likely you'll be able to find something within a few days, so I wouldn't worry about staying long-term in a hotel.</p>

5

<p>-Try to take a bank/emergency loan and get a regular room/semester sublet instead.</p>

<p>-try to get a cash advance on your credit card</p>

<p>-Look for a work/live situation </p>

<p>-Look for cheaper housing outside of Berkeley: Oakland, ElCerrito, etc.</p>

<p>-try to take the classes at a JC near you or where you can crash with friends and family for the term</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the comments/suggestions!</p>

<p>ballblazer_1: Yeah, it's pretty close. I figure it's pretty good mainly because the cost includes weekly cleaning, all utilities, TV and internet. Most of the apartments I've looked at run about $950 PLUS all of that stuff (well, minus the cleaning, that one's just a bonus in this case).</p>

<p>ilovecalifornia: I have no idea. I was admitted May 1. I'm only now discovering that I need to take GEs (there was miscommunication as to just what "will satisfy L&S breadth" meant). </p>

<p>eudean: The apartments I've run across go between $675 and $1000 a month for a studio and $875 to $1200 for a 1 bedroom. The only reason I'm not moving into an apartment right off is because I have no money for the deposit/rent, since most people don't take credit card payments. Believe me, I'd much rather have my own place outright.</p>

<p>CalX: I'm wary about taking out bank loans. I'm trying to pull a regular student loan from BCC while I'm there (I don't see why this wouldn't work, I just haven't started the process yet), but that takes about 6 weeks to process. </p>

<p>My credit card will only give me a $400 cash advance, which is not nearly enough even for rent. I have been looking for a work/live situation, but unfortunately the only ones I've come across so far are for severely disabled individuals, which is something I emotionally can't handle (did it for my grandpa for 6 years). I'm not willing to live outside walking distance from Cal. I did it in Riverside and the trouble was NOT worth it. </p>

<p>The reason I am specifically going to BCC is because they have the 85 series of classes -- that is, the English classes that directly translate into 45 series Berkeley classes. I need to get 45B and 45C done, and my local colleges don't offer it.</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestions! I suppose I could just suck it up and take a bank loan.</p>

7

<p>One more: try to look into getting a 1 semester sublet, usually the subletters just want somebody who will pick up their share of the rent ASAP and won't ask for a big deposit.</p>

<p>good luck with it, and welcome to Cal!</p>

8

<p>Yep, looking at sublets. I actually have something really nice lined up for spring semester as a sublet, low deposit and all. Looks like I'm cutting it a little close for fall semester, but I'm still looking.</p>

<p>Thanks! ^^</p>