<p>The residential college system is one of the gems of Yale College, but another side to the story is that there is a vibrant off campus community of undergraduates. 87% of Yale undergraduates live on campus, compared to 96% at Harvard and 98% at Princeton. </p>
<p>There are many options for off campus living. Big apartment complexes like the Oxford, Cambridge, and Taft provide for pretty good apartment style living. These are in the High Street/Chapel Street/College Street area, near to the best restaurants in the city and a block away from Old Campus. Others are on Park and Elm Streets. Others include the Warner, Lynwood, etc.</p>
<p>Other options include houses. Some houses have themes (Lightweight Crew House, FOOT House, Bakers Dozen House, Swim House, fraternities, sororities, etc.) These houses are passed down through organizations and throw some of Yale's signature parties (generations of Yale students have gone to the Bakers Dozen House party which begins every school year). </p>
<p>Rents for living off campus are reasonable and there are many food options in New Haven. Doing the off campus thing can be very fun, I did it for a year, but others prefer college life. The big plus is to live with your friends that may be in other colleges for a year or two (freshman and sophomores are required to live on campus).</p>