First of all, I’m the parent, I know it’s for the student to decide but the deadline is in a couple of days and he is in the middle of AP/finals, so I’m doing some “leg work” myself.
We couldn’t visit the campus for a number of reasons, so the choice will be made based on reviews and CC info.
If you live in a residence hall, how useful is it to be able to eat at other residence halls? Do the students use it often?
I'm thinking of choosing the max plan (47 meals/week) for my son if he gets into the university housing. Obviously, no one eats 7 times/day, but I think it would be one less thing to think about, with opportunity to eat at the closest to him location, or go to another in case the food is better there, at least for the first semester. Or is it a waste?
Is choosing a roommate easier at private certified? His high school friend who was also accepted to CoE, wants to live in PCH, and he'll possibly follow. He does care about the difference in price, but he (and the friend) will be traveling far away from home, so it seems important to them to be roommates. I think they are looking at the Illini Towers. I've read many bad things about it and will pass it along but they still might end up there. I think he'd care more about food than room.
From my experience many years ago, it’s handy but you can make do without it, especially with the bus system. I’d guess for most students, they end up eating most breakfasts and dinners at their own dorm anyway. Sometimes it’s handy to do dinner elsewhere if you are studying with friends or after an activity. For lunch, being able to eat at ISR closer to the main and north quads may be handy, too. Some private certified have meal agreements, for example, Presby/Newman/Hendrick/Armory offer shared dining arrangements. Hendrick is closer to the engineering campus like ISR, for example.
I intend to buy the max plan as well. It seems to be the only one that covers a full 21 classic meals a week. The other plans might be fine for light eaters who can make do with a la carte options for breakfast and most lunches. Or those who eat a lot of pizza/delivery, stuff they can make in the room or in campus town or Illini Union restaurants. Not sure if you can switch after a semester, but certainly after the first year if the full plan is too much.
That would depend on if the private certified has rooms left with 2 open spots, so you would have to call to make sure. If they have a room, I’m sure they would love to have two more paying residents and will accommodate roomate requests:-) I’d imagine it’s easy enough for roommates to be together in the housing lottery, but of course they may not get their pick of which dorm they want.
I hope they will get an apartment after the first year. Based on craigslist it seems to be twice cheaper. Although I know not to trust availability on craigslist in popular areas, so we’ll see. I didn’t know about the shared meal plan with PCH.
Thanks for the confirmation about the meal plan! It looks a little strange that there is no option in between 12 and 47 meals. Hopefully they will get into the university residence halls, and I’m definitely buying the 47 meals plan.
The full meals dining plan is probably overkill, unless the student is a guy who eats alot. And I mean alot. A student can change dining plans in the first couple of weeks of the term, look that up for the details, and make sure your student knows that date and how to change the selection. The meal plans with meals and cafe credits won’t cover all meals, but chances are that a student wants to eat elsewhere-out, in room for breakfast, etc.As for using other dining halls, sometimes students eat because of what’s offered (e.g. there’s a late night breakfast foods offered at one hall), where a friend is, or where class is on a given day. You don’t want to waste meals either, because it is expensive.
Off campus housing, well, rent isn’t twice as cheap, unless you’re talking about really sketchy diggs. If you use the dorm as a benchmark, you’ll find that you are spending alot for real estate, and compensating by saving on the food budget.
It probably depends on where the student will be living. My son lived at FAR and occasionally ate at other places.
My son did the 12/45 plan. You know your child better than other people, but buying the unlimited plan would've been a waste for my son. It seems like it doesn't take long to get sick of dorm food.
I don't think rooming with a friend is necessarily easier in PCH. I guess it somewhat depends on whether the person has a strong preference for which dorm he lives in. My son was able to room with his friend, but there were no rooms left in the six pack area when their selection time came around. I've read all the really bad reviews about Illini Tower, but I've never been there. We visited Bromley and Armory House and thought they were fine.
For me 12/15 (the cheapest option) was more than sufficient. Lunch and Dinner at a dining hall, and then use credits to get granola bars for breakfast. Plus two meals a week to explore the great local dining options (or just grab a burger at 57 or Chomps if lazy/cheap)
He’ll have to be cheap… after choosing OOS UIUC vs. our state flagman at less than $20K after merits. I’d have him buy granola bars at a grocery store to save another couple bucks but isn’t eating out (even burgers) going to cost at least $10-12 each time? So the difference in price per month would be spent on about 10 more eats/month?
I read the housing contract just now, looks like it’s 4 weeks to change the meal plan. Seems to be sufficient time to see if the university food can’t be the only source for the 8 months he is there. But yes, it can’t be wasted and it’s a concern, if his friends decide to go out he probably won’t be able to join.
It won’t let me edit my original post, but my son did the 12/15 (not 12/45). Your son could eat out a lot of times for the over $1,000 you would save by choosing the cheapest plan or save money by not eating out often. I think he could eat out for cheaper than $10-12, too. Some places in campus town, Mia Za’s for example, offer an affordable special each day (around $5 the last time we were there).
I guess I just don’t know the options, I thought if they don’t go to a dining hall and don’t have a kitchen, they have to go to a cafe/fast food/restaurant (which is what I called eating out). Or eat dry food like granola bars.
I might be overthinking it…now I’m not that sure about buying the max meal plan.
Students probably don’t want dining hall fare to be the only source of sustenance. And, one can eat off campus affordably-my son probably spent less than $20 most weeks on outside food, and had the 12/15 plan. And, he planned things out to fully use his plan each week, and kept track of the cafe credit rollover to use that up too. My son’s ordering habits changed at chain locations on Green Street-orders are much more modest than when I’m buying at home or at school!
My son graduated in May 2016. He also was an out of state student. I had the same concerns when we were signing up for the meal plan. Not knowing how much time he would have between classes or in the evenings for meals, we chose the Max plan. This insured that he would get enough to eat and that eating would not be a hassle. Very soon after the semester started, he “downsized” to a plan that worked for him. As for going out to eat with friends, that did not happen much because his friends did not have ANY extra cash for eating out. I would suggest starting with the Max plan and then “downsizing” to a plan that fits best once he sees how it works for him.
but isn’t eating out (even burgers) going to cost at least $10-12 each time? So the difference in price per month would be spent on about 10 more eats/month?