I would like to move to NY for reasons. Doesn’t have to be the city, thought in or near (or generally metropolitan) preferred, and I would like to move as soon as realistically and feasibly possible (I’m not getting rid of all my shit, hopping on a plane, and arriving in NYC, even if that is as soon as possible).

I’m not really sure how to do this. I know I need to look into apartments or places to stay in general, and also look into getting a job once I’m up there or before I arrive. I am currently in college, so I would also need to look into colleges to transfer into. The thing is, I don’t know where to start looking. I mean, sure I could look up “apartments in NY” and “community colleges in NY” but the internet is AI generated nowadays and listicles and apartments.com doesn’t give the whole story. When I moved into my current city, I asked for advice and suggestions on Reddit and got a lot of help (been staying in the same apartment complex for the last 4 years that someone from there recommended actually), so I figured, fuck it let me do the same here.

I guess my more solid questions would be:

  1. What apartments should I look into? Any suggestions for it?

  2. What colleges should I check out that would be covered by FAFSA and offer bachelors in Computer Science or related (tangentially or otherwise) fields?

  3. I’m aware that NY in general is a more expensive state in cost-of-living but I’ve heard wages there are also higher. Would I be able to exist there off a part-time or full-time retail/food-service job? Also, I do currently have an Associate’s degree, would I be able to get a better paying job through that or is it not enough?

Any other advice would be very much appreciated, and if I come up with more questions I’ll edit them in ig.

  • HobbitFoot English
    19·
    6 hours ago

    If you’re going to college, I suggest focusing on which college you want to transfer to first before trying to find a place to live. If you just want to move to the region and don’t care about actually being in the city, NJIT is a short train ride away and has a decently rated CS program.

    Also, you aren’t going to be able to afford most of Manhattan on a retail salary. You’ll probably need roommates for the outer borroughs and beyond.

    • Eq0@literature.cafe
      3·
      4 hours ago

      I agree: first choose the college, then start planning the rest. And consider that you might be too late to transfer for next semester, so “as early as possible” might hinge on you losing a semester or not. Taking longer might also allow you to apply for scholarships and look into student housing.

      You have to decise how close to NYC is still acceptable for you. Princeton? Rutgers? NJIT as the previous commenter mentioned? I don’t know anything about CS majors, but World Ranking used to do a good job.

      • jqubed@lemmy.world
        3·
        3 hours ago

        Even in the city, you’d be better off choosing the school first and then the location. If you find housing in Brooklyn but a school in the Bronx that could still be a long commute just for class and will impact time available to work, socialize, or sleep.