HGSE Admissions Blog

Part one: Dona Rehm, Higher Education Program master’s student

Finding housing in Cambridge and in the surrounding neighborhoods is an exhausting task! After some searching on our own, we decided to choose an apartment through Harvard Housing. My partner, Ethan, and I moved into the Peabody Terrace apartments in July and we love it! It’s a bit small for the two of us- a studio with a little over 400 square feet, aka a “tiny house”- but we’ve made it home.

The process of choosing Harvard Housing was a bit stressful, but it was a lot easier than finding a privately managed apartment. We were late in filling out our application for HU Housing, so instead of entering the lottery, we were only able to view apartments that were currently available. As soon as we found one that fit our budget, we made our selection. After that, the process was very simple- we electronically signed our lease and picked up our keys when we moved in. Overall, we love our “tiny house” lifestyle, but there are, of course, pros and cons.

PROS:

• Location! We are a 10 minute walk from Harvard Square, a 15 minute walk from campus, a 10 minute walk from Trader Joe’s, and right on the Charles River!
• Newly renovated apartment- all of the kitchen and bathroom appliances are new and we just got electronic locks.
• Graduate Commons Program: We have taken advantage of a lot that GCP has to offer. From going with a group to a Red Sox game to happy hours hosted at the complex, this element has added a lot of fun to our experience. GCP is great at creating programming that is inclusive and family friendly. It has been a great way to meet people outside of HGSE and explore the Boston area.
• Common spaces: Our building has laundry on the main floor, an area to pick up packages, a lovely courtyard that has wifi, and comfortable study lounges.
• Harvard is your landlord- this means things get fixed quickly, we feel very safe in our building, and we got cute Harvard Housing keychains!
• WE HAVE A BALCONY! Enough said.

CONS:

• Size: 416 square feet for two people is TIGHT! Luckily we knew this when we moved, so it wasn’t a surprise, but “tiny house” living meant I could not bring as many non-essential items as I would have liked.
• Price: While living in Harvard Housing means we didn’t have to pay a broker’s fee and all of our utilities are included, it is still one of the most expensive options we looked at.
• Not everything is included. Cable, parking and air conditioning are not included in the base price. We opted not to get cable and we left our cars with our parents. We chose to pay extra for air conditioning, which was a life saver in July and August.

Bottom line- we are so happy we chose to live at Peabody Terrace! The pros definitely outweighed the cons for us and we have made the most of our small space.

Part two: Katie Cordova, Higher Education Program master’s student

“Oye, dónde vas a vivir el año que viene? So where are you going to live next year?” Just thinking back to the former stress of the housing search and hearing this constant question makes me cringe. At the time, I was living on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and I had never even been to Boston, and yet, there I was, getting ready to move to Cambridge to start my master’s degree at HGSE.

Then, as the sun appears after dreary day, I found GSAS housing—the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences housing. Even though I am 25 years old and was not particularly keen on #dormlife, it was without a doubt the best option for me and here’s why:

In Madrid, most apartments are furnished, and there are specific search engines that everyone uses to find the perfect apartment or room rental. In Boston, the closest resemblance to these search engines are Facebook groups and Craigslist. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed. Looking for a furnished room, with a 9-month lease contract, close to campus was like trying to find a needle a haystack (and an expensive one at that).

• Affordability. Say it with me so the people in the back can hear it, CAMBRIDGE IS EXPENSIVE. When I was searching online, the average room was unfurnished, far away, and about $1300/month plus utilities and included a year-long lease. The fact that GSAS is under $10k for the academic year, even with the required meal plan, makes it a steal.
• Singles. All the dorm rooms (except for a few suites) are single rooms. This means you have your own space and don’t have to worry about a roommate.
• Walking distance. GSAS dorms are less than a 10-minute walk from HGSE. Not only is it an easy and pleasant walk to HGSE but think about all the money you’ll save by not having to take the metro every day (hint: it’s a lot).
• Furniture. I moved to Boston with two suitcases and a carry-on. The thought of spending money to furnish an apartment when I was only going to be there for 9 months was ludicrous to me, and so the bed, desk, chair, lamp, bookcase, etc. were all that I needed.
• Community. When I moved here, I did not know a single person and so all the GSAS welcome events geared at helping people meet other residents were wonderful. I have some really sweet hallmates, and I always have a friend nearby.
• Safety. Knowing that I have a sanctuary to come home to after a long day of classes and work provides an unparalleled comfort. Security guards often walk through the building and the blue light system throughout the Harvard campus is reassuring.