[Millers1]

We are moving to the area from Pittsburgh, PA. My husband is starting work at Kelloggs. We are looking at houses in Portage, Mattawan, and Gull Lake. We are trying to figure out the best schools in the area. My kids are used to very small classes (private school) so we are hoping for a place where the kids are nice and they can have a smooth transition. They will be entering 5th grade and 7th grade.

Also, which areas are best in terms of shopping, restaurants, and quality of life.

Thanks!

[detwahDJ]

Has to be Portage, there is no shopping in the others, and they are very quiet. Check out the lakes area and see what you think. I can't speak to schools. There is some sort of free-college program in Kalamazoo which others can tell you about.

[Sgt. Buzzcut]

I prefer Mattawan, probably because I never really went to Gull Lake, but I hear it's very nice especially if you can live right on it. Portage wins hands down on shopping as it's pretty much an extension of Kalamazoo, a suburb or bedroom community.

There's an awful lot of money in Mattawan, I wouldn't send the kids to school w/o the latest trendy stuff there. Gull Lake probably similiar. JMO but I wouldn't put my kids in KPS even with the Promise, although the Promise itself probably attracted a better student body.