<p>I'm trying to remember back to when I was in college and am having a hard time remembering that. My freshman D1 is already talking about plans for next year. They are already getting groups together to secure housing for the next school year 2012-2013. She wants to live in an off-campus apt with a group of 3 others. She says it will be less expensive than the dorms. That aside, because I think there are many intangibles, such as utilities, that she has not thought about. She is worried she will not find anyone else to live with and says none of her friends who will be sophomores are planning on living in the dorms. I love her dorm personally, has it's own microwave and refrigerator, just one roommate and being an LLC has a dance studio in the dorm. Just wanting opinions of your feelings on dorm life vs an apt. I know there is that whole, "I want to be more independent" thing. There is a shuttle that takes the kids from the apt to campus but you all know how that goes. We pay her tuition and room and board so ultimately we do have veto power but want to try to be open-minded.</p>
<p>Someone will have to take the lead and be the grown up of the group.</p>
<p>Get all/and their parents to agree on an apt/cost per month/girl.
All girls visit and put a deposit down on an agreeable apt.
Be prepared for someone to back out for another arrangement/drop out of school/falling out with one of the roomies/money problems.
Bfs hanging around too much/eating the food from the fridge can complicate the situation.
2 bedroom ONE bath will not work.
2 bedroom, 2 bath minimum.
Bigger bathroom, bedroom may have to pay more rent.</p>
<p>She says it is a 4 bedroom - 4 bath unit - she is getting more information before any decisions are made - just to let you know</p>
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<p>Sure it will.</p>
<p>My kids have survived in 3 bedroom 1 bath and 4 bedroom 1 bath apartments. It works better than you would think because unlike working people, students tend to be on different schedules. They’re also young enough to “hold it” while someone else is in the shower.</p>
<p>Batllo nailed it. Also, be aware of the many issues and problems when dealing with your local campus slumlords.</p>
<p>[Lawyer</a> files more lawsuits in Apartments Downtown case - The Daily Iowan](<a href=“http://www.dailyiowan.com/2011/10/05/Metro/25255.html]Lawyer”>http://www.dailyiowan.com/2011/10/05/Metro/25255.html)</p>
<p>ah that’s why i love son’s dorms… they are on campus apartments…full living room, full kitchen (even has dishwasher) 2 bedrooms, 2 baths! best of both worlds!</p>
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<p>This sounds like one of the new types of student apartment buildings – older ones rarely have one bath for each bedroom.</p>
<p>In some of those buildings, each resident has his/her own lease, and if someone moves out or drops out of school or whatever, it is not the other residents’ problem. The building management will fill the empty room – just as the residence hall authorities would fill an empty place on campus. This can be reassuring (but can also mean living with a stranger).</p>
<p>On the other hand, this could be a traditional building where the residents share the lease and have to hunt for a new roommate if someone leaves (or pay a higher proportion of the total rent).</p>
<p>It would be useful to find out which type of arrangement it is.</p>
<p>Incidentally, in the traditional type of building, it may not be necessary for all residents to be of the same gender, which makes it easier to find apartment mates. In the kind of building where each resident has his/her own lease, the residents of an apartment usually all do have to be of the same gender, and if management has to put a new person into the apartment, that person will also be of the same gender.</p>
<p>Most students move off campus after first year where we are. Check price differential for 1 yr vs 2 semesters. You can check how much utilities (plus cable, internet etc.) run also pretty easily.
If she has stable friends to move in with let her go for it.
Apartment living is more “grown-up” and just nicer all-around. There can be unforeseen problems but that’s part of life–problems happen in dorms also. A place close to campus is very ideal just in case the shuttle doesn’t show up.
Even when a roommate dropped out we never had a problem getting someone to
sub-let. Some apartment complexes even have roommate services.
Freshman year is for meeting new people and getting your feet wet. And while that is fun by soph year it’s time to move on (I’m sure your D will tell you this and she’s right.) Apartments have MW and frigs too! And kitchens. The only reason to stay in the dorm is that it’s just great, your BFF wants to and the conveniences, or economics are too wonderful to pass up.
Just divide up the cleaning chores…every silver lining has a cloud…</p>
<p>It’s likely that the apartment building your daughter is considering has a Web site – or that the property management company that runs it does. In fact, this may be how she and her friends found the place.</p>
<p>Ask her for the URL – or the name of the building or company so that you can search for the site yourself. Often, the Web sites are very informative about a lot of the details that you would want to know. Of course, they’re also full of hype, but you can ignore that.</p>
<p>And make sure they’re not at the END of the bus line route. Happened to a friend’s D–she could never catch a bus because it was always full by the time it got to her apartment. She changed apartments the next year.</p>
<p>I moved off campus this year (required first two years) and I live in a major city, and it’s MUCH cheaper to live off campus for me. At my school, on campus apartments average out to about 950/mo per person, and I live with one girl, in a house, in one of the nicest areas in our city, 1 mile away from school…and pay around 525 a month (each) for utilities and rent. That being said- I would be cautious to let your daughter move off campus without a car, a bus can always run late, etc and there are so many random expenses/things that come up living off campus that it may be a major nuisance for her not to have one. Going on a target run or for groceries on a bus isn’t exactly a joyful time. Unless it’s a really safe area/close for walking, then I say go for it.</p>
<p>Both my Ds moved into apartments this year and are very happy so far. The price will be about the same, or a bit less, but that is for 12 months of occupancy (including utilities and wi-fi) instead of just 9. No moving everything out and back home again for the summer! No enforced move-in, move-out days between semesters! And since they’re both in urban or small-town settings, they are just as close to their classes as they were before. </p>
<p>They’re enjoying cooking with their roommates and like just being a bit more grown-up.</p>
<p>When my kids started talking about living off campus I discovered that other parents (yes- the ones of “everyone else is living off campus”) had the same reservations I did. My big issues were that it was walkable to class and in a safe place. Other parents felt the same way and both kids found apartments/apartment dorms to live in that met those criteria.</p>
<p>Freshman year dorm, sophomore year on-campus apt, junior year off-campus apt. So far, so good.My daughter likes to cook, so she likes the apt. I was hesitant at first, but it seems to be working. As was noted above, the lease runs 12 months, so even though it is less per month, we may be paying for an empty apartment all summer depending on the summer job/plans.</p>
<p>And because my daughter’s apartment mate is an international student, we bought most of the furniture. She is in a city about five hours from home, so I was not interested in yard sale purchases. I ended up spending a lot setting up the apartment.</p>
<p>Often the cost of apartment (full year) vs dorms is a wash. It varies a lot though by campus. Cooking is usually a whole lot cheaper than dorm food plans, but many parents lament that their kids don’t eat as well. One mom I know told me that junior year her D is in an apartment again, but this time back on meal plan.</p>
<p>When looking for colleges form DS, I prefered campuses with a higher % of students living on campus. (That as for logistics reasons as well as liking the idea of many campus dwellers. But perhaps apartments could have advantage of summer storage, if the dates work out right. And some apartments are closer to class than the dorms.) DS ended up at a tiny school with required dorm living 4 years. </p>
<p>There are a lot of responsibilities that come along with a lease, so it is good to ensure it is the right solution.</p>
<p>I’m not at all a fan of apartment living, even though I did this myself in my senior year. But that was in the 1970s. To me, the parent, dorm living is easier, closer, and food is a non-issue. The only advantage, if you call that one, is less supervision. But having to get furniture? 12months lease? <<shutter>></shutter></p>
<p>I did look at the website - and the brochure for the apt bldg- it is all furnished, dishwasher, washer and dryer, beds, dressers, desk, micorwave, etc. It says in the brochure that utilities and cable are included but the lease says they are not. It is $500 a month per student. I am paying $600 a month now for the dorm but that is for 9 mths, the apt lease is for 12 mths. The parents have to co-sign if the renters are students. So, want to find out if they can rent for only 9 mths which I am guessing they are not and then if the utilities are truly included. She has her own car so that isn’t a problem and it is only a 5 minute walk to campus anyway. Keep the ideas coming because we want to make sure we are covering all the bases.</p>
<p>The brochure could say utilities are included in that you don’t have to get a personal account with the electric company and pay deposits etc (like I did years ago). You’re still responsible for the monthly electric bill. Same with cable–it’s already hooked up but you get to pay the monthly fee. But check–the set-up sounds like you’re not responsible for your roommates and that may extend to utility bills.
Does the lease say they are NOT included or simply fail to mention who is responsible?</p>
<p>I laugh at this because I see myself so long ago and far, far away trying to convince my parents how much cheaper, better etc apartment living would be. My arguments had a complete win-win scenario that I know now both of them saw through or rather they didn’t care about the financial part. Living in the dorms just feels safer to parents.
But my dad (not necessarily Mom) knew it was part of spreading my wings and how important it was to me. I am so glad they let me do it. it wasn’t easier than dorms (I’m a mom so I cringe too) but I really think I grew up a lot because of it. And had a great time too.</p>
<p>Re: costs of on vs. off campus housing…YMMV depending on the location. DD went to college in CA. The cost of her off campus housing was NOT cheaper. They had a four bedroom, 2 bath house that was shared by SEVEN people. Housing in that area is expensive.</p>
<p>DS went to college in Boston. His off campus apartment was three bedrooms, two baths…which FOUR shared. We (the parents) called it substandard student housing. It was VERY convenient, but was not less expensive at all.</p>
<p>Intangibles:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Both kids found that they had a different “level” of cleanliness than their roommates…and both found themselves doing a lot of cleaning. (P.S. we also bought the vacuum cleaners because no one else seemed to think that was important).</p></li>
<li><p>Both found that thermostat adjustment was not the same for all. DD felt she paid a LOT more in AC costs because her roommies wanted it colder. DS was COLD and would have gladly paid for more heating oil to be warm. Roommies would not.</p></li>
<li><p>Subletting…make sure you can if your kid won’t be there in the summers. Summers in Boston were 3 1/2 months long. We never could find a subletter for the whole time…so we had to pay the costs. Also, make sure you include the costs of utilities in the sublet deal. DS also had damage to his furniture every summer from his subletters. A PITA.</p></li>
<li><p>Food isn’t cheap…DS and his roommates shared cooking and food expenses. DD and her SIX other roommates each cooked for themselves. OH…they had to buy an extra fridge which they put in the garage (they were in a house) because there wasn’t enough room for the food for SEVEN people in one fridge.</p></li>
<li><p>Parking…in some cities, and in some apartments, you get a limited number of parking spaces. Make sure that everyone agrees who will get them…my kids roommies with cars paid a larger amount per month.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>They should be able to get the last years’ utility bills for the unit from the utility company. This could help them.</p>