Dorm or Share House? Transfer Student Questions

<p>Hey, I recently got accepted on a transfer (Australian) to UMASS for January next year and I'm not too sure what to do about housing. </p>

<p>Looking at the UMASS housing website, the dorm costs are quite pricey so I was looking at the possibility of moving into a share house but am also worried that this may alienate me from the University social scene. I was told by a friend that dorms in the US are primarily taken up by recently out of highschool freshmen, and though this is not inherently a problem I'd much rather live independently with a good group of people then relive the old highschool days.</p>

<p>I guess the question is: do many students live outside campus at UMASS? And if so, will living out of dormatories hurt my overal University experience? </p>

<p>Cheers guys</p>