Hello, I’m a first year here at OSU from Columbus. I know that the policy at OSU (starting with first years this year) is to require them to live in a dorm for their first two years unless they live within 25 miles of campus, or they have some weird exemption such as a frat/sorority or whatever.
However, me and my friends really want to get an apartment next year. I currently live in the dorms, and they’re honestly not too bad, but they’re really not that great. I don’t like how small the rooms are, or how loud people can get, or all of the “getting involved” activities they just “encourage” us to do, or having to deal eat at Traditions all the time (unhealthy and boring), so I really don’t think I’m going to dorm again next year (not that I hate the people I live with, I’ve definitely made some good friends). My friends and I that I want to live with next year all live within 25 miles of campus and we could choose to live at home if we want, but we would really like to get an apartment together. Is there any way we can get around the living requirements and get an apartment anyways?
I know we could lie and say we’re living at home and get an apartment anyways, but then I assume we don’t get financial aid for living expenses. Is there any (preferably honest?) way to get an apartment, or are we ■■■■-outta-luck?
I don’t think that was clear; I meant if I tried to live in an apartment next year, I presume that I would not get financial aid for housing or anything outside of tuition, books, and transportation costs since my cost of attendance would be that of a commuter.
Correct, you would be a commuter student for OSU, whether one lives in their parents house or their own apt housing @Kaponator. But then you would have lower cost and less distractions as you had mentioned.
Nah you’d be SOL. I’ve tried everything with housing and they’re still a-holes about the whole living on-campus thing. I don’t know if financial aid would be impacted THAT much though.
@kdiddy34 - so they all tout about the benefits of living on campus making network etc etc, what is your take on it? I have been accepted into Engineering but live close to campus so wondering if I should live in the dorm or save those funds (from parents pocket) for later use
@dreamed I’ll be 100% honest I love living on campus in the dorms because I’ve made a ton of friends in my res hall and its just a very enjoyable environment. Economically it is by far not the best option…Dining plans are overpriced but not having to do menial tasks and worry about food is very very nice. I personally recommend you live in the dorms for ONE year, just to ease your transition to college…I go out with a lot of the kids in my hall i’m good friends with and it’s wonderful to have people to hang out with whenever and doing whatever. My dorm is very tight-knit though hahah. Also quite a few of the kids in my hall (honors dorm) are engineers so we all work on homework and study together and stuff and it’s perfect. If you’re into partying and stuff it kinda sucks because it’s hard to have “stuff” in your room as opposed to an off-campus apartment but it’s not that bad.
I really recommend living in dorms for a year to socialize a lot and make friends and then decide whether on or off campus is the right move for sophomore year.