california: I'm planning on moving to California directly after my senior year of high school. How much money should I have saved up? And where are some great dental schools(excluding community colleges) to become dental assistant? And also where are some decent areas with fairly decent prices?|||CA is one of the most expensive places on earth. First, make sure you come with a very reliable car, you'll be using it a lot. Then, you need 3 months rent on day one, first, last and a security deposit. A cheap apartment in an iffy area will be minimum $1000/mo. It would be much easier to get your dental training somewhere cheaper and move to CA when you have a job.|||Cali. is a big state...with lots of schools in regard to Dental Asst. You'd need to research the schools first and then I suggest getting on "rent an apmnt" type sites for several areas surrounding the school that appeals to you. where you are moving from, what budget you have now, the distance between you and your family (for assistance, etc.) all factors in to how someone might answer this question. Decent areas are in the Orange County region, but you will spend a lot of time in traffic and housing is expensive for one person, especially going to school. Northern Cali., is pretty and may offer a slower pace in order for you to get thru school and hold a job and pay for your expenses at the same time. it aint easy. San Diego area may offer a slower pace than the O.C. and L.A. areas and be affordable say living in Oceanside... Youre the one that has to research where you will live, how much you can afford while going to school and possibly holding down a job at the same time. Unless you have relatives with bucks, a savings for college in the making, etc. If you are starting from scratch...good luck at your age it may be wise to go to a community college first in your area...take classes that will transfer to your school of choice (such as the English, Math, Science classes) in Cali. - save up some money and go from there. Make sure that when you do find a decent tech school or college that it is accredited and will take transferred credits- very important you do that. Find a school and research what others have said about it - and dont use the school's own site for that either. Moving is not cheap. We'll pretend you live in AZ now. Keep in mind, gas, insurance, possible car payment (you cant just float around Cali. without a car), living arrangements (that's a deposit on a place and first months rent, living expenses such as clothes, food, utility payments, school payments and expenses...etc. You do need a nest egg of say $4000 to get you started.