<p>A good idea or not? I'm scheduled to ETS from the Army a few months from now and I'm still going back and forth on this. I've lived on campus before taking a break from school to join the Army and boy do I remember the wild parties that occurred in my hall. I'm considering on campus housing for convenience sake since gas prices and commuting tend to not sit well with me. </p>
<p>What I'm curious about is will schools take into account my age or will they assign a random 18 year freshman as a roommate?</p>
<p>Some colleges have dorms for upper classmen and/or grad students. Some have on campus apartments for upper classmen. You could speak to the head of the housing department about your particular situation. Some colleges require the freshman to live on campus in particular housing in order for them to have the “freshman experience”- getting used to being away from home…You are not in that situation. Colleges can have certain living environments- honors dorms, etc. I would contact them to get the best placement. Sometimes you can select a roommate from a board that you sign into (like this one) so that you can match up with one you are compatible with. You won’t find many your age, but the convenience of not driving/fixing meals is nice. Also look at Craigs list, Uloops, for nearby housing with older room mates- on a bus line perhaps or walking distance.</p>
<p>I thought about an apartment off campus somewhere nearby, but they tend like almost everywhere else in the LA area to be incredibly pricey even with a roommate especially if they’re close to a college campus. My other option would be to commute which is something I want to avoid doing in LA.</p>
<p>Most colleges and universities have a housing office that not only maintains and places students in on-campus housing, but also helps students locate appropriate off-campus housing. Of course, they can’t do anything about the cost of housing in the area–if you’re going to college in an expensive location, then you’re going to college in an expensive location–but they can probably help you find a wide range of on- and off-campus housing options suitable for students.</p>
<p>But if you’re going to be a 25-year-old Army veteran, I can’t imagine you want to live in a freshman dorm with a bunch of 18-year-olds who are giddy at the idea of finally being away from Mommy and Daddy. Even if no other problems arise, they’ll constantly be pestering you to buy them beer!</p>
<p>I think the school would say somewhere how they do that.
I know mine does take age into account, because there are quite a few older students that choose to live on campus. It definitely is more convenient and I’ll probably do it 'til I graduate. And usually, there are dorms targeted at the younger students such as freshmen, so there aren’t as many of them in certain ones. There are also sometimes options for single rooms in some of the dorms.</p>
<p>My university definitely didn’t take this into consideration, because my dorm was a “freshman dorm” that anyone could put down on the general application, but the entire building also was a Living and Learning Community that only upperclassmen could apply to. Anyways, they ended up making it about 90% freshmen. On my hall however, there was a guy who was 23 years old, another guy who was 21 years old, and another guy who looked like he was 40, but I have no idea how old he actually was.</p>
<p>All three ended up moving out, but it was just so strange. I felt bad for them because they all had to live under “freshman” rules, but they were all more mature than that.</p>
<p>The weird thing is, my school has non-traditional/family/graduate housing on campus for students. I don’t know why these people were in a freshman dorm.</p>
<p>At my school it’s almost exclusively freshmen and some sophomores that live in the dorms, so chances are no matter how old you are you’d have a freshman or sophomore roommate. As a junior I was paired with a freshman and it made me miserable, I can’t imagine how you’d feel as a 25 year old vet. I’d avoid it if there are other practical options, it sounds like you’re in a tough spot. Maybe ask housing what they’d recommend for you. Do they have on campus apartments maybe? Or maybe you could at least get a single room?</p>
<p>Don’t do it. Go with off campus apartment or commute. In some ways, you’ll struggle to fit in anywhere on campus cause of your age, but at the same time you can pass for a grad student if anyone asks. Or just be honest, they’ll respect a vet. With housing though, you’d hate sharing a room with an 18 year old who has no life experience and only cares to get drunk.</p>
<p>I think people just put too much negativity on freshmen. I mean, I can understand not wanting to room with one just because interests would probably be different… but my freshmen year I sure as heck wasn’t the one wanting to get drunk/party etc… that would be my sophomore room mate and that ****ed me off.
And my sophomore year I had a freshmen room mate, and she wasn’t immature or into partying etc.
And as stated by many, chances of being with a freshmen are probably low. At my college they try to keep freshmen together as room mates unless they specifically requested rooming with someone. Or they put sophomores with them. They try to keep ages somewhat similar.</p>
<p>Many schools secure you a single if you’re past a certain age, so you might have the opportunity to live on campus in your own room. Also, not all freshmen are necessarily immature, since imo maturity is not as closely connected to age as many people think. I was 23 when I started college and made really good friends who had just turned 18. And just because you like to party every now and then doesn’t mean you’re automatically a child.</p>
<p>Like mentioned it all depends on your school’s housing curriculum. In some place they generally try to keep Freshman separate from upperclassman living, most so those who are 21 or older separate from 18 year old Freshman, but its college, age doesn’t really matter. Thus they assign some dorms as Freshman only. In some areas they not only have upperclassman and/or graduate student hosing, but housing for students who are 21 and older. Check in your options. I’m 24 and living on campus, if I lived off I’d haft to practically take a job to support the outside expenses that come with off campus</p>
<p>MyPaperBleedsInk-- it’s more than just the drinking issues. I never laid eyes on my freshman roommate drunk, but it was still an issue. You don’t know how immature you are at 18 until you’re not 18 anymore. Even if you’re mature for your age.</p>
<p>As a fellow veteran and college student, I can actually help you with your dilemma. At my college, veterans can get placed together. Usually, they will be about the same age as you. Also, you will have the added perk of having something in common with your roommate. I recommend you visit the VA office of the college you intend to attend for further assistance.</p>
<p>It’s not just the drinking but imagine being 18 and having to room with a 10 year old. It might work out but you probably won’t have common interests and could find yourself arguing over petty crap. I mean, even the parents coming to visit would be awkward. With an apartment even if you share kitchen/bathroom you at least have your own room. This can even cost substantially less than the dorms.</p>