I have quite a dilemma.

Transfer Students
1

So I am 23 years old and am currently going into my last semester at my community college. I was accepted to one of the schools I applied to transfer to, but it is 2 hours away.There aren’t many schools close to me that offer my major,or any type of IT degree.

I live in Rochester, NY and the closest school that offers anything computer, or IT related is Rochester Institute of Technology. I am going to apply there, but there is no guarantee I get in or all my credits will transfer. Plus it is rather expensive, which is why I am looking into SUNY schools.

The only SUNY school I’ve been accepted to so far is SUNY Fredonia. It’s a good school, but it is 2 hours away, so commuting is not an option, especially during the harsh winters in Western NY. Right now I live with my grandmother, and have for the last few years, and if I go to Fredonia, she will not want to move out there with me, which brings me to my dilemma:

Do I live on campus or do I seek off campus housing if I decide to go there? For some reason I feel weird about living on campus. I’ll be 24 by the time I transfer anywhere next fall, and I don’t want to be the oldest person on campus.

I also don’t want to live off campus because I’m already paying for an apartment right now that I can’t get out of, and I don’t want to pay for two. The money for living on campus isn’t an issue, as it will only be temporary. If I can get my grandmother to move after the lease is up at the end of the year, then she would move into a subsidized apartment she can afford, which would leave me essentially homeless, which would mean I would have to rent an apartment somewhere.

I do have a potential solution to this. I could probably live on campus for the fall semester until the lease is up at my apartment, then move off campus into a cheaper apartment the following semester, while also helping my grandmother find a new place. I really don’t want to break my lease at my current apartment.

Nothing is for sure yet, but this is the only college I was accepted to, and I absolutely love the campus. I don’t know what the future may hold, but I hope this all works out. The ideal thing would be to go to RIT and live where I am now, but as of this moment it doesn’t seem feasible.

2

Sometimes, especially near a college, there is the option to rent a spare room in someone’s home for a few days/week for the semester, much less expensive than your own apt. This could cut back on the weekly commuting time, give you a local place to sleep and study near campus, then go home. Sometimes, U housing will know of these opportunities. Or maybe you can find a short-term sublet among other students (where one of their group is off campus for the semester.) The age difference isn’t always a key thing when you know your goals and are doing this part time, for a short while.

3

Ask about housing for older undergraduate students. Many places let students your age live in grad student housing.

4

There are a ton of other schools close to you: from U of R to Brockport to Nazareth. I wonder if you could do a work study at one of those. your older age may be welcomed. Could you be a RA in exchange for tuition? etc