<p>Indiana University has many different possibilities for housing, with an average range of $3500-$5000 a year--$5000 being for a double room being used as a single, with board ranging from around $2200-$3000 or so. There are also coops for those who want to save money. Sounds pretty reasonable compared to those schools in California!</p>
<p>Why is housing so expensive at some schools? Easy:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>cost of food. At schools that price board separately, full plans can be as expensive as the housing component. And the same factors that drive up room costs at places like Berkeley or UCSD, drive up food costs: land (for the caf and kitchen), labor etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Student housing is only used 9 months out of the year. Yea, you can get an apartment cheaper. But how much cheaper when you factor in 12 mo versus 9? (Still cheaper? I can't win all the arguments. :) )</p></li>
<li><p>Cost of supervision like resident heads and assistants. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Truth is campus housing and off campus housing are two completely different things, often aiming at different audiences.</p>
<p>It does amaze me, though, how high the cost differences are between urban/high density suburban colleges and more rural.</p>
<p>NMD: Good point about nine months v. 12 months. Obviously, the school has to maintain the place while the students are away. Some schools will rent out the student dorms - some at a very nice profit - like GW, which charges $250/week (yes, per week) for a dorm room. </p>
<p>If you're going to be living in the area during the summer, yeah, it's probably cheaper to live off-campus.</p>
<p>Consider the cost of law school housing, where you're left to fend for yourself in the local markets. These figures are for nine academic months:
Harvard: $17,000
NYU: $19,000</p>
<p>USCDDAD:</p>
<p>My D's room at Pton is $5000. Could it be that the high cost of room at the UCs is related to the cuts in ed funding that have been so readlily approved by CA voters?I think so. There is no free lunch; if voters make draconian cuts in one area, and still demand services (such as low cost in state tution for CA residents), the shortfalls need to be made up somewhere.</p>
<p>Thank goodness the dorms have wi-fi/high speed internet access.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Could it be that the high cost of room at the UCs is related to the cuts in ed funding that have been so readlily approved by CA voters?I think so. There is no free lunch; if voters make draconian cuts in one area, and still demand services (such as low cost in state tuition for CA residents), the shortfalls need to be made up somewhere.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Bingo. </p>
<p>Unlike the meal plans we had 30 years ago (which were strictly use it or lose it - you skipped a meal, you still paid for it), UC Merced's meal allowance all goes on a charge card, so you reduce the balance only with whatever you actually use; any balance at the end of the fall semester "rolls over" to the spring semester.</p>
<p>At the State U my S attends the room is right at $2000 per semester. On campus apartments are higher. Board can range from $700 (8 meals per week to $940(unlimited, all you can eat all the time) per semester.</p>
<p>UW just opened the first new dorm in about 40 years and it was in high demand despite extra cost.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.news.wisc.edu/12765.html#photos%5B/url%5D">http://www.news.wisc.edu/12765.html#photos</a></p>
<p>As a UCB parent who was hit by sticker shock for dorms a few years ago, I was surprised that housing at CAL ran about 1K more than comparable housing at the other UCs. Besides the reasons posted above, keep in mind that the dorms offer free tutoring and study facilities that I believe are available only to residents. CAL expanded the number of available dorms in Spring 2005. </p>
<p>After freshman year, S has happily moved to the co-ops. The room and board cost is about 40% of the dorm cost (not accounting for the 5 hours of work required each week). The co-ops have social activiites too, so are more in line with dorms and greek life than living in an apartment. I don't think the co-ops are at risk in Berkeley (see katliamom's post). They have a long tradition in Berkeley, and with 17+ co-ops are well established</p>
<p>I too never really looked at this as a separate item, or thought about the political aspects...
I will definitely pay more attention to housing issues/costs after reading this.
I guess I'm not 100% sold on the UC's, seems like some of the CA LAC's can be a better deal with some reasonable merit aid. I keep feeling like "just a number" with the UC's. Getting a parking ticket (unfairly, as no signs were posted) on our visit to Cal, which I unsuccesfully appealed, didn't help this perception. Other colleges we visited had free, ample, and hassle-free parking. But d loves Cal! But maybe once she figures out that her car would stay at home, that might change. Wonder what it costs to park a car at CAl...
Of course she has to get in first...more of the numbers game..
the next few months are going to be <strong><em>exciting</em></strong> (sigh)</p>
<p>"NMD: Good point about nine months v. 12 months. Obviously, the school has to maintain the place while the students are away."</p>
<p>That is true, but they are also getting the room price per bed, rather than per room, for the usual two students per dorm room. That is also something to consider. To clarify, a student may be paying 5,000 for the room, but the school is collecting 5,000 x 2 (5,000 per student in the room), or 10,000 for each typical double dorm room.</p>
<p>To wecandothis,</p>
<p>I completely understand your hesitation about the UCs. And I speak as a UCB graduate who loved it and would do it all over again. First, you're 100% right on about the parking. If she wants to have a car -- which is nice to have in Berkeley, but NOT necessary -- it'll be an expensive hassle. </p>
<p>Also, you're right: the shyer, less mature, more passive kid at Cal WILL be 'just a number.' If you feel your daughter falls into that category, discuss it openly with her - tell her she'll have to be a lot more pro-active, a lot more outgoing and take more risks than in a smaller school. </p>
<p>Having said that: a little effort goes a long way at Cal (and I'd think the other UCs too.) It certainly did for me. And it certainly does for my god-daughter, a rising sophomore at Cal, whose overtures to her professors were met with responsiveness, kindness and support. </p>
<p>It's one of the most exciting campuses -- and urban areas -- in the world. </p>
<p>And it's a good education at a world-reknown university with a recognition factor right up there with H,Y, MIT, etc. </p>
<p>If she loves the school, let her go for it. She could do a lot worse.</p>
<p>rhino:</p>
<p>Regarding the cost of the room being due to cuts imposed by taxpayers - the point in my post is that it's my belief that housing is charging far more than the housing costs the uni thus making it quite profitable to them. I judge this based on surrounding for-profit businesses that offer far more for less and throw in the fact that the land (an expensive real-estate component in an area like La Jolla) didn't cost the uni anything. I'm sure the uni is using money made on the housing (and dining separately) for other purposes which I suppose one could lay on the taxpayers. I don't think taxpayers should subsidize the housing at all. As a taxpayer who will shortly have two kids in the system though, I think they should simply raise tuition if need be rather than make cuts or raise taxes or get 'creative' in siphoning profits from things like housing.</p>
<p>uvwh:
Every UC seems to have a unique meal plan and some are better than others. So far, your description of UC Merced's sounds better than the ones I've seen at other UCs. At UCSD for example, everyone must pay the same amount for the meal plan (although they can add to it) and use it on an actual use like UCM or lose it at the end of the year - i.e. unused dining dollars are just forfeited to the dining department at the end of the year - this is where UCM's plan is better. My D is a small eater and could not use enough of her dollars. We did however, manage to spend the excess at a campus stor that would accept them. This campus store buys items down the street at Costco inflates the price by 50%-over 100% and resells to students (i.e. a rip-off but it was better than a complete forfeit).</p>
<p>wecandothis:
You're right - the parking at UCB is almost non-existent unless you're a Nobel Laureate. The other UCs are better in this regard but still generally have a parking issue and charge a lot of money to park on campus ($500-600 per year for several of them).</p>
<p>Others:
When calculating costs, one must remember it's not a per-room charge, it's per occupant. At UCLA next year which will be mostly triples for incoming Freshman, this amounts to a 'lot' of money for a very small room (yes, it's a bit cheaper than a double but not much).</p>
<p>Regardless of the grumbling about the cost of campus housing, I'm still willing to pay for it due to the convenience, dorm experience, and other benefits but I'd rather have them charge what it actually costs them rather than making a large profit from it. Let them charge more instead for tuition if that's what they need since at least then, all of the users of the campus (including large numbers who don't live on campus) will pay equally.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Every UC seems to have a unique meal plan and some are better than others. So far, your description of UC Merced's sounds better than the ones I've seen at other UCs. At UCSD for example, everyone must pay the same amount for the meal plan (although they can add to it) and use it on an actual use like UCM or lose it at the end of the year - i.e. unused dining dollars are just forfeited to the dining department at the end of the year - this is where UCM's plan is better. My D is a small eater and could not use enough of her dollars. We did however, manage to spend the excess at a campus store that would accept them. This campus store buys items down the street at Costco inflates the price by 50%-over 100% and resells to students (i.e. a rip-off but it was better than a complete forfeit).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Sorry if I implied it rolled over from year to year. UC Merced's meal plan balance only rolls over from fall semester to spring; any balance after spring semester, UC keeps. But the Admins told us some cute stories of students buying extra meals for friends or even profs towards year-end, or students buying cases of soft drinks they could take home to "use up" their balance at year-end.</p>
<p>avwh:</p>
<p>See if there are any stores on the UCM campus that accept the dining dollars. At the store at UCSD (it's called "Earl's" - you can see what it has on the UCSD website), one can purchase microwaves, dish sets, toaster ovens, socks, etc. My D spent all of her extra money here to use it up before the deadline each year. This was after we used plenty of it on Ben&Jerry's ice cream and the tortilla chips made at the Mexican place on-campus (some of the best chips I've ever had).</p>
<p>ucla<em>ucsd</em>dad mentions what I think motivates many of us to spend our $$ for a dorm room....the elusive thing known as a 'dorm experience'. I certainly would have been happier spending 13K for a CAL dorm room if my son had had a good experience. For him, it was just ok. </p>
<p>That said, he has had an excellent overall experience at CAL (especially academically). I second katliamom's comments about CAL to wecandothis. I certainly wouldn't let a bad parking day, turn you completely off the campus. It can be an excellent school. Also, if you need hints as to where to park if/when you visit again, PM me. And for visiting parents, Berkeley may be a bit funky, but it has fabulous restaurants (and not all of them are expensive).</p>
<p>My daughter is attending NYU this fall. Housing and food total $7,170 per semester (this includes the most expensive, and most flexible, meal plan). </p>
<p>The dorm itself costs $5,270/semester. She will be living w/two other girls, in a dorm room with 2 bedrooms and its own bathroom (she will have her own small room). All NYU dorm rooms have their own bathroom, since most of the dorms were actually hotels before they were dorms.</p>
<p>At first, I was really upset about the high cost. But then I realized: 1) NYU guarantees housing for 4 years, which is a big plus; 2) NYU does not own any of its dorms--they are all leased; 3) the dorms offer excellent security (guards checking ID's, etc.). If you consider the location, the convenience, and the security, I think it's worth it. I'm not sure we could do much cheaper elsewhere in the city, and we wouldn't have the same level of security or convenience.</p>
<p>My daughter was accepted to Cal but felt too scared by the neighborhood (that was just one factor in her decision not to attend). I also didn't like that she'd be renting an apartment most of her time there and would need a car. Believe it or not, we all feel much safer in NYU's neighborhood than we do in Berkeley!</p>
<p>P.S. I graduated from UCLA and had a great experience--I'm very "pro UC"!</p>
<p>As a Californian I just want to note that if my daughter had chosen to attend Cal, I would have encouraged her to live off campus, either via the co-ops or by sharing housing with other students. Berkeley is a nice community, and while the housing market is tight, there are many nice areas for students to live in North Berkeley and in the Rockridge area of Oakland. A shared rental will run $500-$600 month, and of course a student will save doing their own cooking rather than going on a meal plan. Near campus, Berkeley also has plenty of cheap food offerings -- pizza by the slice, falafel, etc. -- so a student can buy takeout or eat at the cafes frequently and probably still save over what a meal plan costs. </p>
<p>I realize that would be a scary prospect for most 18 year olds coming from out of the area, but it makes some sense for "locals" like us (we live about 40 minutes away, so we'd be a phone call away if the kid needed assistance). Of course, we would have had the ability to line up housing over the summer when there are more vacancies. Parking is not a problem in most areas that are not in the immediate campus area, so a student who owns a car can live off campus and walk, bike, or take a bus to campus -- public transportation in Berkeley is pretty good. </p>
<p>So I just want to say that at least in Berkeley, there are other housing alternatives. Even if you have a kid who will be dorming the first year, you can expect that the kid is likely to move off campus and cut down housing expenses in subsequent years. That would be true at most, though not all, of the UC campuses.</p>
<p>Yes, there are other housing alternatives... but incoming students want to experience dorm life, the so called "freshmen experience." This alone, pretty much ensures that there will be quite a number of incoming students willing to fork over money to experience that, even though dorm prices are so steep.</p>
<p>Just my 2 cents...</p>
<p>$13,500 for my mini suite at Cal this year. Shared bath with 4 others, includes premium meal package and a view of the San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge! Hey, it's California and my parents don't have big bucks invested in winter coats and thermals!! :) I am looking forward to the "freshmen experience" and feel the dorms have a lot to offer other than just room and board.
I am from So Cal, have been to Cal on many occasions and actually move up there tomorrow. The surrounding community is quite diverse but I haven't ever felt unsafe.
I am also developing a deaf ear to those of you that put down the UC's at any opportunity you have. It was my choice to attend UC Berkeley. My parents are paying more for me to attend my first choice (Cal) than the 2 higher ranking east coast schools I was accepted to.</p>
<p>Go Bears!</p>