<p>I'm a Freshman this year and I'm pretty sure I'm going to live off-campus next year. I was wondering if anyone could answer a few questions for me. (Also, I have a car so no worries there.)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Do you still get the same amount of financial aid if you live OC and can it be put towards rent, utilities, and groceries? </p></li>
<li><p>How soon should I start looking for an apartment? I'm planning on going home over the summer and want to get a place starting in August when school starts back. I live 2 hrs away, so I could drive down to Houston over the summer to look at places though I'd prefer not to do that often if I can help it. </p></li>
<li><p>I've looked at a site called GreatLandlords.com and the Rice University Off-Campus website that lists a few places (though the Rice site kind of sucks to be honest). Are there any other sites or alternate ways to find apartments? I tried to just drive around a few neighborhoods to look for signs that said For Rent, but it's probably a little early for that... </p></li>
<li><p>Any advice or questions I missed that you'd like to share are welcome! </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks (:</p>
<p>Question 1 - from my understanding yes, your financial aid will be the same as though you are living on campus, so you can use those funds for your living expenses.</p>
<p>In general, I don’t think you’ll find a whole lot of available housing until students have moved out for the summer.</p>
<p>I’m guessing there is probably a message board that students would post housing requests/roommates wanted/rooms available, etc. But I don’t know for sure.</p>
<p>It might be worth a trip in mid-July to find somewhere and/or read the paper for ads.</p>
<p>I know my reply is pretty late, but I thought I’d add it in case someone else is also looking for off campus housing. My son has lived off campus both junior and senior year in a house with four other guys. Yes, his FA is the same, which is really nice because his living expenses have gone done substantially. Rice cuts him a check a few weeks after the semester starts and all his FA is applied to his tuition bill.</p>
<p>His lease runs from June 1 to May 31. I think that’s how much of the off campus housing works. You might need to find and sign before heading home for summer. Both summers he subleased to some other Rice students spending the summer in Houston while he interned in D.C. </p>
<p>My best advice is to find someone in your college living off campus now and ask them your questions. I know my son’s house is already gone for next year. The guys hand-picked the next year’s tenants. It’s been a great experience for my son. A few of the guys weren’t sure they wanted to spend senior year off campus, but I don’t think they regret it now.</p>
<p>Since OP’s post, I have since found out that my S will be (required to) living off campus next year. When he found out, 2 others asked if he wanted to be roommates, but there has not been any conversation since. However of course it is spring break now. </p>
<p>None of us want him off campus. Oh well :-(</p>
<p>I do hope they can find somewhere and can work out living arrangements in a satisfactory way.</p>
<p>@crazymomster= so sorry your son got booted off campus- was so worried my daughter would also but she was safe as was her roommates after the eligiblity jack. If she was kicked off we did not know what we would do as we did not want our very young daughter living in DT houston ( she just turned 18) .Living on campus for her has been a great experience. I know it will all work out ok- just feeling your disappointment and am sorry! (what college is your son in?)</p>
<p>I will admit to being surprised to learn that some Rice students have to live off campus (rather than choose to live off campus). I had (naively) thought that a wealthy institution such as Rice could offer on-campus housing all four years to those who wanted it. Any idea what % of sophomores and juniors are typically affected by this? What criteria are used to select those that live off campus?</p>
<p>^ for my son, it was truly luck of the draw. As long as the student fulfills their service hour requirements, then they are put in a draw (jack). No hours = no housing.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how S is going to proceed, but hopefully he’ll have his living arrangements sorted out soon. Not sure if he’ll ever eat again though :-).</p>
<p>What do you mean by putting in “service hour requirements”? What is that?</p>
<p>^ it’s nothing to worry about and you’ll better understand it once you are on campus, but simply it is doing “service hours”. I think each college has slightly different requirements for being eligible for the housing jack, but they are generally about some sort of service (for the college specifically).</p>
<p>It might be helping set up/prepare for your college’s party, it might be airing up tires for Beer Bike, it might be taking down the trampoline or cleaning it… all sorts of stuff.</p>
<p>Fortunately my children survived room jack. Apparently, last year at their college everyone who was on waiting list and wanted a room was able to live on campus. A couple of their friends who are down on the waiting list this year have already talked about finding an apt together. I also wonder how long the waiting list is kept. My kids don’t need to worry about apt this year but does Rice help with off campus housing? </p>
<p>Just an observation but it seems like Rice is one of the few universities that students want to live on campus. Most of my friends’ children that are at other colleges all want to move off campus as soon as possible.</p>
<p>For the most part, a student lives off campus for a year (either sophomore or junior year), then returns on-campus. From my experience, apartment searching has been really easy. Students know who is going to be living off campus and usually just get together to find an apartment. A lot of times, students will pass on houses that are nearby to campus (and are often cheaper than apartments). The majority of people find apartments in the midtown, medical center, and reliant area (depending on price range) that are all within walking distance to the light rail or that provide shuttle service to the medical center. If anyone needs info on some apartment choices, feel free to PM.</p>
<p>From what I have observed Rice does help you find housing if you are kicked off- you are not left on your own. At least that is the case with my daughter’s dorm. She has also told me that most students do not want to leave campus, it really is different from other universities in that respect. The “colleges” have so much fun that no one wants to leave. However, it is not the end of the world if you have to live off campus and looks like a lot of kids on the wait list do eventually get a room in their “college”.</p>
<p>DD and her roommates “inherited” an apartment from friends who had been off campus and were moving back on campus or graduating. This is pretty common. He should be in touch with people he knows who live off campus. DD lived off campus for 3 years. Never moved back since she loved her own space. You are not divorced form your college, however, and can still be an active participant in all college events, governance, and parties .</p>
<p>I’m glad your daughter’s college was supportive, but the message we’ve gotten is you’re on your own…For the different residential colleges in recent years, the numbers of kicked off students at each college are quite high: 20’s to 50’s, and the only reason that some of these students end up getting rooms are that most of the original kicked off students found off campus housing…</p>
<p>You are left to your own devices for the most part, but recently, Rice hosted an “Off Campus Symposium” for those interested in going OC, where they gave out flyers about nearby apartments and tips for living OC.</p>
<p>Our Baker OC rep also did a “how to live OC and places to live” guide, which was pretty nice of him. There’s still support from everyone, and upperclassmen are exceptional at looking out for us</p>
<p>A lot of the apartment complexes are not close, mostly come unfurnished, and presently have wait lists. Others are either not taking calls at this time or list no openings, and at least one that is close by is converting to condos and doesn’t know why Rice still has them listed. It is not like other colleges where there is plentiful housing within close walking distance. If you live far from Houston, you should be prepared to spend a few days over the summer to find something…</p>