A certain amount of soul searching is required for college students to decide between the relatively insular dormitory life and the independence of living off campus. Students and parents should be asking the hard questions even before starting the college application process, as available housing options may affect whether or not a particular college is a good fit for the student. The following are among the factors that students and parents should consider.
Convenience. Living on campus provides students with the ability to walk almost everywhere — to classes, the dining hall, the library, the gym and performance venues. Renting an off-campus apartment often requires owning a car, figuring out parking arrangements and engaging in a bit of time management. “No more rolling out of bed 20 minutes before class,” said University of Kansas junior Tara Bryant in a recent New York Times interview.
Cost. We talked with BeaconSpringfield.com about the cost, and they said, “These days, colleges generally charge between $8,000 and $15,000 per academic year for room and board. Students who share an apartment with multiple roommates are often able to reduce this cost considerably. And depending on a student’s hometown, there may be an acceptable college close enough to allow the student to live at home and commute, eliminating much of this expense.” Then again, off-campus students and commuters may have to factor in the cost of a car, gasoline and insurance.
Meals. Many colleges consider dining on campus to be an integral part of the residential experience and therefore require students living on campus to eat in the campus dining facilities. The University of Chicago, for example, informs incoming students that “residential dining is a cornerstone of how we develop community.” Students pondering the possibilities of living off campus must compare the convenience of eating at the college dining hall with the less expensive, and often healthier, option of preparing one’s own meals. A student’s cooking and budgeting experience come into play in making this decision. Students who have never shopped or prepared meals may be better off living on campus rather than subsisting on college town pizza, hero sandwiches and fast food (or worse, running out of food and money).
Social opportunities. The proximity of fellow students in the dormitories creates easy opportunities for socializing and friendships. Some insist that dorm life is an essential part of the college experience, which is why many schools require freshmen to live on campus. Although residing in an off-campus apartment may not provide the same ready-made social opportunities as the dorms do, many students may experience an easier transition to college life when they share living quarters with just a few people. On the other hand, living off campus can potentially foster a feeling of isolation and loneliness that can negatively affect a student’s adjustment to college and success in his or her studies.
Independence. Students living off campus don’t have resident assistants on hand to guide and counsel them when problems crop up. They also must interrupt their studies to attend to landlords, electric bills and leaky faucets, things than can be ignored by students in the dorms. However, if part of a student’s goal in attending college is to gain the practical life skills of independent living, apartment life can provide this in a way that living in a residence hall cannot.
Financial aid and employment. Students receiving financial aid may be better off living on campus even if off-campus options appear to be cheaper. Forbes magazine points out that loans and grants may be reduced when the cost of on-campus housing is removed, potentially resulting in financial hardships for students. Also, students are often expected to work part-time as part of their financial aid packages. Intense competition for a limited number of on-campus jobs may require dormitory residents to pursue employment off campus, resulting in the expense of time and money for transportation.
