How to Create the Best Living Situation in Graduate School
(full story below)
Many students fret over their classes and professors, but forget one very important variable: if you’re unhappy at home, you’ll be unhappy in the classroom.
This part of the higher education equation was easier during undergrad because the school did much of the thinking for you: they chose your tiny room and roommate in the campus dormitory. In graduate school, you are encouraged to think about which living situation would be best for you: a house or apartment with roommates, living alone, or living with family.
Calculate your budget early so you know what your living expenses will be. This number may dictate whether you have roommates and where you can live.
If the cost is too great and your family is located near your college or university, you may opt to live with them during your graduate schools studies (especially if you cannot work while going to school). This is a good option for those who have a solid relationship with their family, where there is mutual respect of space and time. You will need a place to complete assignments without distractions, so if your younger brother drops down from the top bunk onto your bed while you’re working, you may want to find an alternative.
It’s important to really understand yourself and your preferred lifestyle. At this point in your life, you have likely lived alone or with others. Which did you find more fulfilling? Some students crave the interaction with other students, so they choose to find roommates within their program. Others prefer to live with someone who isn’t even a student, so when they return home from classes they will not hear any school talk. Others know that they will not be tolerant of roommates, so they choose to live alone.
Consider living solo. Graduate students keep erratic schedules, sometimes working before sunrise or long after a reasonable bedtime. Teaching assistantships require patience and flexible schedules for students who need extra instruction. You may be called on to complete some kind of research in a short amount of time, meaning you’ll be working non-stop until it is finished. When you live alone, you don’t have to worry about inconveniencing others with your schedule.
If you’re choosing to live in an apartment while you study, start the hunt for your place early. Be diligent about checking online for new listings and reply immediately when you find a possible fit. Ask your campus housing office about the on-campus possibilities, whether the school lists available off-campus apartments, and if there’s a roommate finder service.
In the end, your housing should work well with your lifestyle and complement your studies. Create a situation that will help you ace your classes.
Arizona Summit Receives WRBLSA Award Arizona Summit was recently awarded the 2016 Black Student Law Association Chapter Award at the
Western Region Black Law Students Association (WRBLSA)'s 48th annual convention held during the
first week of January in San Diego.
Charlotte School of Law AAMPLE®
If a lower LSAT score is hurting your chances of getting into law school, Charlotte School of
Law (CSL) offers the Alternative Admissions Model Program for Legal Education (AAMPLE), a
seven-week online class that helps prospective students prove they are able to handle a
demanding law school curriculum.
Florida Coastal Law's Practitioner Clinics Florida Coastal Law's Practitioner Clinic is an innovative course offering students a chance
to work closely on pro bono cases with a practicing lawyer. Students are often invited to
work on these cases in the practitioner's office off campus, and the Clinics are offered as
two credits with an evening classroom component.
Center for Professional Development Arizona Summit's Center for Professional Development (CPD) is a full-service career counseling
and resource center that supports and assists students in all stages of the career planning
process, while helping employers fill their semester, summer, and permanent hiring needs.
Charlotte Law Compliance Certificate Program
Students with or without a legal background can pursue a career in the rapidly growing
field of compliance and ethics. Charlotte Law is one of the few law schools in the U.S.
offering a Corporate Compliance Certificate Programentirely online. It's an 18-week
platform that prepares students for the Compliance Certification Board exam.
Florida Coastal Law Offers LLM & Certificate in Logistics & Transportation Florida Coastal Law is the first law school in the U.S. to offer an onlineLL.M. Degree or
Certificate in Logistics & Transportation. Students in the 24-credit LL.M. or 12-credit
Certificate program gain expertise in global logistics and transportation law through
cutting-edge courses taught by attorneys and industry professionals online.
