>If you ever attended grad. school, full or part-time, in New York City, I
>would like know how you might have been creative when came to securing
>shelter, especially if your school did not provide on-campus housing.
>

Orrie:

I went to the Institute of Fine Arts in NYC from 1983-86.  From 1983-84 I
had a room-and-bath in someone else's VERY large apartment at 83rd and
Columbus, costing me about $400 per month plus share of utilities.  I had
placed an index card on the student bulletin boards at NYU and Columbia
advertising that I was seeking to share housing, and I got many offers to
choose from. In 1985 I did an internship at the Getty and did the same
thing--advertised at UCLA and USC that I was looking for a 6-month share.
From 1985-86, when I got back to NYC, I rented my own 1-BR apartment in my
own name for about $990/mo. and advertised for a roommate by placing notices
on bulletin boards at NYU and Columbia.  The roommate got the bedroom and we
partitioned off the living room to house my bedroom area, and we split the
rent in half.

All of these situations were good for me because I had few material
possessions, I was not particularly interested in being buddies with my
roommates nor they with me, and I worked or studied constantly, away from
the apartment.  Also, I had an aunt in the city and if the roommate needed
me gone for any reason I could always crash there.

Hope this helps...

Julia Muney Moore
Indianapolis Art Center