<p>I remember a little while ago, one of the parents on the forum said that she had a son who had a furnished apartment that would be available next year. I wanted to follow up on that and get some more information, because I am interested in living off next year. So if someone could direct me to that post (I searched for it and looked through the archives, and I couldn't find it) or if they know anyone else who has a similar deal, please tell me. </p>
<p>I do really like the college system. I am a freshman this year and I do enjoy living at Lovett. The rooms are okay and that isn't the reason that I would want to get off. Part of the reason that I want to leave is that it is cheaper to live off. Another reason is that I don't know who I would want to live with next year. I already switched my roommate this semester and I don't know for sure if I want to live with my current roommate next semester. There are definitely more perks to staying on than there are to moving off, but it will be good for me to experience life on the outside.</p>
<p>if you try to live off campus, be prepared... its VERY expensive, as i am a houston native.</p>
<p>Also, if you've never been to the Rice campus, you should go. Living on campus seems to have a greater impact on the lives of the students, since the University is so small. When I visited, the campus was beautiful and the dorms were decent, nothing to complain about. Besides that, the apartments nearby Rice University are INSANE. Of course, they're occupied by the rich white, single folk, as well as asian, etc. But, since it is "downtown", near where everything happens, you can expect the ticket for a room the size of a dorm to be quite hefty. Possibly 2-3x the price of an actual dorm. Other than that, go for it. It's really easy to navigate around town, and I'm sure after teh first week you'll get used to it. The roads near Rice are absolutely beautiful, as in well maintained. In Houston, you'll almost never get lost since theres so many signs going areas. And the highway system is tops in the country if you want to live further from Rice. Other than the downtown areas, the pricing of apartments is pretty good, although a lot of apartment complexes that used to be in pretty good shape are now occupied by Katrina evacuees, so I HIGHLY reccomomend staying on campus your freshman year. </p>
<p>are you a rice student right now? I know that it is good to live on campus, especially your freshman year, so I did. I really have enjoyed it for the most part. I want to check out life off campus. It isn't that expensive if you split the rent with a couple of people (hopefully not too many). Right now, it costs $4,500 to live on campus per semester (that is room and food plan). I definitely think that I can get a better deal than that paying rent for four months. I will miss some things about living on campus, like never having to cook, instead just going down to the servery and grabbing your meal, and the convenience of just walking outside of your room and being five minutes away from all your classes. I will try it out next semester, if I don't like it, I can move back on in the spring or I can going to study abroad spring (i am probably going to go abroad in the spring regardless).</p>
<p>Thanks jen. I pm'd torrestowers with my son's contact info. The apt has been GREAT (complete with hottub!- they just had a superbowl party there on Sunday). The house/duplex didn't come furnished, but almost all the stuff is brand new, and I am sure the guys would be interested in talking about selling it to the next tenants. There might have been some discussion about the landlord renting the duplex furnished next year with all the furniture, but I have no idea of the status of that.
And mtrissle, it WASN'T expensive at all. It has been quite affordable and was a great deal! If anyone else has questions about the house, PM me as well. But Torrestowers gets first dibs :)</p>
<p>Torres-
Most off-campus housing will expect you to sign a lease for a minimum of 9 mos (possibly 12). I don't think it is that easy to move back onto campus in the middle of the year. Unless someone has left school or something, there may be little room left on campus in your college. I'd keep this in mind as you look for housing. Are you looking for a place on your own or with roommates? This house is divided into two apts- there are 4 guys living in the downstairs and 3 upstairs.
Does Lovett kick its sophs or juniors off campus? I know once they do room draw, there will be a lot of students interested in the house. I was not thrilled about their living off campus, but it has turned out great and the time has absolutely flown by! They did a great job furnishing the house. Thank heavens for IKEA!</p>
<p>Thanks again Jym626. I didn't think about the lease thing. I am planning on living with some roommates. Would all of our names have to be on the lease? Can I get out of the lease if I study abroad the second semester?
I talked to the guy that I think I would be living with and it sounds like we are all describing the same house. Is it called the Ashby house, or something like that?
Lovett doesn't kick off a certain class. There is a raffle and you get more points, hence more chances or getting a room on, depending on how many years you have been in college. So Sophomores get 1 point, Juniors 2, and Seniors 3. I am actually not sure how this all works. Jenskate can probably give you a better description, since she is a Lovetteer too.</p>
<p>torres-
The questions you are asking would need to be answered by the landlord. I cannot answer them, nor can my s. Most landlords will not let people out of a lease. If you are only wanting to live off campus for one semester, you may have to consider renting a room on a month- to-month basis somewhere, if you can find such a thing. It would not be at all nice to stick your roommates with the rent if you bailed out after 4 mos or so. Then you'd have to find a person to replace you, if the landlord allows sub-leasees and if your roommates like the person you find. I believe if you live off campus you should be prepared to live off campus all year. And I am not familiar with the Ashby House, so I do not believe we are talking about the same house.
As for room draw, if you have a low point value as a soph, unless you ar planning to room with upperclassmen, or unless Lovett isnt needing to kick too many students off next year, sophs will have low priority, and you may get kicked off campus. That will be determined at room draw. My s. went through room draw in his college last yr (so I am familiar with the process), and that is how they ended up off campus.</p>
<p>Torres - my daughter lived off-campus last semester in an 9-month lease efficiency all-bills-paid about 5 blocks from Rice. She is back oncampus this semester at Lovett, as she decided she didn't like living alone and she really prefered to be in the center of action. It was cheaper to live off-campus (even alone) because she was frugal with her food budget. Her landlord was kind enough to let her out of the lease when she decided to get on the waiting list to go back oncampus. Landlord had no trouble filling the vacancy. There are quite a few housing options near campus, and they don't seem too expensive. Also, if you are planning to go off-campus one of the semesters you may be able to find someone going abroad the other semester who is interested in offcampus housing. The online housing guide was a great way to find places, and you might want to post your situation to your fellow loveteers.</p>
<p>Different colleges work room draw differently. Basically, the way it works at Lovett is that, as Torrestowers said, rising seniors get 3 points, rising juniors get 2 points, rising sophomores get 1 point, and rising 5th years get 0 (applies to very few students). Varsity athletes, and certain members of the college government are guaranteed housing. </p>
<p>So, the only suites that generally get kicked off are 4 points, or suites of all current freshmen. At Lovett, generally some 4-point suites get a spot and some dont. This is determined by a complex method of drawing cards - high cards get rooms, and low cards don't. The proportion varies each year.</p>
<p>There is also a seperate room draw for 2 person suites.</p>
<p>Torrestowers-come to the study break tonight...</p>
<p>anxiousmom-
Glad to hear your d. is back on campus. After I posted my comment this morning, my s. told me much of what you said- that students coming back from being abroad will often be looking for off-campus housing second semester, so it may be do-able to get out of a lease (like your d did) and get someone else into their spot. YOu are most fortunate that your d. got out of her lease. Not all landlords would be that kind.</p>
<p>My daughter moved off campus this year as a junior. She was totally
"dormed out" after 2 years of boarding school and 2 years in the Rice dorm. She wanted to live alone, and she is loving it. She got a very reasonably priced one bedroom apartment just a mile and a half or so from campus. It has a lot of Rice students and young faculty. She did sign a 9 month lease, but we didn't think that was a problem. Her actual expenses are less than when she was in the dorm. She takes care of her own meals, and that has worked well for her. She is eating better! I would NOT wanted her to live off-campus as a freshman, but most sophs and juniors are just fine. By junior year your friends are pretty set and she sees people on campus all the time. She is a music major, and most of her life centers around the Shepherd School. She is also head of the college ministry at her church, which is the rest of her life.</p>
<p>It's a bit harder without a car (and DD has no car!) - although DD was close enough to walk to Rice village, and campus was not far away on the bike. Since she'll be in Argentina, Chile or Ecuador Fall semester next year, she wants the convenience of living on-campus Spring semester. I'm hoping she'll choose the off-campus option senior year, though, because it can be significantly cheaper!</p>
<p>Living off campus isnt that expensive, there are plenty of 3 bedroom apts that easily go for less than 2000, which would be split between the 3. Thats about $700 a month per person, with about a 9 month lease, which would cost about $6300 for an entire year, compare that to the $4500 per semester on campus. My potential roomates and I are looking at high end lofts that are fully furnished, and come with marble counters, and wood floor, basically all the trimmings for about 3000 a month and thats for 4 people. That still only comes to $750 a person and $6750 per person for a year, still cheaper than on campus. There are also tons of 4-5 bedroom houses that are up for lease, if you dont want to live in a complex.</p>
<p>My home is 20 mins from Rice, yet im still gonna live off campus of i get kicked out of lovett. No way im going back home....</p>
<p>I would agree that having a car is a real plus. My daughter does have a car.<br>
There ARE good reasons to live off campus. For one thing, you might have to if you don't win the lottery! For another thing, some people get to where they want a little more privacy and quiet, like my daughter. Her last dorm room at Hanszen was truly awful. It was soph year and she was with 3 good friends, but the space was miniscule and was on the 3rd floor of the tower. There was barely room to turn around. One of the girls bailed out in October, and it was STILL too crowded.</p>