<p>Just wondering if this is possible, through a meeting with Housing or Financial Aid offices? My expected family EFC is $0 and the cost of housing is just barely covered by the loans I got through fafsa. The meal plan is around 1-2k+ that my family does not have, however based on the commute and such (I've been commuting to campus for summer courses) living on campus is the best / easiest option. </p>
<p>I know in most cases the College / University would not allow this (I'm going to UIC) but just trying to see if talking to them and explaining my situation would help or do I need to find another housing situation. </p>
<p>I've already tried finding an off campus apartment, but to no avail, and commuting from home for a complete school year is more of a hassle than it's worth.</p>
<p>You might as well ask. Different colleges have different policies on things like that.</p>
<p>I live in a dorm but I don’t have a meal plan, and it’s surprising how little time it takes to cook. (Then again, I just throw things into the oven and call it cooking.)</p>
<p>Oh where do you go to school? I have absolutely no problem cooking and it would save me tons of money. Not sure what the best way to address my problem would be if I should go in person or call or just send an email orr ?</p>
<p>I just browsed through the UIC dining webpage. It seems that the only students required to purchase meal plans are those living in dorms without kitchens. How would you cook with no kitchen anyway?</p>
<p>Also, if you don’t have $2K to purchase a meal plan, how would you pay for groceries? $2K for the academic year translates into about $8/day. I don’t know how expensive grocery prices are in your area, but I couldn’t imagine eating a balanced diet on less. (I pay $1 for a yogurt, 80c for an apple, $2 for a small serving of fish, $3 for a jar of marinara sauce.)</p>
<p>b@ar!um, I spend around $100 in food each month. It can be done. And yes, I eat healthy lol. Anyway, the OP is looking for summer anyway, not the whole academic year. It could be different. </p>
<p>OP, do you have a job? You could easily make that over the course of the summer if you do. Talk to the school and make sure you’re required to have a meal plan.</p>
<p>I’m looking for the whole school year, but I’m currently commuting this summer. I know living on very little food is doable, my family spends about $80-120 on groceries and while that does not seem like a lot, it’s decent enough for all of us. </p>
<p>Anyway I just feel by having to buy groceries I can cut out a lot of luxuries and stuff that would cost $$ . I’m currently a barista at starbucks which is ok money and has opportunities to transfer / I’m looking to get a job on campus.</p>
It might work in Michigan. It wouldn’t work anywhere I’ve lived unless most of your diet was rice and pasta (which isn’t exactly healthy). I was actually surprised to learn how much grocery prices vary, even between regions not very far apart. I went grocery shopping in Princeton, NJ on literally half the budget I needed in my Philadelphia suburb.</p>
<p>The disclaimer “I don’t know how expensive groceries are in your area” was there for a reason.</p>
<p>It depends on your school… My school requires it for all students living in the dorms (except the on campus apartments). There are kitchens in the regular dorms, but they aren’t large and meant for the entire building to share, which means its not the feasible anyway for a student to try and cook entirely for himself in the dorms. </p>
<p>But definitely ask though.</p>
<p>And yes, grocery prices definitely vary. It’s way cheaper in my upstate NY college town to go grocery shopping than at my home on Long Island. And it’s way more expensive to go grocery shopping in Manhattan than it is on Long Island.</p>