<p>My D, a freshman music major, has starting talking about wanting to live off-campus next year. While I'm not really in favor of it, I agreed to listen to her arguments. My question is: For anyone who lives off campus...what are the "hidden" costs? What do you see as the pros/cons of living on/off campus at Rice?</p>
<p>FYI, she currently lives in a 4 person suite (2 bedrooms) with a private bathroom & living area in what she calls "The best college on campus" Haha!</p>
<p>Pros
<p>Cons
<p>Does she have a car? </p>
<p>Living off campus is cheaper than on based on what I have heard from everyone.</p>
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<p>If her college is Wiess, then she is correct.</p>
<p>As a parent, I’d say the biggest unexpected cost for my son is the food. Uh, the argument of eating better for cheaper would require someone in the house doing a little cooking. Looking at the credit card bills, I don’t see much of that happening. His fast food consumption certainly reached a new level this semester.</p>
<p>The second under rated cost is time. While he does have a car, he still has to park and do a lot of campus walking. So now his has the additional short drive, park by the stadium and walk to wherever he needs to go on campus.</p>
<p>Overall, he loves off-campus life. He’s actually more active in the university activities, but less within his college.</p>
<p>DD moved off campus after freshman year and never went back. As a music student she found linig in an apartment with other music students much better. They all understood the time and especially sleep needs of music. She ate much better and I think it is one of the differences between the guys and girls. We gave her the same budget as we would have spent for on campus and she managed, with a little help from working part time at the rec center.</p>
<p>After one year she found she really needed the car because of late nights at Shepherd. So the hidden expense was the car. But she paid her own gas from the part time work.</p>
<p>both my kids lived off campus and within walking distance, and we saved money over oncampus fees. DS was oncampus all except his junior year, and dd lived offcampus or abroad all except 3 semesters. DS liked being able to roll out of bed and eat lovely prepared foods and be right there with all the activities on campus,<br>
Dd appreciated having a little more personal space in an apartment, and didn’t mind doing some cooking on her own. Even when offcampus, they ate at the serveries sometimes.</p>
<p>anxiousmom, is there a particular apartment complex within walking distance that you would recommend? DS is a freshman, but I am already worried about finding an affordable (and safe) place that won’t require him to have a car.</p>
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<p>If you haven’t checked <a href=“Rice University | Off-Campus Housing Search”>Rice University | Off-Campus Housing Search; , I would recommend it. </p>
<p>There are many apartments around Rice that are in walking/biking distance. In addition, sublets are common along the Dryden area, which are usually pretty affordable.</p>
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<p>One can also get a meal plan if they are averse to cooking. Otherwise there is just about everything available within a few miles.</p>
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<p>If you haven’t checked [Rice</a> University Off-Campus Housing and Entertainment](<a href=“Rice University | Off-Campus Housing Search”>http://offcampus.rice.edu/) , I would recommend it. </p>
<p>There are many apartments around Rice that are in walking/biking distance. In addition, sublets are common along the Dryden area, which are usually pretty affordable.</p>
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<p>One can also get a meal plan if they are averse to cooking. Otherwise there is just about everything available within a few miles.</p>
<p>@Antarius- The Rice food selection (or lack of) is one of the reasons I don’t think he’ll be going back to living on campus his senior year. </p>
<p>And, I can see from my credit card bill just how many food options exists near campus. ;)</p>
<p>Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. This at least gives us something to “discuss” over break.</p>
<p>@Antarius- she doesn’t live in Weiss, but says her college IS the best college! Haha.</p>
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<p>What are they teaching kids these days … ;)</p>