<p>I'm in a pinch when it comes to where I'm going to live this fall. I planned on living in an apartment with a friend, but she's now going to be moving in with her boyfriend because they're having a kid. So I applied for housing at my college a few weeks ago. They said they had some space in a hall I could afford, so I put in the application. They said they do them by date received. </p>
<p>Well, I got an email saying that because I live within 50 miles of the college, they've put me on a waiting list. Does is even sound right? Who are they to decide that I can commute 50 miles? Who are they to even decide I can stay at home, because truthfully I can't. I'm so quite mad, because I called and checked and basically they just put me at the bottom of the applications.</p>
<p>Maybe you could visit the office and explain your situation in person? </p>
<p>I’m not at all knowledgeable about this sort of thing but maybe talking to them and clearing things up could help significantly. Let them know how commuting would be an issue and maybe they could bump you up on the waiting list.</p>
<p>Well, since it is so late, they probably have other people who are vying for the spots, too. And if the live more than 50 miles away… it would make sense that they are of higher priority than you, since they are more likely not to be able to attend the school if they do not have a place to live on campus. That sucks about your plans falling through, though. </p>
<p>Would you be willing to live with a roommate in an apartment you don’t know? Since it is close to the school year, and you don’t really want to wait 'til the last second, you should start looking around. Try craigslist. Often times if you search the for rent section for your school, you will find a lot of students looking for roommates. This is good because they are already set up and probably set up amenities. A lot of times your other bills will already be figured into the rent, too. You may have to go for an interview or something to see if you are compatible, but that’s pretty for your benefit, too. If it is this late, some may be kind of desperate to find someone soon anyway. Try looking on other websites, too - a lot of times your school may have a search engine/site for available off campus housing, and may have a function to let students put up ads for roommates there. Good luck!</p>
<p>I find the 50 mile rule rather wrong. I’m in a position right now where if I don’t live on-campus, I can’t attend the school. I don’t have a car at the moment to commute or live in during the year. The apartment I was going to get was not far from the school at all, so it wasn’t an issue. But since it fell through, it’s gone. I keep looking but it does look rather dim. </p>
<p>Are they absolutely obligated to find me a place late in the game? No. But they made a lot of assumptions.</p>
<p>Why can’t you still find an off campus apartment?
I know here there are still many Craigslist ads looking for people to fill a spot in an apartment where I am, but maybe theres not as much off campus housing where you are.</p>
<p>While 50 miles would be annoying to commute, I’m sure they made the decision because it would be darn near impossible for someone 300 miles away to commute everyday… I’m sure they just have to prioritize the students based on highest need.</p>
<p>SingDanceRunLife - It depends on the fine details of your school’s housing policy. Believe me, it is written up somewhere, but it may be hard to find. They very well can require you to find alternate housing (an apartment) to fit the on-campus requirement, as long as they give you enough financial aid to cover it.</p>
<p>Cadarana - Like S0ad said, why can’t you find another apartment? If it’s a financial problem, speak to your financial office. Generally you can receive additional aid to cover housing (it might be unsubsidized Stafford the school has left over, but it’s something) if you produce to them a lease. </p>
<p>I certainly encourage you to call up the housing department and explain how you think the policies are unfair. You can also ask about alternate housing – in my office, we can move students to our satellite campus, which is about 25-30 minutes away but still has housing left.</p>
<p>I don’t have a problem with living in an apartment. There are just many issues that make it difficult. I don’t have car or a job anymore, so it has to be close. Within walking distance cuts down a lot of apartment buildings. If I could get around, I’m sure I’d just find an off-campus somewhere and just commute. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. I also don’t mind sharing a room, but I’m not finding a room to share nearby. And I’m checking craigslist, the paper, and even calling places to see if maybe I could rent one and try to find a roommate. No such luck. I’m maxed out on financial aid,too. They’ve given me all they are going to except for work-study, because I don’t have a room on-campus. I have the unsub, sub, bit of pell grant. </p>
<p>I’m not trying to be bratty about it, really. It’s just scary when nothing comes together and you realize school might not happen in the fall because you don’t have reliable way to get there or a steady place to live in.</p>
<p>Would it be possible to get an apartment a little further away from the school and use public transportation to get to and from class? I don’t know what the area surrounding your college is like, but I know for mine it would be possible to have an apartment a few miles away (whether in the same town or in a neighboring town) and take a bus to campus. Also, every college I visited said that the public buses are free for their students, but I don’t know if that would be the case for you.</p>
<p>Taking a bus every day would be annoying, but better than not going.</p>
<p>True. But they’re in the process of shutting down the bus system here because it’s hardly used and heavily unreliable. If you see a bus here, it’s probably on the side of the road. And there’s a lot of crime in the area. Public transportation might work if there was really a stable form of public transportation. Unfortunately, there’s not.</p>
<p>Have you contacted them? I know it is unfair to you because even though you live in the area, you need to live on campus, but the university is probably just generalizing and assuming that most of the kids that live farther away are in greater need, which is probably true. However, you should tell them that you are in the same situation as them, and you would have no transportation to get to school. Hopefully they will understand your situation. </p>
<p>What school do you go to? When does your term start?</p>
<p>Yeah, no more complaining until you talk to the housing office! </p>
<p>You need to calmly explain that you were put on the waitlist due to living within fifty miles…however, you have no car, which will force you to drop out if you don’t find a place to live, putting you in the SAME position as those who live further away. </p>
<p>Oh, I’d contacted them. I called and the woman that answered listened and told me to e-mail them. I did and they just sent me a short reply that said they made a note and they’d consider my request for temporary housing. Not sure what that means. If I don’t hear anything soon I’ll try to make it to the office in person. </p>
<p>I did find an ad for a roommate for a nearby apartment, but the woman asked me what I was (racially) and then she said she wasn’t comfortable with a black roommate. So I guess I’ll just have to keep looking around in that area.</p>
<p>That sucks…and is extremely weird. Good thing you aren’t white. Then you might’ve been stuck with some wack-o racist o.0.</p>
<p>Definitely go into the office in person, looks like you are getting a case of “not my problems.” In person you’ll be much less easy to ignore. Be prepared to know who to ask for. I.e. if the person you’re talking to brushes you off, know who the next highest in the command chain is so that you can ask specifically for them (people tend to take offense if you say “I’d like to speak with your supervisor!” as if they work at Micky D’s). Also have a strong case and be prepared to be asked a lot of stupid/not so stupid questions. “Why can’t you take the bus/why can’t you buy a car with the money you save on rent/how do I know you don’t have a car/etc.” Lol.</p>