<p>uclacee has it right on, akk0f. Consider a hypothetical, made up example. If the cost of a meal swipe is $99 if bought in bulk vs. $8.25 if using easypay, it doesn’t matter if you are getting 88 additional swipes per quarter for $1.25, you’re still losing a huge amount of money. Obviously, the price isn’t $99 per swipe, but you get what I’m saying. If you calculate it directly by asking housing in Sproul, it comes out to ~$10-11 per swipe if you get the 11 cub plan and ~$9 per swipe if you get the 19P plan. Still a net profit for the university.</p>
<p>Today I met a freshman who asked how soon you can move into the apartments off-campus. She was surprised to learn that you don’t even have to live in the dorms in your first year.</p>
<p>With 94% of first-years living in the dorms (or so I heard three years ago), ucla housing/ORL really has it made with their monopoly.</p>
<p>But then again, people say you pay for the “experience” of dorming. I guess I can’t argue with that. Personally I didn’t like being in the dorms, but even if you do, the “experience” is very much overpriced.</p>
<p>Or maybe I should just stop being a cantankerous old man.</p>
<p>I didn’t live in the dorms my first year. I don’t even think it’s necessary once you have your “group” that you hang out with. You’ll always be away from your dorm most of the time either in class or with your “group” of friends anyway. There’s about a million ways to find that “group” (join a club, fraternity, volunteer for something specific, join an organisation, get involved etc etc etc).</p>