<p>What is the average monthly cost of rent to live off campus?</p>
<p>riverbirch: Hi and welcome to UA’s forum.</p>
<p>Freshmen are required to live on campus and to purchase the unlimited meal plan.
Sophomores and upperclassmen can live off campus and have no requirement for a meal plan.
Living off campus for years two to four will be less expensive.</p>
<p>Here is a new link to an interactive site for finding “off campus” housing. There are new developments currently being built and more are planned.
[University</a> of Alabama | Off Campus Housing Search](<a href=“http://offcampushousing.ua.edu/]University”>http://offcampushousing.ua.edu/)</p>
<p>I’m just trying to get a feel for 3 years of off campus housing costs. Is room and board 13,000 plus? Seems pretty pricey for dorm living.
Also do most houses that kids rent come furnished and what kind of transportation is available to get to campus. I’m trying to compare it to where my daughter goes where most housing for students is furnished and free university or city busing is available to get to campus.</p>
<p>Rent varies A LOT based on whether you want one of the ‘resort style’ properties or just a basic unit, where the properties are located, how new the properties are, and how many roommates you want to have.</p>
<p>A 2 bedroom (with 1 other roommate) in one of the brand new properties costs quite a bit. An older house with several roommates that comes unfurnished will be SIGNIFICANTLY less. The link above should allow you to locate some properties to compare prices.</p>
<p>My son is going to be in one of the ‘resort style’ properties, although not a brand new one, with 2 other roommates and will be paying well under $8000 for 12 months. (Less than the suite style dorms cost during freshman year).</p>
<p>Some of the properties have shuttles to campus - there is a list on UA’s housing website, some are close enough to campus to walk or bike.</p>
<p>Many of the apartments are furnished. Not sure about houses since we didn’t look at any.</p>
<p>An “average rent” price isnt’ going to tell you much. The area has pricey apts and cheap apts. A student can rent for $400 a month or 900 a month, depending on whether he wants to live alone, live in luxury, live with roomies, etc.</p>
<p>Is room and board 13,000 plus? Seems pretty pricey for dorm living.</p>
<p>That is pricey. But that’s only for the more deluxe Super Suites where each student has a private bedroom…which we know isn’t normal 'dorm living". </p>
<p>Bama does have normal standard double dorms which are about $6k per year, plus meal plan.</p>
<p>Also, frosh year is the most expensive because ONLY THAT year requires the priciest meal plan. The remaining years can cost much less.</p>
<p>Thanks-I wondered about the dorm pricing, I think I will call because it’s a little confusing on their web site.</p>
<p>S’s rent is $500 for a pretty nice place- granite, stainless, pool & small gym. He has 2 roommates, but they all have private rooms & their own baths, plus large walk-in closets, 12 month lease of course.</p>
<p>ldinct - what location is that?</p>
<p>Idinct, that is a great price for a wonderful place. S1 is at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and he and 3 roommates are sharing a dinky outdated 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment and each are paying $450 per month for a total of $1800 a month. They are on the outside of campus, but still within 20-30 minute walking distance so they probably could have gotten something cheaper if they were willing to commute farther. The accommodations and price of Tuscaloosa apartments are definitely a plus in attending UA.</p>
<p>My son’s rent is about $530 per month. That is his share. Each student has his own lease. he has his own bedroom and bath. His complex is a luxury one…The Retreat at Lake Tamaha. It has EVERYTHING…luxury pool, tennis courts, gym, tanning beds community room, TV room, computer room, etc.</p>
<p>Riverbirch…the semester rates are here. What do you find to be confusing?</p>
<p><a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/pdfs/2013-2014%20Residence%20Hall%20Rates%20APPROVED.pdf[/url]”>http://housing.ua.edu/pdfs/2013-2014%20Residence%20Hall%20Rates%20APPROVED.pdf</a></p>
<p>The often-talked about Super Suites are listed there. Most of our kids who had those had the 4 bedroom units…each student with his own bedroom. </p>
<p>However, there is also the standard double options as well…those are 2800 per semester.</p>
<p>In parents’ experience, do your students actually use all of the amenities that are offered at some of these ‘resort’ or ‘luxury’ complexes, and has it been worth it to pay for a complex which offers them, in your opinion? What amenities do students find the most useful? (I’m thinking laundry w/in the apt, but that’s just me as a mom!) What do they complain about (if anything) about being off-campus?</p>
<p>mom2collegekids I checked out the Retreat at Lake Tamaha and that is a great deal.
I found the room rates after much digging on my own but can’t find the dining rates.<br>
From what I’m reading on the boards they are pretty similar to other schools. When I saw the $13,000 number I was starting to wonder.
How is parking on campus? If my son would attend he would most likely bring a car his freshmen yr.</p>
<p>Crimson Place, also has stackable w/d which is great. Doesn’t quite sound as nice as the Retreat though!</p>
<p>Bama Dining has the rates:
[Bama</a> Dining - Meal Plans](<a href=“http://bamadining.ua.edu/pages/meal-plans.html]Bama”>http://bamadining.ua.edu/pages/meal-plans.html)</p>
<p>the pricey “all access plan” is req’d by all frosh. After frosh year, students can save a good bit by either choosing a cheaper plan or by not having a plan at all. </p>
<p>The “all access plan” is an unlimited plan. the student eats as many times as he wants per day, as much as he wants. </p>
<p>The plan with a set number of meals are “all you can eat” but of course you can only go the number of times of your set meal plan per semester.</p>