<p>Just a FYI if you're deciding about Penn State. My son is going to be a junior and didn't get a housing contract first round, then SECOND round, now third round he was offered SUPPLEMENTAL housing. How did THAT happen? So, when penn state says they DON'T guarantee housing to upperclassmen, they are totally not kidding. I am really left surprised. AND guess what, MOST apartments were rented back in October. So we are left with craigslist and other "i need a roommate" boards. My husband and I are both alumni, my son is out of state, he's been there since freshman year, he has had normal housing this whole time. I also give them money every year HAHA but NOT ANY MORE :) So they can SAY they offer housing to everyone but guess what, would you want to be a junior in engineering in SUPPLEMENTAL housing? Its one sneaky way to get the upperclassmen off campus.</p>
<p>“So, when penn state says they DON’T guarantee housing to upperclassmen, they are totally not kidding.” </p>
<p>So what is your problem? They don’t guarantee housing and your son didn’t get housing. Time to let him deal with these issues on his own.</p>
<p>what exactly is supplemental housing for an upperclassman? is it the 4-8 people in a converted lounge?</p>
<p>The issue is complicated by the fact that the Borough of State College does not allow students to live together in many parts of the town. However, there is a ton of off-campus housing - but nothing good is cheap.</p>
<p>My son is a senior and actually has quite a few friends who still live in the dorms. Being a little, shall we say, “laid back”, he dropped the ball on his housing contract (didn’t get things taken care of on time) during his sophomore year and was offered supplemental housing. He decided to move off campus, which has been fine. His current apartment-mates are splitting up at the end of this year and he and another friend are currently looking for housing for next year. He’s not worried about it and neither am I; they’ll find something. There are still plenty of “renting for fall” signs up around. (His rent is about half what his brother pays in the Boston area.)</p>
<p><<so, when=“” penn=“” state=“” says=“” they=“” don’t=“” guarantee=“” housing=“” to=“” upperclassmen,=“” are=“” totally=“” not=“” kidding.=“” i=“” am=“” really=“” left=“” surprised.=“”>></so,></p>
<p>Why are you surprised?</p>
<p>Accordingly to USNWR, a little more than 1 third of students live on campus, that should tell you that most are moving off campus after freshman year.</p>
<p>For anyone that may be still undecided, in contrast to PSU, Pitt guarantees housing for 3 years. However, only 45% live on campus. A lot of students move off campus to save money and be more independent.</p>
<p>I have known several upperclassmen who lived in the dorms, but PSU prioritizes underclassmen - the idea is that if someone is going to be forced to look for an apartment, it is probably best if it is someone who at least knows the area a little. I think the number of turned-away upperclassmen can vary dramatically from year to year, so this may just be a bad year.</p>
<p>FWIW, supplemental housing is indeed the “jam a bunch of students into a dorm lunge” scenario, but it is often temporary. My last year in the dorms started in supplemental, but I was into a regular double within a couple of weeks and I think almost all of them were out well before the end of the fall semester. The try to tie the number of people taken into supplemental housing to the expected number of students to (for one reason or another) quit PSU and leave the dorms during the academic year, so the fact that your son was offered supplemental means they expect to have a room for him… they just don’t know how soon.</p>
<p>yeah…uh… that’s a pretty interesting answer. I think what i’m trying to say is that he would prefer to stay where he is in west halls, close to engineering classes. Just as anFYI, reeeeally soon in the grown up world he’ll be getting apartments, getting jobs and all that fine stuff. I’m sure he can find a place to live just fine but he’s pretty busy, I’m REAL busy…I’m not real real interested in schlepping around apartment shopping, figuring out bus routes to get to class, buying stuff for apartments like pots and pans. I don’t care that it’s cheaper honestly, i’m looking for the convenience for him AND me.</p>
<p>Does your son have a car or does he take the bus? Where did he live? I’m not that worried about finding a room, it’s just one more hassle. Let’s hope he starts looking at some point. I’m sure he will just take the first thing but it’s so perfect where he is, short walk and all. Its a question I never thought to ask when looking at colleges. I would bet that housing would be hard at Pitt being in the city and all, there would be lots of competition.</p>
<p>Seems like this was a particularly rough year for upperclassmen seeking on-campus housing:</p>
<p><a href=“http://onwardstate.com/2011/02/10/lack-of-campus-housing-leaves-students-dorm-less/[/url]”>http://onwardstate.com/2011/02/10/lack-of-campus-housing-leaves-students-dorm-less/</a></p>
<p>We were relieved that both our sons (upperclassmen) got contracts - although it now turns out one won’t need his - because they’re happy where they are and we know it can be a time-consuming process to find off-campus housing (not to mention pricey, if you don’t have a bunch of roommates).</p>
<p>ptandkt, sending you an idea via p.m.</p>
<p>One way to improve chances for on campus living is to belong to a reserved group. Here is the info: [eLiving</a> Housing Contract System](<a href=“http://www.eliving.psu.edu/current_students/reserved.shtml]eLiving”>http://www.eliving.psu.edu/current_students/reserved.shtml)</p>
<p>Yep, tomofboston, right on the money with your comment. My freshman daughter at Penn State contracted for an apartment first thing at the beginning of this school year for next year. My junior son put his money down very early at another college to guarantee an apartment. I haven’t met a person yet who doesn’t know the deal from the very beginning, especially at Penn State: NO SURPRISES. Plus, not many want to stay on campus anyway after their freshman year…and everyone is busssssyyyyy…that’s why advanced planning is a good thing…so you don’t have to deal with a mess later.</p>
<p>Not to sound harsh…everyone makes blunders…it’s just the clean up that can get tricky</p>