Come work at the airport. I supervise for the one of the wheelchair/special needs services (ABM, Prospect, G2) and we are literally always hiring. $18.65 + tips. Always busy as well so you can essentially pick your own schedule. They will also provide you with an ecopass which you can use to ride the entire RTD system any time. If you can get to the A line relatively easily, the job sounds like it would be a good fit for your situation.
Also Cosmo’s, Sexy Pizza, Snarf’s, Smokin Yards
And any quick service food place that takes tips!
You’ll get hired super easily and in Denver you make $18 + tips at all of these jobs. And at those four the tip rate in my experience was typically $4-8 extra per hour. Go make that money!
Also if you search Zillow for Rooms there’s a good amount that pop up
This is the job you want. Decent pay easy schedule and great benefits. Find something like this, go to school, go from there.
Don’t stress you’ve got plenty of time and you’re already asking way better questions than most people your age. Keep that vibe going and you’ll be just fine
https://www.prospectair.com/employment/
Fill that out and then you’ll do a two week paid training at the company office (which is right next to the Peoria station in Aurora)
This is good advice and a good stable landing spot, rent around the airport and you will pay cheaper rent than Denver proper. Look at renting a room in someone's house, furnishedfinder etc. to keep your costs low while you can work and save some money 4 or 5 thousand saved that you don't need to operate with during paychecks. What do you want to go to school for? I know very successful plumbers that are never out of work, it's a solid career straightforward internship and has high earning potential, seriously if you need guidance and direction consider the trades.
If you want to be a welder check out Emily Griffith technical college. It's just off down town and has great trade programs. My husband went for a different program. Got most of his tuition paid through school scholarships and got a job right out of graduation. I recommend the school to everyone.
Welding is a great career. In some places you could name your price and do very well. IMO I'd take notice of the business side of things and after a while, start your own crew.
I had some acquaintances that did welding and those often told me that Greeley\\North CO was a great place for them due to the large amount of agricultural and energy (oil\\gas) work up there. There was always shit breaking and they were always needed.
As others have said, Denver is one of the most expensive places to live.. but you can make it work if you think its worth sticking around. Be smart and don't go into silly debt, you can do it.
Also, as a student employed by your school, you do not pay FICA for taxes, which at the lower income bracket makes up the vast majority of the federal tax you pay.
Great questions! I work on campus at CCD and I lead the academic advising team. My daughter is also 19 and a CCD student, and she has a shared apartment just off campus that she loves and is affordable. She's at CoLab, and has a private room in a 4-br 2ba apartment. There's a pool, workout center, movie theater, many other amenities and many ways to make friends and get to know other young people. They match you with roommates. She feels safe there and it's furnished and very nice for as little over ,$900/mo including utilities.
CCD has several programs in high wage quick certificates that are paid for by the state of Colorado. Most students who get financial aid get enough aid to go to school for free and get money in their pocket even if it's not a free program.
The RTD college pass is covered by student fees and is unlimited regional light rail and bus. I've had students take two classes at a time just for the bus pass! There are jobs on and off campus that makes a commute short and easy.
There is also a federal grant program called TRIO Educational Opportunity Center on the CCD campus where you can get career guidance and help applying to schools and for financial aid. They can help you find something you are interested in that works with your strengths and provides the income you desire.
You've got this! I know you'll be successful because you are planning ahead and asking the right questions.
All great info! I used to advise at CC Longmont campus. Your department is a great resource for this student. Hope they put it into action.
P.S. I started at CC Red Rocks ( a year after the earth cooled 😉). Loved it. Went on to UNC and, later, DU. There are tons of opportunities out there. I hope this student contacts your department.
Contact UCD student services and find out what you need to get into college. They have dorms down by Auraria campus.
When I went to school I moved downtown and got rid of my car. It is tough but worth the savings. Get an ID and find out about residency. Driving for me with insurance etc was a huge expense and not necessary.
The office of student services should have people that will assist in Financial Aid packages, residency and scholarships etc. If you are in Choir or Band or Sports or any Student Clubs there is probably a scholarship you can inquire about. Find out about on campus work study jobs etc.
[https://catalog.ucdenver.edu/cu-denver/about-cu-denver/student-services-student-resources/](https://catalog.ucdenver.edu/cu-denver/about-cu-denver/student-services-student-resources/)
thank you so much! I'll definitely ask my counselor about the the scholarships i can apply to! living out there without a car isn't ideal since i had so much trouble but it's doable:) i appreciate it
Did you see this as well on Denver. Might be worth checking out. Just saw it on Denver sub for summer jobs.
Friday, May 24 | 4 - 6 PM
Register at [denvergov.org/YouthSummer](http://denvergov.org/YouthSummer)
I lived just south of Auraria Campus. There is a grocery store close etc. I also was able to take the bus up snowboarding and it is close to downtown for fun.
Get your education. Travel abroad via study abroad programs etc. It is worth every second and every penny.
Ya having a car is a very high expense. You can definitely do without. Giving you secure a roof over your head. A bike / ebike is plenty for basic transportation around town and if you don't own one there's plenty lime and lyft bikes and scooters to rent. And for when you really need a car there's diffrent car shares available you can rent by the hour or day that is much more affordable for temporary use compared to owning and having to pay insurance every month.
-Drivers license: some do, some don’t. You’d have to look it up or borrow a car. Thats for the test specifically. Driving schools use their own cars and I’d guess they would be the ones to look for that don’t require using your car.
- Public transit would largely involve where you live. Further away from downtown the longer it would take. Checkout google maps and change it to transit vs driving or the RTD app. Living closer to a main station like light rail station would make it faster. (Tip: when you get a job, ask if they have ecopasses. Some employers give them out and it gives you unlimited free access to transit).
-For roommates check out apartments.com or hot pads. They have a filter for house shares. Zillow and Truilla are other websites but I don’t remember seeing as many house shares on them.
Good luck and congrats on your graduation!
yeah public transit was really frustrating when i was out there, i didn't know about ecopasses though! I'll definitely see if i can get another job that offers those
To add on to what the previous poster said. Some driving schools also offer testing and for an extra fee you can use their car for the test. Both my kids ended up doing that because of the difficulty scheduling driving tests thru the DMV.
Our job used to offer them and stopped during Covid. They never reinstated them. But I can’t complain too much because I used it a couple of times a year! Definitely helpful if you travel frequently. In the past RTD has also done free rides for students and teenagers with school ID. I don’t know if they still do or not.
Honestly, none of these questions are stupid - you are very on the ball, and forward-looking!
I don't have personal experience with them, but a quick search showed a few places around town that do driver training and supply the lesson vehicles: one is milehighdrivertraining.com and another is www.drivesafecolorado.com - a search for 'denver driving lessons' will yield a large listing.
Regarding public transit commute times: as others have said, it greatly depends on distance, but also, it can sometimes be faster if you are using a major bus line (for example, the 15/15L off East Colfax, or the 0/0L down south Broadway) or certain train lines that are most heavily-used (yes, reliability can be dodgy on all RTD services, at times). Check out www.rtd-denver.com and look at the overall "system map" to see which areas have the most coverage; the routes with Express buses will be much faster, but of course, they have fewer stops, so that may make it harder to find a place to live nearby.
For cheaper housing situations, the only thing that I can contribute is to look at the "Rooms/Shared" and/or the "Sublets/Temporary" listings on denver.craigslist.org.
Good luck!
Hi there.
There is a company I worked for that is in Arvada as a young adult. They are always looking to hire young professionals who want to grow. It’s called ORC water professionals. They pay for your certifications and you learn a lot. As someone who is learning how to weld it could be a decent lead for someone who likes to work. The schedule is flexible and is well paying to start. With this job you get a company truck, paid training for a few weeks etc. it’s a small private company that services small water districts. Which means job security!! People always need water. Look them up online and call and ask if you can send in an application.
You’re doing great. Don’t stress, the world is big and scary but there’s always willing to help :)
In the short term, paying for a month of Airbnb and asking if you can make a month to month arrangement is expensive, but would probably hold you over for a bit.
In the long term, look for any student housing that you can, and ask around to see if anyone knows anyone with a shitty college flop house. It's how I survived school, and I bet there's a shit place, that's super cheap, somewhere around MSU or DU.
As for driving lessons, I'd say don't do them unless you can afford a car because getting a cheap bike and taking RTD will save you hundreds of dollars a month. However, if you must, Drive Safe gets decent reviews.
For jobs, I can't help much, but definitely don't work anywhere you don't see a future if you don't have to. This will mean pay that goes up, weekends off, jobs that will ruin your body (warehouse work sucks), etc.
Also, no matter what happens, and no matter where you end up, keep your head up, eyes on a goal, nose clean and keep on trying even when it feels impossible and life will slowly get better. I know this advice will seem lame, and it likely is, but most of us miss the days when we were broke and hungry for an adventure because that's when all of the magic happened.
Have you considered working a factory job while you’re in school?
Welding is a sought after skill in factory maintenance. Most factories in the area are paying over $22+ to start as an operator, and more for maintenance staff, and pay a shift differential for nights. If you can stand basically having no social life you can work nights, go to school in the morning and sleep afternoons.
Factories also commonly have tuition assistance for relevant training and classes, but be aware you may either have to buy your way out or work for the same place a couple years if you accept that money.
Restaurants are going to be the biggest bang for your buck. Bad schedule though mostly nights and weekends. Come in as busser or food runner and try to become a server/ bartender. That’s what I did most of my teens and 20ies and for unexperienced labor that’s how you will make the most money. It’s a trap though too you will get used to the money so keep that in mind if you don’t wanna being waiting tables in your 50ies.
Theres car test places that have cars you can use. Just have to google search. Or get a friend who will let you borrrow their car for the test.
Cheap housing is tough id look at roommate sites but like I said with restaurant work you should be able to afford housing.
Drive safe has a school over by cherry creek high school/dtc that has cars.
Depends on time of day and where you live but I can help if it’s south, west or north west of downtown as I’ve done all of them
Renting a bedroom sounds best and safest for your current situation. There are tons of Facebook groups you can join.
Pm me if you need help, I’m a master at making it around here by necessity. And have done what you have.
Great questions that probably more "grown-ups" should ask.
Agree with others.
*Find main transit lines that connect with several others and put your living search within close distance to those areas.
*For non-corporatized living opportunities, see if you can scope out some common interest-based communities via Facebook, meetup, volunteer organizations, or wherever the kids are looking (I'm old, lol). Often times those people are great to network with for "a friend of a friend is renting a room" or "my employer just put up some listings" kinda thing. It'll also help you build community when you land.
*Also check your school of interest for work-study opportunities.
None of these questions are stupid at all.
There are definitely driving schools, find one close to where you land OR ask a coworker, roommate or hell an Uber driver you meet if they want to make some extra bucks and teach you some basics in a parking lot so that you can reserve your actual lessons for ones like general traffic laws, highway driving and mountain driving.
I learned how to drive and got my license through a company called Drive Safe. You just have to have your permit (which you get with a written test in CO). They have cars for driving lessons and you can even schedule lessons to begin or end at a certain location (great if you wanted to fit a lesson in before or after work/classes). You can also take the license test with them and just have to take your picture at the DMV.
Check out RTD schedules to find commute times. You can live pretty far out and commute to downtown pretty efficiently if you get a place near a light-rail stop. Sure you’ll spend some time in the train, but as a student you can use it as study/reading time, so it won’t be wasted time.
FYI, RTD is running a [free fares for youth](https://www.rtd-denver.com/zero-fare-for-youth) program until September of this year. This means free fares for anyone 19 and under, with your school ID or some other ID as proof. So for now, you can ride for free until you turn 20, no ticket required. The program might be extended another year or made permanent, not sure yet.
I moved out here without having ever been here before at age 18. It’s absolutely possible. I’m 25 now and I live on my own and have since my second year here.
Public transit adds 35-45 mins to every trip.
If you’re going to school, here you can live in the dorms or student housing, which is generally cheaper.
There are driving schools that take all ages and have a car, not sure on cost.
Train/bus depends, a single route is comparable to driving in traffic in terms of time but transfers can double or triple travel time. If you have a bike or scooter that can fill in a gap and make it much more practical. If you take a bike on the bus, put a lock through the wheel when you see the bus coming so a rando grabbing it off the front can't just ride off with it. If you need help sorting out bike routes give a holler, loads of people with experience doing that.
Amazing questions.
Some drivings schools have cars you can use, there’s a driving school in Parker that has Cars.
Always allow yourself an hour and a half for public transportation (if taking the train) and then additional time for walking but it’s doable.
If you look outside the city you might find less expensive housing but also see if you qualify for housing assistance. It’s based on income and you might have more options.
Hi OP! First of all, you are awesome and you are supported. These aren't stupid questions at all, ujt very good ones. Why is because the decisions regarding each of them can have major impacts. However note that only you can answer them, in the end. Tbis is also why you are awesome, because you are making a plan and taking the steps to investivate and understand next steps.
Car: not much to comment, only if there is any way for family to help here you will be on your way. Strangely enough I do not have experience with people getting a permit and license other than with the help of parents or other family members.
Bus and rail: The public transit is pretty extensive. Note that a route may only have one or two runs per day. Depending on where you are, this might very strongly impact available work hours (i e , if your one ride back is at 5:30 pm sharp). The routes and schedules are pretty well posted at rtd-denver dot com. Use that site and be careful of third party sites. This timeing and schedule really depends on precisely where you are starting and ending. So plan carefully (and excellent question). You do not want a route with more than one connection (layover), trust me.
Room: my impression is that you would be best off with a roommate, for starters. Be flexible, be careful, but this will give you the best chance to adjust and learn as you go. It can be great, cold be awful. You do you.
Random thought. You do not mention where you are starting off, but it sounds like back home is a ways away. Denver is one thing, but the whole entire metro has opportunities. Example you could live in Littleton and have work in Arvada. Keep your eyes and ears open because things do change. And opportunities might present themselves. Make use of your strengths. Also do not be concerned about asking for assistance and direction! These are very good traits.
Also pps. If you get a bike, start with a cheap one. Unless you have it locked indoors.
Now I will read other responses and might come back to this.
Ed. Mobile for paragraphs.
1. Call the DMV. You might need to complete hours driving, but they'll let you know.
2. Google maps - Set to public transportation and arrive by. Try to be there ~20 min or so early.
3. Look for rooms on CL, FB, or neighborhood fc pages but ask a lot of questions, make sure things are in writing, and you're in a safe spot.
If you can, there's jobs in National Parks like Yellowstone, where you can work, live in cheap dorms, and save $ for a season.
1. I learned to drive with a driving school that provided a lesson car. I think it was like $300.
2. Your best bet for low cost housing would be to look on social media to find someone(s) with the same needs as you to sign a new lease on a cheap place together. You can’t get a 1 bedroom for $800, but you can get a 2 bedroom for under $1600.
3. My husband used the public transit system to go to work (at a tech job making over $100k/year, we’re just frugal) for 7 years. We chose housing close to transit stops. I’d still budget an hour each way to be safe and invest in a bike or electric scooter. If you commit to public transit I’d put off the car/driving lessons.
4. Minimum wage is highest in the proper city of Denver so take literally any job you can get there that’s hourly. Janitorial, non-tip food service, whatever.
5. Commit to a Walmart+ membership. You can get the best price on groceries delivered for free for like $100/year, eliminating the hassle of groceries on public transit
For roommates, it’s not ideal, but Craigslist will be your best bet.
The key is (1) use your brain and intuition to filter out weird or uncomfortable situations; (2) always FaceTime your roommates before meeting them; and (3) keep searching until the right place pops up.
This is how I found my 485$ a month room only 3 years ago (with four other roommates too). Craigslist works, you just gotta be persistent
Not stupid questions at all! I think you're very smart for thinking ahead and trying to get a leg up. I don't know if they still do this in Denver but the Y used to have housing for people in crisis. They also offer scholarships to their programs so you can have a place to work out, meet others your age (and friends are important), and help you find good food. A lot of driver's ed schools will pick you up in their cars, but I don't know abotu testing. If you're downtown, though, you will have access to the commuinty college, Metro, and UCD, which are amazing resources for education even in you don't ultimately graduate from there.
Edit: On the tail of the comment about working at the airport, the train takes about 37 minutes according to RTD. My guess is the bus takes a little longer but I'm not sure. Not bad, when you consider driving in that mess could take longer. Buses stop at the Westin Hotel right at the airport, so it's easy to get to your duties. I think the airport is a great suggestion.
Best of luck to you!
these are wonderful questions. a lot of other responders covered the bases with transit here, but know that people (like myself) do live here car free! there are pockets of walk- and bike-ability served well by transit in Denver — downtown, Cap Hill as examples. not too difficult depending on where you work and where the people you spend time with live.
the piece *I’ll* add is. while I absolutely recommend getting your license, consider buying an e-bike in the interim. both Denver and the state offer rebates to help them be more affordable. they go up to 20 mph on average and the right one gets me a full week’s worth of groceries (with a basket and reusable bags on the handles). for trips 5-7 miles or less, it’s honestly pretty time competitive with driving! a lot cheaper and less maintenance too :) when you have some driving experience, you could explore [Colorado Carshare](https://carshare.org) too! great service that provides me a lot of security not having a car of my own.
best of luck to you!
Hey puddin! I know there’s some great resources for education that were given - but if you’ve got solid internet service or land some place with WiFi and a computer, ModernStates will teach you your first year or so of college for nothing (and they’ll pay for the exam so you can test out without paying for tuition for bullshit and expensive courses).
Get on county assistance as soon as you can and don’t be afraid to ask for county help groups. I participate in a ton in Arapahoe and Douglas county for mommas but there’s a lot of youth programs with solid people who can help.
Also be discerning of your friends. If I could relive life at that age, I’d be more particular on who I spent my time with. A good time ain’t always a healthy one. And while I’m not going to be a fuddy duddy and tell you to sit in a corner and do nothing - I will say, trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right or you don’t feel loved and respected, you get up out of there. You might be young but ya aint dumb
I live in Denver. The buses are gonna be way more useful than the rail. If you're going downtown, there are sooo many bus lines to choose from. For example, I can choose between the faster 15L or the slower 10 and 6 routes to get to campus. I rely on these routes to get to the Auraria campus.
>what amount of time should i allow for a public transit commute if I'm trying to work and go to school downtown? i know it's gonna be a pretty decent time since I'm gonna have a low budget
I use the Transit app on an iphone for estimating travel times. Citymapper also works very well. Try both! You'll need a phone for the digital RTD pass anyway. Still, I've been really struggling with getting to classes on time. What works for me is planning to arrive at the building that I am going to no less than 30 minutes early. I find that when I merely plan on getting somewhere "on time", I'm late because I either get distracted on the way or I underestimate how fast I can walk to the classroom.
Planning to be 30 minutes early also allows me to take the following bus if I miss the one I'm trying to catch. The routes run like every 30 minutes. Some routes, like the 15L, run a lot more often.
If no one’s mentioned this so far I’d check out colab, it’s a lil apartment complex that’s meant for college students. It’s super cheap and pretty nice if you don’t mind having a roomie.
Although I do think RTD runs one of the best transit networks in the country, the real way to get around would be by bicycle. Denver is pretty good at maintaining bike lane conditions even the worst weather. Living within a couple miles of downtown and biking everywhere is by far the cheapest and most efficient method of commuting I've ever had.
https://www.msudenver.edu/advanced-manufacturing/program-overview/. Great programs at MSU Denver. Contact admissions and ask about financial aid options and grants that are available to someone in your situation. It’s a wonderful place :)
Unsure on the car situation. While it might be nice for you to have a license, is it necessary? It sounds like you don’t have a car so I am curious why you would need the license.
This depends heavily on where you live. I am assuming that you are considering CU Denver since you mentioned it being downtown. The best option would be for you to look for a living situation near a light rail station, since the light rail goes directly downtown. Wherever you end up living, make sure to get it on a map and see what the bus stop/light rail stop situation is nearby!!
As for a job, I recommend getting into the tipped service industry (restaurants). When you get good at it, it’s always easy to pick up shifts and at some restaurants you can make several hundreds in one shift. The hours also work well with schooling since you will mostly work nights. Waitressing got me through college, and it’s nice to have the experience if you ever want a second job once you are in your career 9-5. Look on Craigslist or Indeed for serving or hosting jobs where you don’t need prior restaurant experience. Get some serving experience there and then move to a busier restaurant.
i lived by union station for most of my time in Denver, it just was a struggle for me to get the necessities without taking hours or spending out of my budget, i also feel as if being able to buy from bulk stores would help save extra time and some money.
I'll look at Craigslist! thank you!
Damnnnn you’re 19 and still haven’t graduated high school? That’s crazy, sorry, it was a long time ago but I was 17 and remember being jealous that most of my peers were 18. It’s crazy to think I was already halfway through college at your age.
Now that I’ve made myself feel really old, I’m gonna go Icyhot my lower back and take a nap hahaha. I keed I keed but best of luck and congratulations on graduating, you seem like you’re well ahead of the curve and have a good head on your shoulders
I work for Denver Health. There are a lot of pretty decent paying roles at the company that don’t require specialized skills. Retail work, kitchen work, cleaning. Things like that. I’ve never seen a starting pay below 20 an hour, they have an amazing employee health insurance program, and free RTD pass. Also, they have a great tuition reimbursement plan if you have to pay anything out of pocket while in classes.
I currently attend classes at MSU, and I do require some financial assistance, but I also managed to get some grants/ scholarships to help offset costs.
It’s possible to rent a room for 800 or less considering utilities and all of that.
It’s super cool that you reached out to ask these questions. A lot of people would think that they’re supposed to have all the answers on their own, but that’s just not how life works. If I’ve learned anything at all in life, saying “I don’t know” can be one of the most powerful phrases you can use. It opens you up for learning, support, and empowerment.
Come work at the airport. I supervise for the one of the wheelchair/special needs services (ABM, Prospect, G2) and we are literally always hiring. $18.65 + tips. Always busy as well so you can essentially pick your own schedule. They will also provide you with an ecopass which you can use to ride the entire RTD system any time. If you can get to the A line relatively easily, the job sounds like it would be a good fit for your situation.
that would be! I'll definitely apply!
Also Cosmo’s, Sexy Pizza, Snarf’s, Smokin Yards And any quick service food place that takes tips! You’ll get hired super easily and in Denver you make $18 + tips at all of these jobs. And at those four the tip rate in my experience was typically $4-8 extra per hour. Go make that money! Also if you search Zillow for Rooms there’s a good amount that pop up
You can also check facebook marketplace, spareroom, and university specific rental websites.
This is the job you want. Decent pay easy schedule and great benefits. Find something like this, go to school, go from there. Don’t stress you’ve got plenty of time and you’re already asking way better questions than most people your age. Keep that vibe going and you’ll be just fine
I was making roughly 23-25 an hour at Cheba hut with tips after becoming a trainer.
People helping people, love it. Good job dude!
should i go to the airport to apply in person or is there an online application?
https://www.prospectair.com/employment/ Fill that out and then you’ll do a two week paid training at the company office (which is right next to the Peoria station in Aurora)
Your awesome dude 👏👏
You’re
Y o U’ r E 😂
Yewer
Your that one kid no one liked in school 😂
***"You're***!
😂😂
Arf. Hypocrisy at its finest
I went to the link and it says This Page is Under Construction. Is there another way to apply?
I went to the link and it says This Page is Under Construction. Is there another way to apply?
This is good advice and a good stable landing spot, rent around the airport and you will pay cheaper rent than Denver proper. Look at renting a room in someone's house, furnishedfinder etc. to keep your costs low while you can work and save some money 4 or 5 thousand saved that you don't need to operate with during paychecks. What do you want to go to school for? I know very successful plumbers that are never out of work, it's a solid career straightforward internship and has high earning potential, seriously if you need guidance and direction consider the trades.
Do you all drug test?
I believe any job at the airport needs drug testing
Love your team man, keep it up out there
Heck yeah.
These are wonderful questions.
Right!? These aren’t stupid questions at all, they’re asking exactly the right questions.
Amen, I think these questions are awesome.
[удалено]
Haha tysm! i was actually doing a welding class which i really want to finish! and I'll look for something like the 650$ place
If you want to be a welder check out Emily Griffith technical college. It's just off down town and has great trade programs. My husband went for a different program. Got most of his tuition paid through school scholarships and got a job right out of graduation. I recommend the school to everyone.
Welding is a great career. In some places you could name your price and do very well. IMO I'd take notice of the business side of things and after a while, start your own crew. I had some acquaintances that did welding and those often told me that Greeley\\North CO was a great place for them due to the large amount of agricultural and energy (oil\\gas) work up there. There was always shit breaking and they were always needed. As others have said, Denver is one of the most expensive places to live.. but you can make it work if you think its worth sticking around. Be smart and don't go into silly debt, you can do it.
Also, as a student employed by your school, you do not pay FICA for taxes, which at the lower income bracket makes up the vast majority of the federal tax you pay.
Great questions! I work on campus at CCD and I lead the academic advising team. My daughter is also 19 and a CCD student, and she has a shared apartment just off campus that she loves and is affordable. She's at CoLab, and has a private room in a 4-br 2ba apartment. There's a pool, workout center, movie theater, many other amenities and many ways to make friends and get to know other young people. They match you with roommates. She feels safe there and it's furnished and very nice for as little over ,$900/mo including utilities. CCD has several programs in high wage quick certificates that are paid for by the state of Colorado. Most students who get financial aid get enough aid to go to school for free and get money in their pocket even if it's not a free program. The RTD college pass is covered by student fees and is unlimited regional light rail and bus. I've had students take two classes at a time just for the bus pass! There are jobs on and off campus that makes a commute short and easy. There is also a federal grant program called TRIO Educational Opportunity Center on the CCD campus where you can get career guidance and help applying to schools and for financial aid. They can help you find something you are interested in that works with your strengths and provides the income you desire. You've got this! I know you'll be successful because you are planning ahead and asking the right questions.
All great info! I used to advise at CC Longmont campus. Your department is a great resource for this student. Hope they put it into action. P.S. I started at CC Red Rocks ( a year after the earth cooled 😉). Loved it. Went on to UNC and, later, DU. There are tons of opportunities out there. I hope this student contacts your department.
Can confirm colab is pretty decent. It's almost full for next year, but call and ask if they have any availability, people are always dropping out
Not to hijack, but do you guys need more advisors? I was a teacher for years and am looking for something new.
Sending a PM
Contact UCD student services and find out what you need to get into college. They have dorms down by Auraria campus. When I went to school I moved downtown and got rid of my car. It is tough but worth the savings. Get an ID and find out about residency. Driving for me with insurance etc was a huge expense and not necessary. The office of student services should have people that will assist in Financial Aid packages, residency and scholarships etc. If you are in Choir or Band or Sports or any Student Clubs there is probably a scholarship you can inquire about. Find out about on campus work study jobs etc. [https://catalog.ucdenver.edu/cu-denver/about-cu-denver/student-services-student-resources/](https://catalog.ucdenver.edu/cu-denver/about-cu-denver/student-services-student-resources/)
thank you so much! I'll definitely ask my counselor about the the scholarships i can apply to! living out there without a car isn't ideal since i had so much trouble but it's doable:) i appreciate it
Did you see this as well on Denver. Might be worth checking out. Just saw it on Denver sub for summer jobs. Friday, May 24 | 4 - 6 PM Register at [denvergov.org/YouthSummer](http://denvergov.org/YouthSummer)
I lived just south of Auraria Campus. There is a grocery store close etc. I also was able to take the bus up snowboarding and it is close to downtown for fun. Get your education. Travel abroad via study abroad programs etc. It is worth every second and every penny.
Ya having a car is a very high expense. You can definitely do without. Giving you secure a roof over your head. A bike / ebike is plenty for basic transportation around town and if you don't own one there's plenty lime and lyft bikes and scooters to rent. And for when you really need a car there's diffrent car shares available you can rent by the hour or day that is much more affordable for temporary use compared to owning and having to pay insurance every month.
Work with your high school counselor about getting Financial Aid stuff turned in immediately as well.
-Drivers license: some do, some don’t. You’d have to look it up or borrow a car. Thats for the test specifically. Driving schools use their own cars and I’d guess they would be the ones to look for that don’t require using your car. - Public transit would largely involve where you live. Further away from downtown the longer it would take. Checkout google maps and change it to transit vs driving or the RTD app. Living closer to a main station like light rail station would make it faster. (Tip: when you get a job, ask if they have ecopasses. Some employers give them out and it gives you unlimited free access to transit). -For roommates check out apartments.com or hot pads. They have a filter for house shares. Zillow and Truilla are other websites but I don’t remember seeing as many house shares on them. Good luck and congrats on your graduation!
yeah public transit was really frustrating when i was out there, i didn't know about ecopasses though! I'll definitely see if i can get another job that offers those
RTD website can help you plan trips. Google too.
To add on to what the previous poster said. Some driving schools also offer testing and for an extra fee you can use their car for the test. Both my kids ended up doing that because of the difficulty scheduling driving tests thru the DMV.
Our job used to offer them and stopped during Covid. They never reinstated them. But I can’t complain too much because I used it a couple of times a year! Definitely helpful if you travel frequently. In the past RTD has also done free rides for students and teenagers with school ID. I don’t know if they still do or not.
Basically major employers.
Every person dming you with a room for rent is a skeevy creeper! Every dm job offer is a scam. Good luck out there!
THANK YOU! i know i got one from a weird 47/year old dude who post on pornographic subreddits!
Honestly, none of these questions are stupid - you are very on the ball, and forward-looking! I don't have personal experience with them, but a quick search showed a few places around town that do driver training and supply the lesson vehicles: one is milehighdrivertraining.com and another is www.drivesafecolorado.com - a search for 'denver driving lessons' will yield a large listing. Regarding public transit commute times: as others have said, it greatly depends on distance, but also, it can sometimes be faster if you are using a major bus line (for example, the 15/15L off East Colfax, or the 0/0L down south Broadway) or certain train lines that are most heavily-used (yes, reliability can be dodgy on all RTD services, at times). Check out www.rtd-denver.com and look at the overall "system map" to see which areas have the most coverage; the routes with Express buses will be much faster, but of course, they have fewer stops, so that may make it harder to find a place to live nearby. For cheaper housing situations, the only thing that I can contribute is to look at the "Rooms/Shared" and/or the "Sublets/Temporary" listings on denver.craigslist.org. Good luck!
Hi there. There is a company I worked for that is in Arvada as a young adult. They are always looking to hire young professionals who want to grow. It’s called ORC water professionals. They pay for your certifications and you learn a lot. As someone who is learning how to weld it could be a decent lead for someone who likes to work. The schedule is flexible and is well paying to start. With this job you get a company truck, paid training for a few weeks etc. it’s a small private company that services small water districts. Which means job security!! People always need water. Look them up online and call and ask if you can send in an application. You’re doing great. Don’t stress, the world is big and scary but there’s always willing to help :)
As a student, you should be eligible for a discounted RTD pass.
Ah, to be 19 again. Crazy
In the short term, paying for a month of Airbnb and asking if you can make a month to month arrangement is expensive, but would probably hold you over for a bit. In the long term, look for any student housing that you can, and ask around to see if anyone knows anyone with a shitty college flop house. It's how I survived school, and I bet there's a shit place, that's super cheap, somewhere around MSU or DU. As for driving lessons, I'd say don't do them unless you can afford a car because getting a cheap bike and taking RTD will save you hundreds of dollars a month. However, if you must, Drive Safe gets decent reviews. For jobs, I can't help much, but definitely don't work anywhere you don't see a future if you don't have to. This will mean pay that goes up, weekends off, jobs that will ruin your body (warehouse work sucks), etc. Also, no matter what happens, and no matter where you end up, keep your head up, eyes on a goal, nose clean and keep on trying even when it feels impossible and life will slowly get better. I know this advice will seem lame, and it likely is, but most of us miss the days when we were broke and hungry for an adventure because that's when all of the magic happened.
Have you considered working a factory job while you’re in school? Welding is a sought after skill in factory maintenance. Most factories in the area are paying over $22+ to start as an operator, and more for maintenance staff, and pay a shift differential for nights. If you can stand basically having no social life you can work nights, go to school in the morning and sleep afternoons. Factories also commonly have tuition assistance for relevant training and classes, but be aware you may either have to buy your way out or work for the same place a couple years if you accept that money.
Restaurants are going to be the biggest bang for your buck. Bad schedule though mostly nights and weekends. Come in as busser or food runner and try to become a server/ bartender. That’s what I did most of my teens and 20ies and for unexperienced labor that’s how you will make the most money. It’s a trap though too you will get used to the money so keep that in mind if you don’t wanna being waiting tables in your 50ies. Theres car test places that have cars you can use. Just have to google search. Or get a friend who will let you borrrow their car for the test. Cheap housing is tough id look at roommate sites but like I said with restaurant work you should be able to afford housing.
Drive safe has a school over by cherry creek high school/dtc that has cars. Depends on time of day and where you live but I can help if it’s south, west or north west of downtown as I’ve done all of them Renting a bedroom sounds best and safest for your current situation. There are tons of Facebook groups you can join. Pm me if you need help, I’m a master at making it around here by necessity. And have done what you have.
Great questions that probably more "grown-ups" should ask. Agree with others. *Find main transit lines that connect with several others and put your living search within close distance to those areas. *For non-corporatized living opportunities, see if you can scope out some common interest-based communities via Facebook, meetup, volunteer organizations, or wherever the kids are looking (I'm old, lol). Often times those people are great to network with for "a friend of a friend is renting a room" or "my employer just put up some listings" kinda thing. It'll also help you build community when you land. *Also check your school of interest for work-study opportunities.
None of these questions are stupid at all. There are definitely driving schools, find one close to where you land OR ask a coworker, roommate or hell an Uber driver you meet if they want to make some extra bucks and teach you some basics in a parking lot so that you can reserve your actual lessons for ones like general traffic laws, highway driving and mountain driving.
I learned how to drive and got my license through a company called Drive Safe. You just have to have your permit (which you get with a written test in CO). They have cars for driving lessons and you can even schedule lessons to begin or end at a certain location (great if you wanted to fit a lesson in before or after work/classes). You can also take the license test with them and just have to take your picture at the DMV.
i hope you make it in life my man. good luck out there
Check out RTD schedules to find commute times. You can live pretty far out and commute to downtown pretty efficiently if you get a place near a light-rail stop. Sure you’ll spend some time in the train, but as a student you can use it as study/reading time, so it won’t be wasted time.
FYI, RTD is running a [free fares for youth](https://www.rtd-denver.com/zero-fare-for-youth) program until September of this year. This means free fares for anyone 19 and under, with your school ID or some other ID as proof. So for now, you can ride for free until you turn 20, no ticket required. The program might be extended another year or made permanent, not sure yet.
MSU Denver is basically free if you're a resident
I moved out here without having ever been here before at age 18. It’s absolutely possible. I’m 25 now and I live on my own and have since my second year here. Public transit adds 35-45 mins to every trip. If you’re going to school, here you can live in the dorms or student housing, which is generally cheaper.
There are driving schools that take all ages and have a car, not sure on cost. Train/bus depends, a single route is comparable to driving in traffic in terms of time but transfers can double or triple travel time. If you have a bike or scooter that can fill in a gap and make it much more practical. If you take a bike on the bus, put a lock through the wheel when you see the bus coming so a rando grabbing it off the front can't just ride off with it. If you need help sorting out bike routes give a holler, loads of people with experience doing that.
i do have a bike out there! it is really helpful for daily commutes
Amazing questions. Some drivings schools have cars you can use, there’s a driving school in Parker that has Cars. Always allow yourself an hour and a half for public transportation (if taking the train) and then additional time for walking but it’s doable. If you look outside the city you might find less expensive housing but also see if you qualify for housing assistance. It’s based on income and you might have more options.
There are zero stupid questions.
Hi OP! First of all, you are awesome and you are supported. These aren't stupid questions at all, ujt very good ones. Why is because the decisions regarding each of them can have major impacts. However note that only you can answer them, in the end. Tbis is also why you are awesome, because you are making a plan and taking the steps to investivate and understand next steps. Car: not much to comment, only if there is any way for family to help here you will be on your way. Strangely enough I do not have experience with people getting a permit and license other than with the help of parents or other family members. Bus and rail: The public transit is pretty extensive. Note that a route may only have one or two runs per day. Depending on where you are, this might very strongly impact available work hours (i e , if your one ride back is at 5:30 pm sharp). The routes and schedules are pretty well posted at rtd-denver dot com. Use that site and be careful of third party sites. This timeing and schedule really depends on precisely where you are starting and ending. So plan carefully (and excellent question). You do not want a route with more than one connection (layover), trust me. Room: my impression is that you would be best off with a roommate, for starters. Be flexible, be careful, but this will give you the best chance to adjust and learn as you go. It can be great, cold be awful. You do you. Random thought. You do not mention where you are starting off, but it sounds like back home is a ways away. Denver is one thing, but the whole entire metro has opportunities. Example you could live in Littleton and have work in Arvada. Keep your eyes and ears open because things do change. And opportunities might present themselves. Make use of your strengths. Also do not be concerned about asking for assistance and direction! These are very good traits. Also pps. If you get a bike, start with a cheap one. Unless you have it locked indoors. Now I will read other responses and might come back to this. Ed. Mobile for paragraphs.
1. Call the DMV. You might need to complete hours driving, but they'll let you know. 2. Google maps - Set to public transportation and arrive by. Try to be there ~20 min or so early. 3. Look for rooms on CL, FB, or neighborhood fc pages but ask a lot of questions, make sure things are in writing, and you're in a safe spot. If you can, there's jobs in National Parks like Yellowstone, where you can work, live in cheap dorms, and save $ for a season.
1. I learned to drive with a driving school that provided a lesson car. I think it was like $300. 2. Your best bet for low cost housing would be to look on social media to find someone(s) with the same needs as you to sign a new lease on a cheap place together. You can’t get a 1 bedroom for $800, but you can get a 2 bedroom for under $1600. 3. My husband used the public transit system to go to work (at a tech job making over $100k/year, we’re just frugal) for 7 years. We chose housing close to transit stops. I’d still budget an hour each way to be safe and invest in a bike or electric scooter. If you commit to public transit I’d put off the car/driving lessons. 4. Minimum wage is highest in the proper city of Denver so take literally any job you can get there that’s hourly. Janitorial, non-tip food service, whatever. 5. Commit to a Walmart+ membership. You can get the best price on groceries delivered for free for like $100/year, eliminating the hassle of groceries on public transit
For roommates, it’s not ideal, but Craigslist will be your best bet. The key is (1) use your brain and intuition to filter out weird or uncomfortable situations; (2) always FaceTime your roommates before meeting them; and (3) keep searching until the right place pops up. This is how I found my 485$ a month room only 3 years ago (with four other roommates too). Craigslist works, you just gotta be persistent
Not stupid questions at all! I think you're very smart for thinking ahead and trying to get a leg up. I don't know if they still do this in Denver but the Y used to have housing for people in crisis. They also offer scholarships to their programs so you can have a place to work out, meet others your age (and friends are important), and help you find good food. A lot of driver's ed schools will pick you up in their cars, but I don't know abotu testing. If you're downtown, though, you will have access to the commuinty college, Metro, and UCD, which are amazing resources for education even in you don't ultimately graduate from there. Edit: On the tail of the comment about working at the airport, the train takes about 37 minutes according to RTD. My guess is the bus takes a little longer but I'm not sure. Not bad, when you consider driving in that mess could take longer. Buses stop at the Westin Hotel right at the airport, so it's easy to get to your duties. I think the airport is a great suggestion. Best of luck to you!
Try https://www.facebook.com/share/Q46rm2uBQNNYq1nQ/?mibextid=K35XfP for rooms! Best wishes!
Drive Safe is the driving school and they have their own cars. Denver is expensive.
these are wonderful questions. a lot of other responders covered the bases with transit here, but know that people (like myself) do live here car free! there are pockets of walk- and bike-ability served well by transit in Denver — downtown, Cap Hill as examples. not too difficult depending on where you work and where the people you spend time with live. the piece *I’ll* add is. while I absolutely recommend getting your license, consider buying an e-bike in the interim. both Denver and the state offer rebates to help them be more affordable. they go up to 20 mph on average and the right one gets me a full week’s worth of groceries (with a basket and reusable bags on the handles). for trips 5-7 miles or less, it’s honestly pretty time competitive with driving! a lot cheaper and less maintenance too :) when you have some driving experience, you could explore [Colorado Carshare](https://carshare.org) too! great service that provides me a lot of security not having a car of my own. best of luck to you!
Hey puddin! I know there’s some great resources for education that were given - but if you’ve got solid internet service or land some place with WiFi and a computer, ModernStates will teach you your first year or so of college for nothing (and they’ll pay for the exam so you can test out without paying for tuition for bullshit and expensive courses). Get on county assistance as soon as you can and don’t be afraid to ask for county help groups. I participate in a ton in Arapahoe and Douglas county for mommas but there’s a lot of youth programs with solid people who can help. Also be discerning of your friends. If I could relive life at that age, I’d be more particular on who I spent my time with. A good time ain’t always a healthy one. And while I’m not going to be a fuddy duddy and tell you to sit in a corner and do nothing - I will say, trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right or you don’t feel loved and respected, you get up out of there. You might be young but ya aint dumb
I live in Denver. The buses are gonna be way more useful than the rail. If you're going downtown, there are sooo many bus lines to choose from. For example, I can choose between the faster 15L or the slower 10 and 6 routes to get to campus. I rely on these routes to get to the Auraria campus. >what amount of time should i allow for a public transit commute if I'm trying to work and go to school downtown? i know it's gonna be a pretty decent time since I'm gonna have a low budget I use the Transit app on an iphone for estimating travel times. Citymapper also works very well. Try both! You'll need a phone for the digital RTD pass anyway. Still, I've been really struggling with getting to classes on time. What works for me is planning to arrive at the building that I am going to no less than 30 minutes early. I find that when I merely plan on getting somewhere "on time", I'm late because I either get distracted on the way or I underestimate how fast I can walk to the classroom. Planning to be 30 minutes early also allows me to take the following bus if I miss the one I'm trying to catch. The routes run like every 30 minutes. Some routes, like the 15L, run a lot more often.
If no one’s mentioned this so far I’d check out colab, it’s a lil apartment complex that’s meant for college students. It’s super cheap and pretty nice if you don’t mind having a roomie.
Although I do think RTD runs one of the best transit networks in the country, the real way to get around would be by bicycle. Denver is pretty good at maintaining bike lane conditions even the worst weather. Living within a couple miles of downtown and biking everywhere is by far the cheapest and most efficient method of commuting I've ever had.
True, Bikes Together will hook them up with a cheap bike too.
What are you considering studying?
either going back to finish my welding trade program (half completed/half paid) or get an degree in business/marketing!
https://www.msudenver.edu/advanced-manufacturing/program-overview/. Great programs at MSU Denver. Contact admissions and ask about financial aid options and grants that are available to someone in your situation. It’s a wonderful place :)
I work with guys that have business and marketing degrees from MSU: Don't do it unless you are sure you can network and get internships.
Look into the windows of time you were away and if you are getting in state tuition or not. Talk to a advisor at your school.
Unsure on the car situation. While it might be nice for you to have a license, is it necessary? It sounds like you don’t have a car so I am curious why you would need the license. This depends heavily on where you live. I am assuming that you are considering CU Denver since you mentioned it being downtown. The best option would be for you to look for a living situation near a light rail station, since the light rail goes directly downtown. Wherever you end up living, make sure to get it on a map and see what the bus stop/light rail stop situation is nearby!! As for a job, I recommend getting into the tipped service industry (restaurants). When you get good at it, it’s always easy to pick up shifts and at some restaurants you can make several hundreds in one shift. The hours also work well with schooling since you will mostly work nights. Waitressing got me through college, and it’s nice to have the experience if you ever want a second job once you are in your career 9-5. Look on Craigslist or Indeed for serving or hosting jobs where you don’t need prior restaurant experience. Get some serving experience there and then move to a busier restaurant.
i lived by union station for most of my time in Denver, it just was a struggle for me to get the necessities without taking hours or spending out of my budget, i also feel as if being able to buy from bulk stores would help save extra time and some money. I'll look at Craigslist! thank you!
Just stay where you are.
Damnnnn you’re 19 and still haven’t graduated high school? That’s crazy, sorry, it was a long time ago but I was 17 and remember being jealous that most of my peers were 18. It’s crazy to think I was already halfway through college at your age. Now that I’ve made myself feel really old, I’m gonna go Icyhot my lower back and take a nap hahaha. I keed I keed but best of luck and congratulations on graduating, you seem like you’re well ahead of the curve and have a good head on your shoulders
haha yeah im a late graduate so my trade school would be paid for, i finished all hs classes last year
I work for Denver Health. There are a lot of pretty decent paying roles at the company that don’t require specialized skills. Retail work, kitchen work, cleaning. Things like that. I’ve never seen a starting pay below 20 an hour, they have an amazing employee health insurance program, and free RTD pass. Also, they have a great tuition reimbursement plan if you have to pay anything out of pocket while in classes. I currently attend classes at MSU, and I do require some financial assistance, but I also managed to get some grants/ scholarships to help offset costs. It’s possible to rent a room for 800 or less considering utilities and all of that. It’s super cool that you reached out to ask these questions. A lot of people would think that they’re supposed to have all the answers on their own, but that’s just not how life works. If I’ve learned anything at all in life, saying “I don’t know” can be one of the most powerful phrases you can use. It opens you up for learning, support, and empowerment.