On Campus V.S. Off Campus Housing

<p>I would really be interested in knowing which one is cheaper. I plan on getting an apartment my second year. Hopefully Ill meet some guys who I trust enough to share an apartment with but would this be cheaper that dorming?</p>

<p>Also in your opinion which is better and why?</p>

<p>As far as which is better, you’ll get a lot of different answers because that’s really a matter of opinion and what’s most important to you. Some people like the convenience of living on campus, while others prefer to be away from PSU’s rules and control. </p>

<p>The cost comparison is a little tricky because Penn State doesn’t really have a flat rate. Your room & board varies quite a bit depending on whether you have a single/double/triple room, where your room is located, which meal plan you have, etc. </p>

<p>From what I gather, the people who manage to live off campus the cheapest are those who live in the big apartment buildings right downtown and squeeze as many people as possible in the apartment. Watch out for the rent figures you see in ads – those can be very misleading. I once replied to an ad claiming the rent was $300/month – only to discover that was the rent per person, and they were assuming four people would split this one-bedroom apartment. You also have to look closely at what (if anything) is included. Many places will tack on extra charges for utilities, parking, etc. Depending on how far you live off campus, you may also need to factor in transportation issues/costs. </p>

<p>Be prepared to make your decision early – off-campus housing fills up very far in advance. People usually start putting down deposits in fall and early winter for apartments for the following year.</p>

<p>My DS was in a 3 bedroom duplex with two others last year. Nice sized place, a bit of a hike to campus, I think it ended up being a little cheaper than the dorm. The landlord was local and very responsive. Another big variable is whether or not you’ll actually cook or buy convenience foods/ eat out a lot.</p>

<p>Agreed with the above - there are too many variables involved, including how many people you would live with, where you would be, what you would eat, what standards you have for an apartment, etc. You could probably find a shared room for $200 a month, perhaps even less, provided you don’t mind living cramped and crummy.</p>

<p>In general, off-campus is cheaper, but remember that the dorms start at about $500 a month, double occupancy, only during the semester, all-inclusive. Apartments will be cheaper than that… but you need to add in utilities, and figure in year-round occupancy, and after that it is not much of a savings. Likewise with food - the meal plan is expensive on campus, but if you don’t actually know how to cook eating out all the time will be about as expensive.</p>