<p>MOMINVA - not ALL homeowners policies cover a student who moves off campus - ours did not (because they don't write any policies in the state the student was in) - thus the renters insurance was required. Actually there are some landlords who will require it - in some places.</p>
<p>Every parent has to check their homeowners to make sure.</p>
<p>The renters insurance is inexpensive - ours was $80 per year</p>
<p>RE: furnishing off campus apartments-our D moved off campus into a 3 bedroom townhouse with 2 roommates in sophomore year. I rented a mini van and we hit the IKEA, Goodwill and Craig's List. Also, if you set up at the end of the school year (May-June) the seniors are literally giving away their furnishings. We found off campus housing way cheaper than dorms. Haven't paid for meal plan since freshman year-still cheaper. Now she's a senior and showing the apartment to rising freshmen, negotiating the sale of furnishings to the next generation.</p>
<p>^^ My D hit garage sales the summer before and scored an oak dining set, chair, oak coffee table, end tables, etc. She didn't pay over $20 for anything and managed to talk yours truly into refinishing the oak furniture so it looked like new.</p>
<p>As others here have mentioned, it really depends on the school....if the vast majority of students move off campus their 2nd or later year that makes the dorm experience much different than if most kids stay on campus for all 4 years. I lived in a big house with 12 other people (males and females) my junior year, lived in the same house technically with 11 other females (plus about 7 of their boyfriends) my senior year. My mother will go to her grave before I'd tell her some of the things that went on in that house. I have, however, given hints to my daughters that I'm not clueless about what goes on at (or near) college campuses. It was a useful transition between dorm living and "real" apartment living after I got out of college.</p>
<p>S1 moved off campus after freshman. year as did most of his friends. He (and 3 friends) moved into one of the "all inclusive" apt. complexes. Everything is paid in one payment per month and can be done online. Each roommate has their own separate lease. Each has their own bedroom (w/keyed locks) and bathroom. The complex is completely populated by students and there is a free shuttle bus that runs to campus every 30 minutes. The lease is year long which makes it somewhat higher than the dorm but S has lived there in the summer and worked so it all worked out well.<br>
He enjoyed his freshman dorm experience but was glad to get his own bedroom/bathroom/study space in the apt.</p>
<p>Re living off campus in Boston. DS for now is staying put in the dorms at least through the end of his junior year. I have been a guest in some of his friends off campus apartments. They are sketchy at best. One of his friends in an apartment was previously living in an apartment with some BU students where there was a serious fire. It is believed it was started by candles. One more aspect of the off campus experience: is it a building with fire escapes or exits from upper floors? These older buildings don't necessarily have fire sprinklers, etc.<br>
At the very least if it were my kid I'd buy one of those fire ladders...</p>
<p>Re: furnishing the apartment. At a college where there are lots of kids living off campus, at all of the logical transition points there are lots of kids offering to sell their furniture for whatever they can get. My daughter's share of the initial furniture purchases came to a couple of hundred dollars, not much more. There have been a few more items purchased over the past two years -- including some new at IKEA -- but the whole kit and kaboodle hasn't been much more than one month's rent, amortizable over three years (and with, of course, the possibility that it will either last longer than that, or she will be able to recover some of her investment).</p>