<p>Just wondering what others experiences have been with this - if moving off campus affected your financial aid.</p>
<p>S will be a junior next year. Tried to get very nice on campus apt/townhouse in the "lottery" last week and they filled up before this group of 4 had their scheduled time to sign up. He is SO disappointed to think about living in the dorm again - mostly, extremely upset to have to continue to deal with the cafeteria which he is TOTALLY over!</p>
<p>He is at a small private so off campus housing is also probably limited but I understand that FA packages can be affected if you move off campus. He can in fact request an fin aid "estimate" if he is thinking about moving off campus.</p>
<p>His FA package is pretty nice now - he has their max merit scholarship and they have been generous in their grants, etc. since he brought a full tuition scholarship to the table from a similar school and they "repackaged" his original FA (not full tuition now, but decent). </p>
<p>If they short him just $1000-$2000, it still might be worth it to move off campus because the food (or "board") savings is so significant. </p>
<p>Interested in any other experiences with this. Also, maybe a dumb question, but can you still get work study if you move off campus???? He currently does not have WS (because of the nice FA package, they will not offer WS to him).</p>
<p>Sorry, I don’t know exactly how it changes. They do ask what the housing choice is on the FA applications so the award might be bases on COA which they calculate depending on the housing option rather than just a flat rate of what it would be if he lived in a dorm. And it might vary from school to school so I would call them and ask. </p>
<p>What I did want to pass on was info that DD school pointed out to us which we hadn’t though about. Since leases are for the year, and at her school the leases started in May, she had to pay her two months security deposit and the first few months rent prior to the FA checks being released by the school. Just something to plan into your budget if he does move off campus.</p>
<p>In my experience, living off campus reduces your FA package, significantly. I’m sure that varies by school. I would suggest he visit the FA office, today.</p>
<p>I think it really depends on school.
There is a difference between living w your parent & commuting, to living off campus in the college community. Many schools have rental homes & apts that historically are rented to students.</p>
<p>Brown for example assumes the same cost whether you live campus or on. You also must apply to live off campus through Res Life.</p>
<p>My D has been living off campus since sophomore year. I can’t say it is much cheaper, although she will be staying through the summer & attending classes, taking that into consideration it is break even.
I think living off campus & having opportunity to continue having some meals on campus is a nice transition to post college responsibilities.
While she doesn’t have a car, so grocery shopping can be difficult, she rarely eats on campus, I think she either cooks at home, or eats at one of the local places that cater to college students. She says they are going to join a CSA this summer & I am also starting some herbs & veggies for them to grow in pots.
Her house however, is logistically closer to the center of campus than her freshman year dorm, I think it is slightly more difficult for students who have farther to travel.</p>
<p>We are full pay, but still fill out FAFSA, and haven’t noticed a difference in EFC from living on campus to off.</p>
<p>For our S our FA is reduced by $2500, the financial aid office encourages the student to come by before they make any arrangements. Our S is a going to be a senior and is staying the summer and found a great house at a good price. The reduced cost of the meal plan and housing really does just about make even. School is Allegheny.</p>
<p>At D’s college, they calculate need on three standard COA’s: on-campus (average dorm rate); off-campus; and live at home. They even publish the off-campus COA on the Res Life website. The off-campus is a couple of thousand less than on-campus, but it’s a rip off because they calculate it based on a 9-month lease which are non-existant.</p>
<p>Living situation does not matter for work study, which is a federal program. As long as the student qualifies for the need-calc, even live-at-homes can qualify for work study.</p>
<p>Good point blue bayou. My oldest lived on campus or in a college owned townhouse all four years, but that didn’t seem as palatable to her sister.
Be sure that if they are going to participate in a study abroad program they will be able to either sublet their space or otherwise manage their rental expense.</p>
<p>Some students, particularly upperclassmen do stay on campus over the summer to work/do research, and most but maybe not all the dorms may be closed.
But if you are coming back to your hometown, that means continuing to pay rent & utilities unless you are planning to move again.</p>
<p>( it also will probably mean expenses of setting up a place - furniture, etc. We live close enough that we just rented a truck & went to IKEA, but I seriously do not want to help move again until graduation!)</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. I realize that school to school the results will vary. Just helps to kind of know whats out there.</p>
<p>It’s such a disappointment NOT to get the campus apt. “We” were led to believe that this would not be an issue. Living in the dorm junior year at a smaller school (not that many dorm options to choose from) is not desirable for him and I totally understand. But this is what we have to deal with, so all we can do is move forward.</p>
<p>Are his scholarships and grants “academic” in nature or are they need-based?</p>
<p>I would think anything that is academic would remain the same no matter where he lives, since in total the amount is still less than full tuition.</p>
<p>At my daughter’s school Cost of Attendance is rated higher for living off campus than on. So because of that, if the Financial Aid should increase his package, not reduce it, if they strive to meet need.</p>
<p>At some schools, even if you live off campus, the school will make you get a small modified meal plan because you will be on campus, grabbing a bite between classes, snacking, etc.</p>
<p>Don’t confuse COA with financial aid. Sure, they figure the same cost or close if you live off campus, but when you fill out the FAFSA, that is one question asked and living off campus does often reduce what you can get through that.</p>