How do you pay rent while in college?

My scholarships entirely pay my tuition, I just need to be able to afford living expenses. Should I just take out loans for rent and such and work when I can or what would you suggest?

How much will you need for living expenses?

Yes, loans and working are how people pay for things they need. If your schools have dorms, you can try to become an RA or find another job that includes room and board.

@thumper1 The college claims around 15000 however, I am convinced I could live for considerably less than that. It is hard to say exact. I am still picking schools so I have been trying to estimate it. I know on campus living can cost like 5000 so I dont know how they got their numbers

On campus room and board where my kids went to college a while ago…exceeded $10,000 a year.

I’m guessing that $5000 is not both room and board…or it’s for one semester.

Have you looked for off campus housing? In some places it’s not that easy to find…and you might be surprised at the costs.

Regardless…you will,have to have a way to pay your living expenses…UNLESS you can commute from your parent home. Can you?

Work-study?

@thumper1 I cannot commute, And I just started looking today because I was just accepted so It may have been 5000 a semester and I misread. I am going to start looking off campus today as well. It just does not seem possible to afford and I dont know what people do.

“People” in general take out student loans for what they cannot afford. Did you receive a full fafsa package of student loans/work study?

Did this student GET a work study award?

Regardless…for off campus housing…it’s likely he or she will need a deposit, part of first and last month’s rent. And remember…in addition to rent, there are utilities which often are NOT included.

@thumper1 I got 1000 dollars of work study
So basically so far I have tuition paid

  • 1000 Workstudy
    and 700 extra grant and scholarship fund.

Note that you need to eat too. The R&B including meal plan would take care at least part of it. By not living on campus, some schools may change your financial aid package. My nephew moved to an apartment in junior year trying to save some money. It turned out costed him more with reduced aids and 12-month rent payment. Some schools may also encourage freshmen to live in dorm unless you are commuting. In some college town, it is just not possible to find an apartment near campus for freshmen as all were contracted many months ago.

Check the requirements for your school. Many schools require, not just suggest, that freshman live on campus and have a meal plan if they are not local to the school.

edit – I see that you are a transfer, not a freshman.

This still applies : When you applied to college, did you indicate that you needed housing or that you were commuting locally? It is one of the factors considered in the financial aid package.

@TQfromtheU I marked off campus because I assumed it would be Cheaper

Off campus, not commuting from home, right?

@TQfromtheU Yes, I cant commute. Family in Florida, School in Georgia

Is this for FSU? As a junior and senior you can take the $7500/year federal student loan. If you work summers you can probably raise ~$3k. That gives you ~$10k. How much is room and board at the college?

What college will you be attending? Or at least what city?

Your parents will contribute nothing?

@austinmshauri

He says the school is in GA.

Did you complete the FAFSA form? Does your aid letter list loans?

@TomSrOfBoston Emory University. Atlanta GA. And unfortunately not, I think they will possibly take over my phone bill and car insurance but nothing more than that. @TQfromtheU I did complete fafsa and was qualified for loans