I am currently a transfer student at Trinity Washington University, considering if I should live on campus or not. I spoke with my FA advisor and she said that my financial aid package totaled to $13,740 which would cover my tuition and fees ($12,789). If I live on campus, my total cost would be around $18,000. I am a junior, so being involved on campus is not a priority, and my commute would be about 28 minutes if I lived off campus. I just wanted to know if it is worth taking out more loans? I currently have $15,000 in student loans from my previous university.
How much does living off campus cost versus living on campus?
You need to take your commuting costs into consideration as well. Driving or bus or Metro? Do you have a job that is closer to where you live than to Trinity? Do you have an active social life/family responsibilities/other closer to where you live? Are you on your own or living with your family?
Could you live on campus for one semester to give yourself time to adapt to Trinity and to make friends there, then move back if it will save you money?
What kind of academic program are you taking? Are there a lot of evening activities or obligations related to your major (students working late in the labs or studios, for instance)? A 30-minute commute is not terrible but it might limit how much time you end up spending on campus, which may or may not be an issue for your major depending on the set-up the academic program and the academic culture of the school.
I think it’s worth getting more loans to live on campus. You get to save time for commute and food preparation every day, and focus more on academics, research and internship opportunities. Also, as others mentioned, commuting isn’t free even if you can live in your parent’s home for free.
It is nuts to take loans when you have a free home to live at. As a junior you would have enough maturity to see the bigger picture. Blink and college will be over. It looks like a commuter school from what I can read.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<financial aid package totaled to $13,740 which would cover my tuition and fees ($12,789).
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Are they quoting your FA package per semester like the tuition is quoted? It is 23K tuition. You are saying you have a virtually full tuition FA pacakge?
Are there any loans already in that aid package? If so, then don’t take out any more.
Lots of students commute to Trinity - especially the ones in the evening and weekend classes. If you do end up commuting, you won’t be alone.