Relocation Guide
Relocation Guide
We hope the following information is helpful to you as you relocate to Madison. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Student Services Staff or any of the graduate students you met during your visit.
Student Services Staff:
Flavia: 608-265-2281 or Email at farana@biochem.wisc.edu
Colleen: 608-262-3899 or Email at cclary@biochem.wisc.edu
Elyse: 608-261-1492 or Email at eemeuer@wisc.edu
Apartments located in Madison and the surrounding communities:
Resources to check are:
The Madison Newspapers and/or Sunday edition of our Wisconsin State Journal
The UW Campus Area Housing Office
If you want a “second opinion”:
Before signing a lease on an apartment, please feel free to contact any of the graduate students you met during your visit, Flavia, or Colleen.
Our advice is that you:
- visit any apartments you are interested in before signing a lease
- not choose an apartment based only on inexpensive monthly rent; “you’ll get what you pay for”
- complete the “move-in/move-out checklist” your landlord should supply
- will be able to find an apt; apts are plentiful
- realize that apts become available throughout the summer; many landlords only require a 1-month notice from tenants; that means, landlords will know which and how many apts will be available for August after July 1
- take advantage of the free bus pass you’ll receive as a grad student
Bus schedules:
Available at student unions, public libraries, the buses themselves, or Colleen. On the web at http://www.mymetrobus.com/.
Many routes are anywhere from a 10 to 30 minute bus ride to Biochem, and many grads bike in the spring, summer, and fall. Ask Madison Metro to plan your route to and from Biochem by using the form at http://trip.cityofmadison.com/
Areas where we live and you may wish to look are:
University Avenue — past Hilldale Shopping Mall to Sheboygan Ave & Eau Claire Ave multiple apt complexes
“Old” University Avenue - 2100 block
Eagle Heights — http://www.housing.wisc.edu/universityapartments/eheights/
Monroe Street Area — Madison, Jefferson, Van Buren, Harrison, Adams, Garfield, etc.
1620 Monroe Street — Clarenden
Vilas Area — Emerald, Erin, Drake, South Brooks, etc.
Near East Side/Capital Square — Patterson, Blair, Blount, Franklin, Livingston, Main
West side of Madison – Stone Ridge, Faircrest, Yorktown, Greenbriar, High Point Woods, High Point Commons,
City of Middleton
Here are 2 hotels near campus where you may consider staying while you are here searching for apartments.
Doubletree Hotel Madison
525 West Johnson
608-251-5511
The Inntowner – Best Western
2424 University Avenue
800-258-8321
Interested in a roommate or roommates?
Please contact Colleen. She maintains a list of current grads looking for roommates and will forward you their names and email addresses. Please feel free to email your classmates to determine interest in sharing an apartment too.
Moving Companies:
Check with your alumni association; some offer discounts and include insurance.
Grads have used national, reputable moving companies and also rented trucks from U-Haul, Ryder, and Penske. They recommend obtaining written estimates if using a moving company.
If renting a truck:
- reserve the truck as far in advance of your move as possible; summer is a very busy time
- check prices of different rental companies
- confirm your reservation (dates using the truck and size of the truck) prior to your departure
Other things you may wish to consider:
- obtain renter’s insurance; cost is very reasonable
- ask the insurance agent for info on discounts; some agencies offer discounts for insuring both your car and apartment with them, and/or for taking the bus to school instead of driving
- change your address at http://www.usps.com/
Once you have found a place to live:
Please contact Colleen with your address, telephone number, and arrival date. Plan to move to Madison no later than August 16. You’ll need to meet with Colleen to attend radiation and chemical safety classes, obtain your student ID and bus pass, etc., before our orientation program at the end of August.
Enrolling for Classes:
Is done online in July. Colleen will email instructions when they become available.
Email Address
Is done online in July at the time you’ll enroll in your courses. Instructions will be provided in an email from Colleen.
Financial Institutions
Below are names and web sites for some of the financial institutions in Madison. You may wish to surf their web sites for information on their services, rates, and locations. Most grads use and are happy with UW Credit Union. However, all these banks provide outstanding service, and have branches throughout the city.
AnchorBank
Associated Bank
Chase Bank
M&I Bank
UW Credit Union
US Bank
UW Athletics:
http://www.uwbadgers.com/tickets/headlines/index.aspx
How to purchase season tickets or single game tickets for all sporting events. Some sports are very popular, and tickets go on sale as early as May. See the web site for ticket policies, seating charts, and dates of sales.
Wisconsin Driver’s License/Automobile Plates: http://www.dot.state.wi.us/
Places of Worship:
Are listed in the Yellow Pages of your Telephone Book. Also an abbreviated list in the Saturday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal. Both sources list locations, as well as days and times of services.
Home Furnishings
See the Sunday edition of our Wisconsin State Journal. Flyers will give you an idea of prices, styles of furniture available at all the different stores, locations, etc. For used furniture, check out garage sales or Another Home Consignment Furniture, 6621 Century Avenue, Middleton.
Buying a Bike:
Bikes are very popular, both for getting to and from campus, as well as for enjoying our many bike paths. Retailers you may wish to check out are:
Budget Bike Shop, 1230 Regent Street
Buying a Computer:
One of the most commonly asked questions by incoming grad students involves buying a new computer. There are several things to consider:
- Laptop vs. desktop?
- Mac vs. PC?
- When to buy?
- How much to spend?
Laptop vs. desktop: It will probably be more useful to purchase a laptop, simply because of its mobility. Grad students will give plenty of presentations in classes and seminars through their careers, and this task is easier on a familiar computer. Most labs provide a handful of computers for general lab use; however, your own laptop will likely be much more convenient to use, should you own one.
Mac vs. PC: This is usually a matter of personal preference. Choose the operating system you are most familiar with, or choose the operating system that gives you the most bang for your buck. Some labs may have specialized software that requires one operating system or another, but the majority of software is available for both systems. A list of the software the department can install on your personal computer can be found on the Biochemistry IT website.
When to buy: Should you buy a computer in the summer before you come? Should you wait until December, when you join a lab? Either way has benefits. There are plenty of computers available for your use during the daytime (Steenbock Library, student unions, BMC, Biochemistry, Biotech Center), if you choose to wait. Prices will also likely drop in six months. If you want to purchase a computer through DoIT (below), you’ll need your student ID. In addition, some labs provide computers for each of their students – another reason to wait. On the other hand, it will be more convenient to have your own computer during rotations. Apple also has a “Back to School” deal that involves a freebie (iPod touch, iPod nano) when you buy a Mac between June and September.
How much to spend: As much as you can afford. More precisely, buy the computer with the best system specs available (hard drive space, RAM, processor speed, video card). Even if you don’t need much now (the “I’m only going to use word processing and email” syndrome), chances are in two years you will. Computers get outdated fairly quickly, so the best way to guard against this is to buy the best you can today. This doesn’t have to be a super-expensive proposition – good laptops can be found under $1000, and will last you the majority of your graduate career.
Where to buy:
- Dell is the place to buy customized PCs
- Apple is the place to buy a Mac
- Our DoIT tech store offers discounts through both Apple and Dell to UW-Madison students.
- You might also consider Sony Vaiohttp. You will likely find a better deal online, but stores like Best Buy and Circuit City will also have laptops available for immediate purchase.
View the larger image of the Google Map to find locations for grocery stores, retail outlets, and major shopping malls.