American Class of 2012 Forum

[elliga3]

My deposit is down after much debate. I turned down UMD and BC to stay in DC and go to American. I was rejected at GW and waitlisted at GULC (kind of backwards), but anyway. I'm getting $15k/year from American, which helps to even it out with other schools. I've been living in Woodley Park for the past 2 years. Great spot, but definitely expensive. Adams Morgan is just a walk across the bridge and much cheaper. As for transit to WCL, there's a bus from Dupont Circle straight up Mass Ave to the law school, so anywhere around Dupont (again, quite expensive) is a great spot. I'm planning on living in Chinatown, which is in the heart of the city for sure, and just metroing up to Tenleytown and either taking the free AU shuttle or biking. The metro is super efficient and reliable, as far as mass transit goes, so I'd recommend anywhere on the red line. Georgia Ave/Petworth may seem tempting because it's pretty cheap and "up-and-coming," but, in my opinion, it's pretty sketchy. I wouldn't live there. If you have a car and plan to drive, there are a lot of nice rowhouses down on Capitol Hill, but I wouldn't live further NE than say 14th and F or so. Tenleytown is not really in the city, but still very cute with a Whole Foods and restaurants and a short bus or metro down to Adams Morgan or Dupont nightlife. I think Friendship Heights is a nice place and not far as well. Van Ness is safe and nice with a Giant supermarket, but not very much fun. That's where UDC is located. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you in August! Let me know if you have any DC related questions because I've lived in Arlington, worked in the SE, lived in two places in the NE, and now live and work in the NW.

[rossmca]

Hey everyone, recently admitted and my seat deposit has been paid!...I look forward to meeting you all in the Fall. I'm currently looking in the area for housing. I was down visiting the school a few weeks ago and stayed in a hotel on Dupont Circle. Dupont was a sweet area, but most likely way too expensive, something about the 1000 embassies in the area tipped me off - cool though.
Elliga3, I walked around the china town area near the verizon center (ate at the legal seafoods just by there) and that area seemed really cool - lots going on, most things located within a short distance. You say that area is the "heart" of the city? What about the Georgetown (not the law school) area, is that a little removed/crazy $$? I second that the upper Georgia Ave area is a little sketch - got a little lost (err, took a shortcut) on my way back to the highway. I have lived in Baltimore for my UG years, and I have come to know sketch when I see it, its like a sixth sense - oh Baltimore.

I dont suppose living across the Potomac in Virginia is any fun?

[PubIntLawyer]

Georgetown's absurdly expensive and lacking in the metro area. Rosslyn, Arlington, etc is nice.

Hey everyone, recently admitted and my seat deposit has been paid!...I look forward to meeting you all in the Fall. I'm currently looking in the area for housing. I was down visiting the school a few weeks ago and stayed in a hotel on Dupont Circle. Dupont was a sweet area, but most likely way too expensive, something about the 1000 embassies in the area tipped me off - cool though.
Elliga3, I walked around the china town area near the verizon center (ate at the legal seafoods just by there) and that area seemed really cool - lots going on, most things located within a short distance. You say that area is the "heart" of the city? What about the Georgetown (not the law school) area, is that a little removed/crazy $$? I second that the upper Georgia Ave area is a little sketch - got a little lost (err, took a shortcut) on my way back to the highway. I have lived in Baltimore for my UG years, and I have come to know sketch when I see it, its like a sixth sense - oh Baltimore.

I dont suppose living across the Potomac in Virginia is any fun?

[argentinabrends]

After initially wanting to live in Adams Morgan, i realized that was probably not my best option for my 1L year...too much going on and not really close to the red line. I think I've decided on Woodley Park. Seems like a decently fun neighborhood, hopefully not outrageously expensive and I hope to find something close to the red line so i can metro it up and then shuttle it up to WCL. I'll probably be around in July looking for a place/signing a lease. Anyone else?

[hoffb86]

After initially wanting to live in Adams Morgan, i realized that was probably not my best option for my 1L year...too much going on and not really close to the red line. I think I've decided on Woodley Park. Seems like a decently fun neighborhood, hopefully not outrageously expensive and I hope to find something close to the red line so i can metro it up and then shuttle it up to WCL. I'll probably be around in July looking for a place/signing a lease. Anyone else?

the area over by the adams morgan metro stop (red line, btw) has some decent rentable townhomes and apartments, and it isn't right near all the adams morgan bars, its more like the "neighborhood" adams morgan, with restaurants and things of that nature. just a thought... but i looked in woodley as well when i first moved to dc.

[argentinabrends]

Thanks for the info, hoffb. I am probably going to look in several areas, adams morgan (I saw that on the red line when I was there for asw and wondered...) As well as Woodley, Cleveland and Van Ness. We'll see what happens!

[hoffb86]

Thanks for the info, hoffb. I am probably going to look in several areas, adams morgan (I saw that on the red line when I was there for asw and wondered...) As well as Woodley, Cleveland and Van Ness. We'll see what happens!

any questions on neighborhoods, feel free to let me know!

[jetlagz28]

Hey guys! Happy fo be part of the AU WCL Class of 2012. Thanks for the info on housing.

Don't forget to join the facebook club.

[ak362]

Hey everyone, recently admitted and my seat deposit has been paid!...I look forward to meeting you all in the Fall. I'm currently looking in the area for housing. I was down visiting the school a few weeks ago and stayed in a hotel on Dupont Circle. Dupont was a sweet area, but most likely way too expensive, something about the 1000 embassies in the area tipped me off - cool though.
Elliga3, I walked around the china town area near the verizon center (ate at the legal seafoods just by there) and that area seemed really cool - lots going on, most things located within a short distance. You say that area is the "heart" of the city? What about the Georgetown (not the law school) area, is that a little removed/crazy $$? I second that the upper Georgia Ave area is a little sketch - got a little lost (err, took a shortcut) on my way back to the highway. I have lived in Baltimore for my UG years, and I have come to know sketch when I see it, its like a sixth sense - oh Baltimore.

I dont suppose living across the Potomac in Virginia is any fun?

I live in Georgetown now - our townhouse of 6 costs $5700 a month, plus utilities (which go up to $400). This is one of the cheaper living arrangements in Georgetown - townhouses can definitely spike up to $1500pp in West Georgetown/Burleith/Foxhall. And it's not very Metro accessible - you can catch the Circulator or the 30s, but that's about it.

[elliga3]

Yeah, the thing about Georgetown is the undergrad students are willing to pay a lot to live in the townhouses because they're still probably paying less than they would on campus...... and their parents are probably paying. There's also no metro, but buses to the metro are easy. Unfortunately, busing to the metro, taking a long metro ride, then busing to WCL seems excessive.

Adams Morgan is not "on" the red line. It's like a 10 minute walk to the red line. Woodley Park is where the stop is actually located. There are lots of townhouses that are off of the main drag in Adams Morgan, but as a result of the bar scene, they are not always safe. I wouldn't live in Northern Virginia. People living there really aren't part of the city. The areas are cookie-cutter suburbs. Rosslyn is pretty cool because it's a quick walk to Georgetown, but again, LONG commute to WCL.

By heart of the city for Chinatown, I mean it is midway between Capitol Hill and Dupont, it has the green/yellow line, which can take you up to U Street bars or down to the airport and Alexandria, it's a very short walk to Metro Center, where you then pick up the orange/blue line as well. It's also a quick walk to the National Mall and the museums, and the Portrait Gallery/American Museum of Art in Chinatown has a brand new really great atrium for reading.

[hoffb86]

Yeah, the thing about Georgetown is the undergrad students are willing to pay a lot to live in the townhouses because they're still probably paying less than they would on campus...... and their parents are probably paying. There's also no metro, but buses to the metro are easy. Unfortunately, busing to the metro, taking a long metro ride, then busing to WCL seems excessive.

Adams Morgan is not "on" the red line. It's like a 10 minute walk to the red line. Woodley Park is where the stop is actually located. There are lots of townhouses that are off of the main drag in Adams Morgan, but as a result of the bar scene, they are not always safe. I wouldn't live in Northern Virginia. People living there really aren't part of the city. The areas are cookie-cutter suburbs. Rosslyn is pretty cool because it's a quick walk to Georgetown, but again, LONG commute to WCL.

By heart of the city for Chinatown, I mean it is midway between Capitol Hill and Dupont, it has the green/yellow line, which can take you up to U Street bars or down to the airport and Alexandria, it's a very short walk to Metro Center, where you then pick up the orange/blue line as well. It's also a quick walk to the National Mall and the museums, and the Portrait Gallery/American Museum of Art in Chinatown has a brand new really great atrium for reading.

(also has red, which is nice, so i thought i would just point it out )

[argentinabrends]

Yeah, the thing about Georgetown is the undergrad students are willing to pay a lot to live in the townhouses because they're still probably paying less than they would on campus...... and their parents are probably paying. There's also no metro, but buses to the metro are easy. Unfortunately, busing to the metro, taking a long metro ride, then busing to WCL seems excessive.

Adams Morgan is not "on" the red line. It's like a 10 minute walk to the red line. Woodley Park is where the stop is actually located. There are lots of townhouses that are off of the main drag in Adams Morgan, but as a result of the bar scene, they are not always safe. I wouldn't live in Northern Virginia. People living there really aren't part of the city. The areas are cookie-cutter suburbs. Rosslyn is pretty cool because it's a quick walk to Georgetown, but again, LONG commute to WCL.

By heart of the city for Chinatown, I mean it is midway between Capitol Hill and Dupont, it has the green/yellow line, which can take you up to U Street bars or down to the airport and Alexandria, it's a very short walk to Metro Center, where you then pick up the orange/blue line as well. It's also a quick walk to the National Mall and the museums, and the Portrait Gallery/American Museum of Art in Chinatown has a brand new really great atrium for reading.

Yeah i really dont want to have to switch from blue/green to red in the mornings. That seems like too much of a hassle just to get on the metro, then from the metro take the shuttle to WCL. After living in Paris for four months during exterme strikes and 40 minutes from school...i need to make my commute to school as hassle-free as possible. After picking an area...then comes the fun part...roommate! Any suggestions on how many? I was thinking just 1 other, preferably a 1L who understands study habits, etc. But I've also heard a lot of people say they live in townhomes or homes of 3+. Any opinions? As long as i can find folks to split rent with I dont really care.

[cfishy305]

Yeah, the thing about Georgetown is the undergrad students are willing to pay a lot to live in the townhouses because they're still probably paying less than they would on campus...... and their parents are probably paying. There's also no metro, but buses to the metro are easy. Unfortunately, busing to the metro, taking a long metro ride, then busing to WCL seems excessive.

Adams Morgan is not "on" the red line. It's like a 10 minute walk to the red line. Woodley Park is where the stop is actually located. There are lots of townhouses that are off of the main drag in Adams Morgan, but as a result of the bar scene, they are not always safe. I wouldn't live in Northern Virginia. People living there really aren't part of the city. The areas are cookie-cutter suburbs. Rosslyn is pretty cool because it's a quick walk to Georgetown, but again, LONG commute to WCL.

By heart of the city for Chinatown, I mean it is midway between Capitol Hill and Dupont, it has the green/yellow line, which can take you up to U Street bars or down to the airport and Alexandria, it's a very short walk to Metro Center, where you then pick up the orange/blue line as well. It's also a quick walk to the National Mall and the museums, and the Portrait Gallery/American Museum of Art in Chinatown has a brand new really great atrium for reading.

Yeah i really dont want to have to switch from blue/green to red in the mornings. That seems like too much of a hassle just to get on the metro, then from the metro take the shuttle to WCL. After living in Paris for four months during exterme strikes and 40 minutes from school...i need to make my commute to school as hassle-free as possible. After picking an area...then comes the fun part...roommate! Any suggestions on how many? I was thinking just 1 other, preferably a 1L who understands study habits, etc. But I've also heard a lot of people say they live in townhomes or homes of 3+. Any opinions? As long as i can find folks to split rent with I dont really care.

+1 on the roommate part.

[billykelly76]

I am currently a teacher in DC and have lived in a few places. For the last two years I've been living in Mount Pleasant, which is directly adjacent to Adams Morgan (about a 10 minute walk from 18th and Columbia, which is the center of the neighborhood). I love my neighborhood. My apartment only 5 minutes away on foot from the Columbia Heights metro on the green line. Across the street from the metro is a shopping complex with the only Target in DC, a Best Buy, Marshall's and numerous other stores. Highly convenient. The neighborhood is the terminus of the 42 bus line, which runs through Dupont and Chinatown. The H4 bus runs directly in front of my house and will take you to American in 15 minutes. There are some really great bars and restaurants on my street, it is a million times quieter than Adams Morgan, significantly cheaper, safer (there are a lot of muggers in Adams Morgan), and parking is not a problem. I would highly recommend that anyone searching for housing in the city check out the neighborhood.

[ak362]

Yeah, the thing about Georgetown is the undergrad students are willing to pay a lot to live in the townhouses because they're still probably paying less than they would on campus...... and their parents are probably paying. There's also no metro, but buses to the metro are easy. Unfortunately, busing to the metro, taking a long metro ride, then busing to WCL seems excessive.

Ouch. That sounded like a mild zinger... to be fair while most Georgetown kids are on the parental dole, I know plenty of people (including two roommates and myself) who pay for their rent by themselves, mostly through part-time work or summer earnings. But that's not really relevant to the conversation.

If you are living in Georgetown, you will most likely NOT be taking the Metro to WCL - taking the 30s to Tenley takes about 15-20 minutes, and you can just hop on the WCL shuttle. Just need access to Wisconsin Ave.

Still, if you're planning on going to WCL, I wouldn't advise living in Georgetown. It's expensive, and just because you're paying more doesn't necessarily mean living standards are any better. If you're in a shared living arrangement, you're probably better off living near Friendship Heights/Tenleytown/Spring Valley/Van Ness - the houses are just as good (if not better) and available for a lower price. Commuting in from Bethesda also wouldn't be bad.

Chinatown is a neat place. I like it - though the Red Line tends to get messy during rush hour. Lots of nightlife, great restaurants (somewhat overpriced) - and the Verizon Center to boot. Not to mention, all of the DC-NYC Chinatown buses are right up your alleys (... literally).

Living in Rosslyn isn't that terrible commute-wise - it takes about 30-35 minutes to get to Tenleytown (10-15 to get to Metro Center, 15 to get to Tenleytown via Red Line, and 5 for waiting for trains/trying to get through the red line crush at Metro Center, especially during Rush Hour). Like Elliga mentioned it is very close to Georgetown (just a long, bridge walk away) - and can be a nice little bit of suburbia while still having access to most of D.C. The only thing - like Georgetown - Rosslyn is almost prohibitively expensive, especially with the new developments going up and the commercialization of the whole area. Friends living there are paying an arm and a leg. If you're considering VA, I would stay in Arlington - and stay as close to the Metro as possible. If you're living in Courthouse and planning on attending WCL - you're probably looking at an hour commute with one Xfer - (40 minutes if you're really quick and can catch your connecting trains - which there's no guarantee...) - and that's not including shuttle time/time spent walking to the Metro.

If you're planning on living a line other than the Red Line - (and people may disagree with me on this) - it's better off to live on the Blue/Orange lines rather than the Green/Yellow. Only because in my experience Blue/Orange line trains operate more frequently at regularly paced intervals. I've had to wait for a Yellow line train (during Rush Hour) for a good 7-8 minutes sometimes - whereas Blue/Orange usually run every 1-3 minutes during peak hours. Again, this is my personal experience, and I'm sure someone else living in D.C. can tell you something entirely different.

Like others have said - Adams Morgan can be hit or miss in terms of safety (it's safe for the most part, but there are some incidents). Woodley/Dupont are fine. I don't really know about Mount Pleasant - haven't been there often enough to personally comment, but friends of mine who live near Columbia Heights/Petworth have both pros and cons about the neighborhoods, and concerns about safety do come up. If you are looking at that area though, you have to weigh the cost benefit of living in Columbia Heights (apartments are cheap for the most part - so are group homes) versus some of the major concerns over the neighborhood (it's an area in transition, D.C. IS a large city, etc.)

[elliga3]

In a very quick rebuttal, if you will, I am dating a Georgetown grad and am friends with many more as a result, and they are actually the ones who explained Georgetown renting in the way that I described. It's not mean to be a zinger. It's more of a reality. There's nothing wrong with the parents paying your rent in undergrad.

On Mt. Pleasant, I love it. It's super cute and a lovely little escape from the city. That's really good to know that there's a bus from there up to Tenleytown/AU. That definitely makes that area a great choice. The proximity to the Columbia Heights shopping (Target, Marshalls, Best Buy, Giant, etc) is great as well. And I agree there are some cool bars in Mt. Pleasant and there are some good restaurants up in Columbia Heights as well. Definitely put that neighborhood on the radar.

[billykelly76]

There are certainly safety concerns in Columbia Heights, and Petworth more so. I would not feel comfortable living in Petworth. The reason I like Mount Pleasant so much is that, because of its location in the city, people from outside the neighborhood don't really spend time here. There is a strong sense of community in the neighborhood and crime here isn't really an issue (at least no more so than it would be in Woodley Park or Cleveland Park, for example, after all we are still in DC). It all depends on what you are looking for. Mount Pleasant is a family-oriented neighborhood, it has a mechanic's shop, hardware store, bakery, several barber's shops, laundromats, restaurants, a supermarket, and a lot more on the main street (Mount Pleasant St). It tends to slide under the radar of most 20-30 year old residents and is not one of the more popular neighborhoods in the city. For me, going into law school, that is a good thing because it is a quiet neighborhood that is still very vibrant, comfortable and safe, and in which there is a lot to do if you choose. In addition to all of this, the neighborhood borders Rock Creek Park ( http://www.nps.gov/rocr/ ) and so there is great hiking within a 20 minute walk of your house, and you're still in the middle of NW. Reading back over this post I realize that I sound like I work for the Mount Pleasant Tourism Board, haha, but it's really that through my job I've come to know a lot of areas of the city and I truly believe this is one of the better neighborhoods to be in. I couldn't be happier here.

P.S. The zoo is also in Mount Pleasant. Since it is a Smithsonian institution admission is free. It is an amazing place to take walks as it is huge and very well-kept. In the spring and summer there is a jazz series on the lawn at the zoo, which is also free, and every Friday in the afternoon you can sit on the lawn with a beer and listen to live jazz.

P.S.S. I would also advise against Georgetown. Traffic on Wisconsin Ave. is horrendous, and since this is the street you would be taking to the law school you would have to suffer extraordinarily long bus rides on the way to and from school. It's also very expensive and thus not particularly accessible to law students living on a fixed income. Plus since there is no metro nearby you would be a bit isolated from the rest of the city, which is fine if you can afford to go out in the neighborhood, but much less so if you can't.

[elliga3]

Oh, I really like this website's little bios on various DC neighborhoods. Might help:

http://www.culturaltourismdc.com

[argentinabrends]

deposit paid...EEP!! yay!

[kennedyposter]

deposit paid...EEP!! yay!

Same...the deposit seems to follow the general theme thus far-expensive! Oh well, I'm excited nonetheless!

[argentinabrends]

deposit paid...EEP!! yay!

Same...the deposit seems to follow the general theme thus far-expensive! Oh well, I'm excited nonetheless!

urgh NO kidding. $900...seems excessive...other schools are $250...but whatever. i'm happy nonetheless

[ashes0909]

Is the deposit partially refundable?

[argentinabrends]

AU's terms:
Seat Deposit Partial Refund Policy
A partial seat deposit refund is available to non-matriculating candidates who meet the following requirements:
1. You were not offered admission through our Early Decision Option.
2. You were not offered admission off the waiting list.
3. You were not a transfer or visitor candidate.
4. You did not defer your admission from a previous year.
5. You were not a Public Interest/Public Service Scholarship recipient.
6. You have submitted the Not Attending Notification form via the web (https://www.wcl.american.edu/admiss/not_attending.cfm).
7. If the Admissions Office receives this form no later than June 30, 2009 5:00pm EDT, a $450.00 refund is available. Please note that failure to submit this form electronically by the June 30, 2009 5:00pm EDT deadline will result in a forfeiture of all deposit funds.

edit: today, 4/15/09, was the deadline for submitting the deposit. i think if you didn't submit by today you are automatically withdrawn...

[ashes0909]

I put my deposit in on time, just hoping to see some of that $$ back. Though I know it will all end up being sucked up by American anyway..lol

[mardimar]

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