Amie B: Housing Options in Chicago

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[[Photo via Orkposters]]

While giving tours, I have been getting a lot of questions about housing. People are curious about where students live, whom they are living with, and what the benefits are of each. My typical response is that people live all over the city and the suburbs in a variety of housing options. It largely depends on what is important to the students. To illuminate what I have been saying, I have polled some of my classmates. Here is a sampling of their living situations. It shows all the different options Chicago and its suburbs have to offer!

Suburbs
“My name is Mariam Rahman and I live in Bartlett, IL in a 2 bed/2bath condo, with my husband and child. I like living there because it is an easy commute. Since it is close to the Metra, it is way cheaper on rent than downtown, giving us more room for our money, and has a one car attached garage. It is very quiet, since there are only 4 condos in our building. Also, it is close to Schaumburg, which has a ton of things to do. It is great for someone who would have a car, because parking in the city is very difficult. There are always apartments and condos for rent in Bartlett, for a very reasonable price in relation to other suburbs.”

“My name is Leen Nachawati, and I live in Willowbrook in an apartment with my husband, and we love the area! We chose to live in the suburbs because my husband is doing his residency in the suburbs and moving downtown would be difficult. The pro of living in Willowbrook is there is plenty to do, without dealing with the traffic. You can actually get in your car and go wherever you want in a reasonable amount of time, without worrying about parking. With our rent, we’re also able to get a much bigger place than we would’ve gotten for the same price in the city. Living in the suburbs you avoid the stress of the city life, but you can still enjoy the city itself because you’re only 20 minutes away! The cons of living in the western suburbs is that you have to buy a Metra pass every month (and there isn’t a discounted price for students like there is for the CTA), as well as parking passes at the train stations. Some people also find it to be a hassle to commute to school, but it is not that bad if you’re able to get studying done on the train. Overall, there are pros and cons to living in the suburbs, it just depends on your lifestyle and what you want to get out of your experience going to school in Chicago.”

Apartments in the City
“My name is Mike and I live in Buena Park in a one bedroom apartment. I like living there because I’m within walking distance of two grocery stores, a Target, the bus, the train, and just outside of Wrigleyville so I can walk to Cubs games, but don’t have to live in the hustle and bustle of Wrigleyville.”

“My name is Cote and I live in Lincoln Park in a one-bedroom apartment by myself. I like living there because it’s close to an unlimited number of restaurants, theaters, comedy clubs, the park and the zoo. It’s great to be close to the train and bus routes that run all over the city.”

My name is Kayley and I live in Lakeview East in a studio apartment by myself. I like my neighborhood because it is close to a lot of restaurants and shops. Also, it is near the north entrance to Lincoln Park which has lots of running and walking paths.”

“My name is Ibienebo Hart and I live in the loop! I always receive confused looks when I say that, but that’s because I don’t live in a residential area. I live in a high-rise building between Millennium Park and State Street shopping. With that being said, I live in the middle of everything and that is why I love it. I love to shop, dance, eat and attend concerts or musicals. It is great to be within walking distance of every tourist attraction or event but as a law student, one of the best parts is the accessibility to the legal district. Just about every law firm, clinic, or agency is located in the Loop. It makes my life very stress-free knowing that I am able to walk to school, an internship, job, or team practice and make it back home within minutes. However, if there’s ever a need to go to other Chicago neighborhoods or suburbs, the Metra stations and every color of the CTA line are right around the corner!”

“My name is Brian and I live in Lincoln Park in a two bedroom apartment with a friend from undergrad. I like Lincoln Park because it is close to school and is in a very lively neighborhood. I like to try new restaurants and enjoy going for runs on the tree-lined streets.”

“My name is Katelyn Blanchard and I live in Streeterville in a convertible-studio apartment (the bedroom is separated partially from the living area). I like living there because I am walking distance from the best parts of the city and school. I’m blocks away from Navy Pier, Michigan Avenue, the Loop, and the red line that can take me everywhere else. It’s a little costly, but the convenience and amenities are worth it.”

“My name is Elise and I live in Lakeview East in a pretty large studio apartment. I like living there because there is so much to offer right at the end of my block.  I have the Laugh Factory (a comedy club), great and extremely diverse restaurants and bars (from dive bars, micro breweries, margarita bars, etc) as well as boutique shopping and great second-hand bookstores.  There is more to do than I could possibly have time for but that keeps it interesting.  I can always go exploring in my neighborhood, feel safe, and find something new to do.”

Baumhart (Loyola’s graduate housing option)

“My name is Dagny and I live in Baumhart, the Loyola graduate student housing. I like living in Baumhart because it is so close to the law school and I get to meet so many people from different graduate schools at Loyola.”

“My name is Kevin Griffin and I live in Baumhart. I like living in Baumhart because being so close to the law school makes it easier to study and do homework. Living so close to school makes me a better student and helps me stay focused throughout the semester. I also like living with individuals who are in grad school, at the same point in their educational lives as me.”

Check out our housing resources on our website.

Questions for Amie? Email law-admissions [at] luc [dot] edu with the subject “Ask Amie” and she will make sure to answer them.

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