<p>"Room and board prices increased 4.6% at public and 3.9% at private colleges in 2010-2011. With average costs of $8,535 and $9,700 (respectively) its clear that room and board is a big part of college costs...Most of the dorms on this list are found in the urban areas of New York, Boston, and along the California coast. Only 4 of the top 20 are located outside the states of California and New York."</p>
<p>I was surprised that Boston University didn’t make this list, everyone always complaining about the COA & lack of financial aid!</p>
<p>I was surprised to find Drexel in Philadelphia on the list. It is right next door to Penn and Penn publishes its average R & B to be just under $11,500.</p>
<p>Would you say that’s more expensive than renting an apartment off campus? I might have to consider this next next year. Also, if what I said is true, then wouldn’t it be unfair for froshes to be forced to pay more by schools that require all of them to live on campus? What if a student’s family doesn’t make much money and the student wants to save money by living off campus?</p>
<p>^^^Most schools that “require” freshman to stay on campus usually have an opt-out form, which allows students to live off campus if their parents agree, at least in my area.</p>
<p>Agree about Boston University. Expensive dorms that aren’t all that nice to begin with.</p>
<p>American University? no offense, but um, not nice…very surprised there weren’t some others on here that have high room and board (but BEAuTIFUL dorms), like Vandy…</p>
<p>This is just a list of the most expensive dorms, not necessarily the best.</p>
<p>At the bottom of the article there is a link to the best. None of the most expensive made that list. D’s school is #12.</p>
<p>I didn’t know or expect Drexel would be on that list with expensive dorms. Meh, they’re still great for career building.</p>
<p>Well they showed a picture of Martyrs Court on Fordham Rose Hill, which is universally regarded by Fordham Rams as the worst of the dorms! LOL. They could have show cased the new Campbell and Salice-Conley Halls which opened in September and are luxurious apartments for upperclassmen on campus, complete with Starbucks restaurant in the lobby! Or O’Hare Hall, the sophomore dorm which opened in 2000, or even Queens Court, the 19th Century gothic building which is gorgeous, complete with mahogany panelled living room, fireplace and adjacent to University Church on campus. </p>
<p>So “best” is relative. Btw, Fordham has raised 330 million of a 500 million capital campaign and is ahead of schedule.</p>
<p>I’m not a fan of the mandatory living on campus either but what I think is grossly unfair is when freshmen are required to buy the biggest meal plan available! What a waste and such a weird concept…why would freshmen living in dorms eat more often than upperclassmen?!</p>
<p>I go to Berkeley, and the ranking does not surprise me at all.</p>
<p>The dorms here are actually quite uncomfortable. Most students live in the units, which feature co-ed bathrooms on each floor, and rooms are either doubles or triples. They’re about 10x10 in size which gives no place to study. There is a lounge, but it’s about 20x30 and shared with 30 people.</p>
<p>The dorms cost approximately three times more than similar off-campus accomodations. Freshman year, I lived in the most expensive dorm and had a double for ~$16000/“yr”, where “yr” is actually 9 months minus winter break.</p>
<p>At the end of freshman year, I was 100% tired and fed up with it, so I moved into an apartment. I now pay $870/mo (~$7400/“yr”) for a single 13’x10’ room in a 2bd/1ba 800sqft apartment that’s well-maintained. Most people usually get four people in such an apartment and pay a lower cost accordingly. Without a doubt, it’s much more comfortable than the dorms.</p>
<p>What about meal plans, you ask? Well, you can purchase one for $2500/“yr”. I don’t see why anyone would want to do that though. :)</p>
<p>Georgetown’s student housing is some of the most expensive that I have seen. Dickinson College has some of the least expensive student housing.</p>
<p>How do they come up with these prices? Housing plans at UCLA vary from $10,207 to $16,422. The listed price is $13,744 - that’s not an option.</p>
<p>Excelblue, Could you PM me information on where your apartment is or how one should go about finding an off campus apartment? My son wants to do that next year but does not have a clue how to start…</p>
<p>Agree with Berkeley. I think my triple was 12k</p>
<p>momfirst, there are various real estate agencies in the area that list apartments. Here’s one that I’ve dealt with and like:
[K&S</a> Real Estate Management | Bay Area Property Managers since 1958 | Serving San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond, Hayward, Alameda](<a href=“http://www.kands.com/]K&S”>http://www.kands.com/)</p>
<p>Dorm pricing: main reason why I think they’re able to get away with charging so much is because there’s a surprisingly high demand for them. People are willing to pay these ridiculous prices, and there are enough freshmen to fill them all up.</p>
<p>When there are people on the waiting lists for the dorms, it makes no sense for them to lower the price. In fact, even here at Berkeley, I think they can get away with charging more and getting the notorious title of most expensive dorms in the nation.</p>
<p>While I agree that Boston U dorms are expensive, it is not ridiculous compared to finding an apartment close enough to campus that you can walk to classes. My daughter is moving into a teeny tiny studio next semester, and it will be $1300/month. That’s more than my mortgage 20 years ago! She will be sharing the studio, so it will be kind of like a dorm room that has a small kitchen and bathroom. She won’t require a car, and can walk to a T quickly to go further into Boston, but there is a price to pay for living in that part of Boston.</p>