FIRSTIMER

I would appreciate any help. I intend to study a Masters degree at the Boston University Law school. However I need some answers to the following: Please help,

1. Is Boston as expensive as London or more? Housing prices?, transportation etc

2.Are there readiliy availabe part time jobs?; Are foreign students able to get a job (easily)?

3. Is Boston a safe place? Any Bostonians, please answer.

Manc

1. Is Boston as expensive as London or more? Housing prices?, transportation etc

dunno,

2.Are there readiliy availabe part time jobs?; Are foreign students able to get a job (easily)?

You can only work 20 hours per week on campus if you are a foreign student.

3. Is Boston a safe place? Any Bostonians, please answer.

I found it pretty safe the 2 times I've visited.

NC Penguin

Boston is a very expensive city in which to live. BU's website may contain info useful to overseas students as to the cost of living in Boston. Housing costs may be on par with parts of London. Depends on your budget and your expectations. You may not need a car for university but may need one at other times (shopping, travel, etc.).

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3. Is Boston a safe place? Any Bostonians, please answer.[/QUOTE]

Safe is a relative word. You make a reference to London. It is probably no more dangerous than London. However, there are always bad neighborhoods in any city and Boston probably has them. You'll have to familarize yourself with such areas. e.g. look for Boston crime statistics. This may be some indication.

My spouse is a BU alumni but graduated in the 80s. I've not visited Boston and he hasn't been back since he graduated...

Gross50

Been to Boston once and I have friends/family in Havard over there. Yes it is as expensive as London.

The people I know don't work as they are on scholarships and also receive material support from their family. Otherwise, they live like students. Rarely eat out. Very tiny apartments, cost almost 1000 per month. no utilities. They use the college bus to go to the campus. i think its free.

I'd say you will be as safe as you want to. Depends where you want to live. During the day, you might be safe but its at night that you'll want to restrict your movements. Its probably as safe as london. Few hot spots.

sibsie

I live in Cape Ann, about 40 miles from Boston and go in there quite a bit. We keep our boat at a marina in downtown Boston so we spend just about all of May - Nov there. I love the place and find it very safe. The only dodgy area I can think of is Somerville, aka Slummerville and Dorchester, though supposedly that's improved now.

House prices are very high but still not as bad as London. I find the cost of living, especially for going out a lot lower than London and Boston has some fantastic free stuff to do, especially in summer. All in all it's a great town.

Bob

Boston is nice, but expensive, especially if you can only work the 20 hours on campus, which isn't much money...

It's as safe as any other major city, transport is a major pain in the arse to drive around in, but then the T is really good, well it's pretty skanky, but it's fairly cheap and it'll get you around, just get monthly passes and you'll all set for the bus and underground.
If you don't live on campus, best bet is to live well out the city and commute in on the T or the train, lots of people do, and it's not bad...there's also plenty of other uni's, so check there websites out to for other student housing and jobs perhaps....North Eastern ain't bad....certainly a handy new gym...

Duncs

Ok from current experience living over the river in Cambridge as a grad student.

1. Expensive housing compared to many US cities. As bad as London I dont know? My wife and I live in a one bed apartment in Cambridge, approx 450sq ft for $1248 p/mnth plus utilities. Its dear enough. You might find slightly cheaper in town but i doubt it.

2. Your visa will prevent you working. Unless you have another type of visa. A student visa does not allow work during the first year except on campus up to 20 hours. Depending on the University there might be jobs but most of them go to work study home students as part of their financial aid. You will need to prove financing for all of year 1 to get the student visa anyway.

3. I find Boston to be a pretty safe city to live in. The crime rates here are definately lower than London. Particularly for street crime. Boston is actually rated as one of the safer large American cities. Personally I have never seen a crime take place here, or been a victim in the 9 months I have lived here. Couldn't say that about London. But its bigger so hard to compare. Mainly its just common sense dont go to the wrong places and you will be fine. Newton, just next to BU area around BC campus, was actually rated as the safest city in the USA recently.

Boston is a nice city and on the whole i ike living here as much as any place i have lived in the USA. Although bring your snow shoes and some warm jackets because you need to like snow up here!