Calling UCSD Students and Grads

[Lt.Foo]

I will be starting grad school this fall and am on the housing list but for contingency can anyone tell me a reasonable priced area and best location to commute to class?

[jjlee3dson]

Downtown is really jumping but so are the rents. As a general proposition I'd try to stay West of the I-805, Nirvana of course is West of the I-5, closer to the beach is better. Anything north of DelMar may be a bit too far from campus unless you don't mind a commute to campus that could exceed the better part of an hour on bad days. There's a lot of apartment development (student ghetto with a southern Cal flavor) near the campus [the RE people call it La Jolla/UTC [University Town Center]. Not too far to the north is Carmel Valley but if you won't have a car you're stranded. SD has very little by way of a viable public transportation system. but if you're in good shape or want to be it is remarkably bike friendly [be prepared for hills]. Pacific beach is the ultimate beach town-take it from there and it's 10-15 minutes from campus. Mira mesa is known as Mira manila so that tells you what's going on there.

I'd suggest staying away from SE Dago, the south bay area [national city, Chula Vista, IB] and East county. Let's just say it gets a bit funky in those areas.

If at all possible score a copy of local SAN DIEGO READER, available on line at www.sdreader.com and peruse the ads. And don't believe all the local booster crap about SD being America's finest city. And also be prepared a a substantial dose of social and political conservatism. Other than that enjoy the beach and be sure to pack sunscreen and a bike.

[Wuwei]

I was at UCSD for 2 years. La Jolla is so expensive, and the people there are so stuck up, its dumb.