<p>Do grad students typically live in graduate student housing or do they choose to live elsewhere?</p>
<p>When I was first informed of graduate student housing I immediately dismissed the idea. But after further research I found that housing/apartments can get a bit pricey around the school I'll be attending. Consequently, I'm beginning to think that the Graduate Student Housing is the better option. Is it common to grad students to opt for university housing or do they look elsewhere? </p>
<p>At first I didn't like the idea, picturing it as a situation similar to college dorms. But it might be the more practical option. An info or experience with this would be appreciated. </p>
<p>Graduate Student Housing is a great option if you’re moving to a new area and you don’t know anyone. From what I’ve seen, GSH is not at all like undergraduate dorms. You’ll be in an apartment rather than a room, and you’ll be surrounded by other grad students, some of whom have families. It is a built-in, quite diverse community and a very nice way to meet people.</p>
<p>Generally grad student housing is in apartments instead of dorms, so it’s pretty much like living off campus except you’ll be surrounded by fellow grad students and your landlord is the school (which, depending on the school, can be good or bad).</p>
<p>I know most of the social functions held for grad students are in the grad student housing at my school, and it’s way more convenient to be drinking there late at night and have a thirty second walk home than living a mile and a half away like I do now.</p>
<p>I will echo what others said: Graduate student housing is good for those who are new to a city, don’t know anyone in new city, and the campus is located in a high-cost-of-living area. The living arrangements are apartment-style units (kitchenettes are optional). Public transit (whether local or university) is readily available. For instance, if you have a campus job that requires a 20-hour per week commitment, graduate student housing can be very convenient since it’s often located in the heart of campus, making it easier to get to work.</p>
<p>I would like to second everyone else that grad housing can be a great option, especially in areas with high cost of living. Most grad students at Columbia and a majority of grad students at Stanford, for example, live in university-owned apartments. Grad housing at Stanford is actually quite nice. I am living in a 2-bedroom unit (shared with one other person) of a town house. We have our own patio with a grill and outdoor seating, and tennis/baseball/volleyball courts 200 feet away. There’s even a community garden for those with a green thumb. And I really like living only a mile away from my department.</p>
<p>If I moved off campus, I would pay several hundred dollars more for a tiny room in a run-down building and the privilege to bike 3 miles to class. Not horrible, but I don’t see the advantage of moving off campus.</p>
<p>This makes me feel a lot better. I was originally picturing Grad Student Housing as a dorm-like situation, which is certainly not what I’m looking for. But after hearing everyone’s experience, it seems like a very good option. It sounds like grad student housing is just like any other apartment complex I’d be living in except more affordable, much closer to campus, and with other grad students.</p>
<p>Depends on the school, really, and I will add that SOME graduate housing IS dormitory style. For example, Columbia does have some dorm-style grad housing. So does Teachers College. Most of it is apartment style, though.</p>
<p>Also, it depends on the cost of living in the area. At the main campus of Columbia, most students live in graduate housing (primarily apartments that are shared with flatmates). At the medical center campus, though, most of my classmates lived in off-campus housing, including myself until last year.</p>