<p>I am an incoming freshman and I just received a presidential scholarship worth a hefty amount of money. My tuition was already completely covered beforehand, and I was originally planning to just commute; but now that I have this presidential scholarship, I need something to use it on so it won't go to waste and I was thinking about a dorm room.</p>
<p>One problem: The college I plan to attend has a policy that all campus residents must purchase a meal plan. I wouldn't be able to afford both a room and a meal plan without paying extra money.</p>
<p>So I have a few questions:</p>
<p>1.) Even if I have a room on campus, I will still be spending most nights in my own bed at home (only ten minutes away) and eating most meals at home as well. I know it may depend on the university--but by standard, do you think I will be able to claim residency at my parents house even if I get a college dorm room? Or is having a college dorm synonymous with being a campus resident under the terminology of most institutions?
In other words, is it possible I can get a dorm room without being required to purchase their meal plan?</p>
<p>2.) If I choose not to use the presidential scholarship on a dorm room, can I spend it on gas for transportation and/or on a laptop? Or can I only spend university money on university expenses?</p>
<p>In general, from what i know that unless you have a documented issue with eating in the food halls (for example if you have celiac disease where a small crumb of wheat bread could hurt you), then you are accomodated. Elsewise, you are required to have it.</p>
<p>As for your second question, you need to contact your schools FA office as each and every school does things a bit differently.</p>
<p>To me, a HUGE part of being a college student, is living on campus. It really gets you more involved. Most of my friends (in fact, all of my closest friends) are people who I met in my dorm.</p>
<p>Plus, if you got a dorm, you might end up spending more nights there than what you originally thought. It’s also a whole lot easier to wake up and walk to class than it is to wake up, drive to campus, find a parking spot, and then walk to class.</p>
<p>I know a lot of people from my high school who chose to go to college here in town. 99% of them chose to live on campus and they really preferred it. They were still close to home, but they still got the college experience of living on campus as a normal student.</p>
<p>^^ I second that. I only live 30 minutes away from school, but I live on campus and spend as much time as I can away from home because it really is an amazing experience that has helped me grow a lot.</p>
<p>If you really don’t want to live on campus and have to pay for your meal plan (which is really only a thousand or so dollars) I would also suggest declining the money for someone else who really could use it.</p>
<p>Icedragon, I’m glad you said that. Really glad. I have a potentially fatal food allergy that just might come in handy in that regard. Thank you!</p>
<p>AUGirl and Lily2015: My parents’ house is only ten minutes away from campus. It doesn’t really matter where I would spend most of my time; I just wanted to know if I can get a room while still being regarded by the college as “living with parents” so I could buy a much-cheaper commuter meal plan instead of being forced to purchase the resident meal plans (which my scholarship wouldn’t fully cover).</p>