<p>Does one still have to pay Rice for room and board if he chooses to live off-campus? Also, will living off-campus severely limit one socially? Or would you still be able to maintain strong friendships?</p>
<p>Off-campus students do not have to pay room and board. Living off-campus as a new student can provide some limits socially, depending on how motivated you are to keep close connections. Fortunately, there are usually enough college events going on that off-campus students willing to leave their apartments have no trouble having fun on-campus.</p>
<p>friendships arent hard but socializing can be harder than on campus. Like you need to keep on top of things. On campus, I look out of my window and see stuff starting and join in</p>
<p>How easy is it to find off campus housing near campus? Is it expensive? I know the area is pretty upscale.</p>
<p>We saved money when DD lived off campus. Check out the Rice off-campus housing guide pdf for bigger apartment complexes and the online one for small scale housing.</p>
<p>Anxiousmom or any other Texans or Houstonites- </p>
<p>Any recommendations for areas around campus with good housing vs. areas to avoid? S will most likely be off-campus next year. We're not from the area, so I'm at a loss. (He, of course, says not to worry! That's not an easy request for me!)</p>
<p>Also, how is off-campus housing for students without a car?</p>
<p>Thanks for any input/advice.</p>
<p>There is plenty of housing close enough for walking. Many students ride bikes to campus. My daughter's apt complex was around Bissonnet and Kirby, and she had a car and drove to campus. A car is useful for grocery shopping, laundry etc. STAY AWAY FROM BISSONNET VILLAGE APTS. She was there three years, and it started out fine, but the place is close to being torn down (within a few years is the rumor) and they have been bad about making repairs and keeping the property up.</p>
<p>Checkout the online housing guide and also the "paper" housing guide (available as a pdf file.) Some of the apartments are on the bus route; some on lightrail, and some have shuttle service to the health center near campus. I think the closer in, the better - so as to have options such as walking or bicycling. DD found her last place on Craigs.list. She likes the north side of campus better, but all close places are okay. Best thing to do is talk with students currently OC, and see if they have any specific suggestions. I know it is hard, but you just have to trust that it will work out! But now is a good time to start looking. :)</p>
<p>There are brief neighborhood descriptions here.
<a href="http://cohesion.rice.edu/CampusServices/OWeek/emplibrary/OCG2008final.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://cohesion.rice.edu/CampusServices/OWeek/emplibrary/OCG2008final.pdf</a>
But when you say next year, do you mean 2009? If so then there is a lot of time for him to figure out what will work. If you mean 2008, then are there any people he can share with? There are apartments, etc listed in the database still.
Rice</a> Student Center</p>
<p>One of the best ways to get an off-campus apartment is to find some friends who are moving back on campus and simply continue their lease.</p>
<p>Singersmom07: He's looking for fall 08! He has a roommate, who has begun searching. I'm worried that they won't find anything. We checked the online housing guide and the pdf version -they're very helpful.</p>
<p>THanks for all your comments.</p>
<p>BaystateNutmeg--</p>
<p>You can also check the Houston Ass'n of Realtors for properties to rent:</p>
<p>Houston</a> Real Estate - Houston Homes, Houston Home Value and Houston Relocation
click on Residential lease, and then select the following zip codes, one by one:</p>
<p>77098 (Boulevard Oaks--on the north side of campus)
77005 (West University--some north but mostly west of campus)
77006 (Montrose--further north from Boulevard Oaks)
77030 Southgate and Old Brasewood
77054--not sure what this area is called, but south of Rice, but still inside the loop. Probably best with a car--3 or 4 miles or so, but it is condo city here and prices are quite reasonable. We owned a couple of condos at One Montreal Place for 20 years before we moved to NY We actually rented to a Rice student once. </p>
<p>We lived in Houston within virtual spitting distance of Rice for many years. Our DD with be a sophomore transfer student (from Vanderbilt) in the fall, so while she is hoping for on-campus housing, we are looking for off campus prospects too. Sure wish we still had the house and garage apt!</p>
<p>Let me know if I can help further.</p>
<p>RedHerring</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the link and zip codes. Good luck to your daughter.</p>
<p>There is lots of housing - so don't worry too much. They will definitely find something! One of the best ways to do it, if your son's friend is in Houston, is just to drive/bicycle the neighborhood around Rice. Some of the little landlords (the ones with only one or two properties) just stick a sign in the front yard with "for lease" on it. Those are the kinds of properties DD lived in - not the mega-complexes. They tended to be funkier, but very close to Rice. Have your son keep checking the Rice online housing guide each day, as the stuff on there changes frequently, (also craigslist, search for the west university area).</p>
<p>^^ true</p>
<p>streets like dryden and so are right next to Rice and have many students living there</p>
<p>Hey Antarius,
I'm interested in living on streets like Dryden and University Blvd (close to Rice), do you know of any websites/available houses?</p>
<p>try Craigslist and the online housing guide. On craigslist, search for West University as your area.</p>
<p>On Campus Housing</p>
<p>I was wondering if some of the O-week coordinators could comment on the "summer melt". If freshman haven't paid tuition by August 1, does that free-up dorm space for transfer students on August 2?</p>
<p>It looks as though a few transfers are going to get housing, but definitely not many. I don't know about the August 1st deadline, but I do know that sometimes we don't know whether some people are going to show up until August 17th (move-in day).</p>
<p>Thanks NYSkins1. You're always very helpful.
This limbo state is not exactly where I'd like to be. </p>
<p>Would it be inappropriate to call Brown to see just where I am on the wait list status hierarchy?</p>