<p>Housing costs $7602 and the meal plan runs $5079.</p>
<p>SO-- is it really possible to save $$ by living off campus (in an apt., not at home)?</p>
<p>Any current students who are familiar with the off-campus options?</p>
<p>As a freshman you can't get off-campus housing unless you live at home, live with a relative (which you can actually kind of work the system with, if you can find an upper-classmen and say you're cousins you can do it), or i've heard of kids paying for dorms and apartments at the same time which obv. isn't economical. </p>
<p>Off-campus housing may or may not be more economical. </p>
<p>If living in a suite, its going to be about $930 bucks a month or $2790 per term. Drexel also leases out apartments which are considered off-campus. Drexel-leased apts in Ucross are about the same. Non-Drexel ucross apts tend to be a bit cheaper from what i've seen but don't always include utilities.</p>
<pre><code>Most students in off-campus stuff pay anywhere between $500 - $1100+ per month. It really depends on the type of place/how many roommates/utility inclusion etc. Theres students scattered about west philly/center city. Theres kids on Penn's campus, Rittenhouse Square, Temple's campus, etc. Some are out in the ghetto, some are in nice high-rises, some live right next to the class buildings.
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<p>So sometimes people might live in the dorms for a couple of terms after freshman year and then move to an apt or house if they can find a good price, or some might move from an apt. into a dorm. With the co-op cycles, people are constantly moving around. Theres almost always sublets up for grabs. </p>
<pre><code>I live in my fraternity house for $450 per month which includes all utilities which is probably the best price you could get.
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<p>For the mealplan... last year I would have said its not worth it for anyone. You were forced to get a full mealplan as a freshman if living on campus.</p>
<p>Which was unlimited dining hall meals and a few hundred flex dollars per term which can be used at a few of the alternative on-campus dining places.</p>
<p>However this year freshman have the option of getting a fixed number of dining hall meals...like 12 or something...and getting double the ammount of flex dollars...which is the better option imo.</p>
<p>You rarely eat at the dining hall 3 times per day, so for what you're paying its not worth it to get unlimited. Especially during the winter when its cold and you won't want to hike down there from the dorms and you'll use all your flex dollars at the places closer. 12 dininghall meals per week is more than enough.</p>
<p>After freshman year most people just get partial meal-plans if anything. As upperclassmen you can choose to just get a few dining hall meals per week at varying degrees. Since you'll probably have a place with a full-kitchen its usually more cost efficient to just go shopping and make your own meals. Maybe pack some lunches for between classes.</p>
<p>Most students in off-campus stuff pay anywhere between $500 - $1100+ per month. It really depends on the type of place/how many roommates/utility inclusion etc. Theres students scattered about west philly/center city. Theres kids on Penn's campus, Rittenhouse Square, Temple's campus, etc. Some are out in the ghetto, some are in nice high-rises, some live right next to the class buildings.>>>>>>>></p>
<p>Is that $500-1100 PER STUDENT sharing an apartment?</p>