Getting Around

After settling down, you may decide you want to buy a car and get a driver’s license. A car is useful for doing groceries, shopping and traveling. It is also much more affordable to own a car than in Singapore, so take your chance to buy a BMW!

If you are planning to get a new car, you should shop around at several dealerships. If you are planning on getting a 2nd-hand car, you have several outlets:

1. search in the classified ads of local newspapers 2. Autotrader.com 3. Andrew Bboard 4. use an independent broker such as Eautoboutique.

Before buying, you should check the Bluebook valuation for exact prices to prevent yourself from overpaying.

If you are planning on driving or owning a car in the US, it is highly recommended that you get a driver’s license. First, even if you have a Singapore Driver’s License with an International permit, it will expire one year after your stay in US. Second, your insurance premium will be much higher and most insurance companies would not even want to write you a policy (driving a car without insurance in US is illegal). Third, your driver’s license doubles up as your ID in US (aka IC in Singapore). People ask for them when you enter a bar or someplace that serves alcoholic drinks (as such at the Happy Hour Event at CMU) or when they need to verify your credit card or apply for charge cards at departmental stores. If you don’t plan to drive or own a car, you could opt to make a photo ID ($9) instead of getting a driver license. Again a photo ID can be done at the Testing Centers.

To get a Driver’s License, there are two tests you need to take: a knowledge (theory) test and a road (practical) test. Please note there are NO exemptions whether you own a Singapore driver’s license/International Permit or not. To get complete details on the test process and an explanation of the traffic rules in Pennsylvania and US, you should pick up a PA Driving Manual from OIE or from any testing centers. Before you take the knowledge test, you need to go through a physical examination (available at CMU Student Health Services for $10 or at your preferred physician). After passing the knowledge test, you will be given a provisional driving license that allows you to drive provided a legal PA state driver’s license holder is sitting next to you. However, if you have a valid International Driving Permit (available at Singapore AA at $20) this rule does not apply to you. Getting an International Driving Permit can therefore be very helpful. Not only does it enable you to rent a car or UHAUL to drive when you first arrive, it also allows you to drive yourself down to the Testing Center on the day of your Road Test.

With your provisional license, you are now entitled to book a road test at one of the testing centers. Usually, the earliest date available will be in two weeks’ time so you should try to book in advance. However, we stress that you give yourself plenty of practice before the test for safety reasons more than just to pass the test. You should try to get used to driving on the left-side and to the roads in US. For the road test, you will need to do a parallel park and a short drive around the test center (no S-crank, no 3 point turn!) and you can use cars of any type of transmission (auto or manual)! You have up to 3 trials to pass your test (and most people managed that), after which you will have to take your knowledge test again.

Finance and Banking

Most Singaporeans here agree that the financial system in US/Pittsburgh is very different from that in Singapore. Hence, it is important that you familiarize yourself and get used to the system for security purposes as well as to prevent yourself from incurring unnecessary expenses and inconveniences. To explain the US financial system would take several volumes so we shall focus only on the specifics relevant to starting a bank account, obtaining a credit card and obtaining a good credit history.

New Bank Account

In US, you have many choices when it comes to opening a bank account. There are Commercial banks, Saving & Loans (also called Thrifts) and Pure Internet Banks. Again, choosing a bank involves trading off several factors such as:

Convenience: Is there an ATM on campus? can I withdraw/deposit money easily? Interest rates and service charges: In general, the larger commercial banks tend to have lower savings interests and higher service charge. Thrifts and online banks tend to give higher interest rates and many free services. Risk: People generally associate smaller banks or online banks with higher risk. In US, all regulated banks are monitored by their respective federal agencies and are mandated by law to offer their depositors with a deposit insurance of up to US$100000 per account. So, before opening an account (especially with an online bank), make sure the bank is a regulated one.

In Pittsburgh, there are 3 big commercial banks: PNC Bank, Mellon Bank and National-City Bank. If you’d like to find out more about each bank, you could either look up their websites or make a trip down to the bank and talk to their account managers. If you’re also interested in other banks such as the smaller thrifts, you can look up the Yellow Pages for more information.

Before coming to Pittsburgh, you should decide how you would like to bring money over from Singapore. It is not advisable to carry too much cash. IMO, using Traveler’s Checks and a Singapore-based credit card is good enough to tide over the first couple of months. To open a bank account, you can either use cash, traveler’s checks or a money order. The caveat for using a money order is that you will not have immediate access to your cash; it usually takes about a week to 9 business days. Once you have an account you can always wire money from Singapore when you need, but costs are rather high (about US$40 + S$20 per wire transfer).

Using a Check Card

If you open a checking account, you will be given a Check Card (aka ATM card in Singapore). However, in reality they worked somewhat differently. When you make payment with your ATM card using NETS, your transaction is logged and reflected in real time at the ATM machine. Over here, this is not true especially if you make a transaction on weekends. To illustrate, imagine I have $50 in my check account. On a particular Sat, I went shopping at Guess and fell in love with a $100 dress. Thinking I have $150 in my checking account, I decided to pay using my checking card. Then, I went to the ATM machine to check my balance (which still shows $50 because the last -$100 transaction has not been reconciled with the bank yet) and withdraw $20 so I can buy dinner. Note also that unlike ATM cards, a Check Card can be used even when you have negative amount in your bank - the only thing is the bank charges you for every overdraft item you make!

Credit History

This is something new to all Singaporeans. In US, every individual with a social security number can be tracked in terms of how well and prompt they have been in paying their bills (rent, utilities, phone, magazines, credit cards, etc.). When you do not pay your bills, your creditor will report to a credit bureau who will then make this information available to companies that are interested in your credit history. A good credit history is important, not your earning power, if you plan to take a loan, buy car insurance or apply for credit cards.

Credit Cards and Loans

As a new resident with no credit history, it can be a challenge to get a credit card or to apply for a loan (such as buying a car). Fortunately, Citibank and CMU offer student cards to students who are receiving some form of income (stipends included). They usually set up a booth during the first few weeks of each semester. Initially, your credit limit will be extremely low but that increases rapidly after a year if you maintain a good credit history with them.

For students that do not receive stipends and are not getting a US-based income of any form, the tendency to be rejected for a credit card application in your first few months here is higher. Some students eventually get an application through but in case of rejection, you should use your Singapore-based credit card as a backup.

Spouse and Childcare Issues

The visa status of your spouse depends on your (the student’s) visa status. While a scholar can opt to be on F1 or J1, a student cannot request to be on J1 if they are not sponsored by their home country. Spouses on F2 visa are not allowed to work unless they find an employer who is willing to sponsor a H1-B visa or they find a job that is entitled to a J1 visa. Spouses on J2 visa are allowed to work, provided they have received their working permit (costs $100 to apply/renew; annual renewal required). If you have any issues or questions related to INS regulations, you should contact your International Student Advisor at OIE. She will usually meet you in person (by appointment) to help you. It is IMPORTANT that you understand and comply with these regulations to prevent repatriation or have your studies cut short for violating the rules.

Because graduate school can be really hectic and stressful, most spouses prefer to keep herself/himself occupied with some form of work, courses, hobbies or social events. They have either taken up a job, do courses or pursue a degree, or participate in University activities (such as those organized by OIE and SSA). Whether it is going to school or getting a job, the process can be long and hard. Patience and mutual understanding is key.

If you have children of school going age, remember that the place you live in determines the public schools your children are eligible for enrollment. The school zoning system in US mandates that all public schools must accept children living in their zone who are of school-going age. You can however decide to send your children to a private school within or outside of your zone. For full-time kindergarten in a Christian private school, the cost is about $3,000 per child per year. If you use the CMU child care, be prepared for between $600 and $850 every month, depending on whether you qualify for subsidy. Other child care services must be selected very carefully, since standards vary a lot. However, costs are at least $450 per month.

Buying a PC/Laptop

Depending on your program and the department you’ve been accepted into, your computing needs and the resources available for your needs will vary. At GSIA, for example, PHD students are not allocated PCs unless their advisors purchase one for them. At other departments such as ECE or CS where computing resources are more abundant, you typically get a computer/workstation allocated to you in your research labs. For some other programs such as the MBA program at GSIA, it is compulsory for all students to own a laptop. Therefore, in order to budget/plan for buying a PC/laptop, it is advisable to check with your department and current students in the department the amount of computing resources that will be available for you.

If you are thinking about buying a PC/laptop, we have some tips for you:

Buy in the US

It is generally cheaper than in Singapore (even for Creative products). You’ll also have one less thing to bring with you (you’ll appreciate all the luggage space you have!). In addition, you’ll prevent yourself from running into warranty problems. Even if you have International warranties, it may be a real hassle to obtain support. Sometimes, you may be required to ship your computer to a different state for the warranty to be honored, so don't count on this.

Shop around and do price comparisons

CMU has a computer store but their prices are not the best. In Pittsburgh, you can either shop around at computer stores such as BestBuy?, CircuitCity?, CompUSA or on the online stores such as Dell, Compaq or auction sites such as Ebay. For price comparisons, you can refer to: www.pricewatch.com (US prices) and www.vr-zone.com/pc.htm (Singapore prices). If budget is tight, consider buying a second-hand PC. Many students have to get rid of their machines when they leave, so you can get good deals.

Transporting data

If you have data to transfer, consider using FTP, or Zip disks, or burning CD-ROMs. If you have a lot of data (several Gb), consider bringing the entire hard disk (a 40Gb disk is small enough to fit into your luggage).

Worry About This After You’ve Settled In

Don’t feel too pressurized about getting a computer/laptop first thing you arrive. You already have lots of other things to worry about such as housing. If you need to have access to emails or want to surf the web, you could use the public clusters on campus as an interim solution. In fact, some students have been able to go through their CMU career without owning a computer!

Health Insurance

Yet another major difference between Singapore and the US...In Singapore, when you are down with a fever, cold or diarrhea, you can see a doctor immediately and for S$20 - $50, you get consultation, medication and an MC. In US, you need to make an appointment to see a doctor unless it is an emergency. However, the earliest appointments available are typically 2-4 weeks away – which really defeats the purpose of seeing a doctor! And even when you get to see a doctor, you still need to go buy your own medication since doctors here do not dispense medicine. Hence, most people tend to self-medicate with off-the-counter drugs that are available at most pharmacies (like CVS, Pharmor) or grocery stores (such as Giant Eagle).

In general, health care in the US is relatively more expensive compared to that in Singapore. The cost of delivering a baby can be $9,000. A visit to the hospital Emergency Room (A&E in Singapore lingo) can cost $2,000. A day's stay at the hospital can cost $500, more than a 5-star hotel! As an International student, we are mandated to have health insurance coverage. This is mainly to protect us against the risk of catastrophic events that might incur gigantic medical bills.

CMU Health Services is your best resource for information on health insurance. The costs of a comprehensive plan are roughly $930 per year for individual coverage and $2600 for family (this rates increase by up to 10% each year). This does not include dental or vision (need to purchase as an option). If you are married and your spouse is not working, you might consider buying the family coverage. If your spouse is working, it is very likely that he/she will be covered by her employer – you might also get to enjoy his/her benefit. It is also advisable for you and your spouse to choose the same doctor as your primary health-care physician. This doctor can then provide a more complete health care to you and your family. Since the CMU Health Service is meant only for students, you will have to choose your primary physician from the list approved by your medical insurance.