Due to my irregular academic schedule so far in college as a result of work, life events, etc, I just recently determined I must transfer to University Park this Fall (I’ve been at a branch campus for 2 and a half years). I’m out of classes to take so I have to transfer.
Since I missed the on-campus housing lottery, there are no openings. I put myself on the waitlist, but they told me if I were to receive an offer it would be for supplemental housing (which seems very unappealing and not doable for me), and that I would have to accept the supplemental housing offer in order to be put on the waitlist for on-campus halls like Eastview Terrace.
So I’ve really been looking into off-campus housing, which I think is almost certainly my only option this upcoming academic year.
Pros to off-campus?
-bigger room with more amenities
-bathroom and other facilities more to myself
Cons to off-campus?
-more financially challenging (especially since all the cheaper places are already rented out)
-rent often doesn’t include electric or water
So basically I just want to get some additional advice. I have saved up money over the past few years and will be working with my uncle again this summer to rack up a few more thousand dollars, so I HAVE the money…it’s just that I will have to spend around half of my current savings just on rent for the upcoming academic year. I tried to do some forward-thinking math, erring on the side of overestimating costs, and by next summer I would have around $7,000 remaining in my savings account which I try not to touch often.
I guess it’s time to go ahead and pull the trigger on one of off-campus places I’m looking at. Anything else you’d recommend?
Turns out the apartments left for me to choose from are quite expensive…like $900 a month. The entire college thing has been terrible for me. My parents make just barely too much for me to qualify for much federal aid, but yet they don’t make enough to help me pay for college. I’m all on my own. And I’m very fiscally smart, but I still am just depressed over how ridiculously expensive college is
I’m going to owe over $60,000 in student loans by the time I graduate. I keep looking to other options, but I really have none. People say if you can’t afford college, then don’t go. But the career field I want to go into requires a bachelor’s. There is no other option for me. I know what I want to do and I won’t be able to live my life if I give up on my dreams. I have to do it.
I guess I will just have to struggle financially for the time being in order to get my degree. If I get a federal job it’s possible I might not have to pay back the entirety of my loans. I believe in myself and my abilities and I am confident I will find a good job after college. I have qualities that I can display that set me ahead of most candidates. So, just have to push through I guess…
Could you find a roommate to help split the costs? I think the office of housing may be able to help hook you up with a roommate (even though you won’t be in the dorm). Maybe someone else can help suggest a forum to find a roommate. You may find someone who already has an apartment and their roommate is moving out.
Look on the Penn State craigslist or the PSU housing and sublet page on facebook. There are people attempting to sublet, find roommates or get out of a housing contract. Good luck!
Yeah, I have decided that I will try to look to split a place with a roommate, even though I didn’t want to initially. I’m an introvert and would prefer to live by myself, but if I can pay only $400-$500 a month instead of $900, that will really help me financially I guess…if I’m there 8 months, that’s like $4,000 saved…a big deal to me.
As long as I have my own bedroom I will be fine I think. Sharing a bathroom and a kitchen and living room with someone will be a little annoying but whatever…as long as the roommate isn’t a problem, I think I can deal with it for the time I have to live there.
I was just nervous about doing a whole roommate thing because I’ve obviously never done it before and I’m very introverted and like to do my own thing and I don’t like to socialize or hang out much, but I think I can do it. I just wouldn’t want a roommate who would want to talk to me and do things all the time. I’d prefer they keep to themselves as I do myself, unless for some reason we discover we have things in common. Otherwise, don’t bother me. LOL
My former friend who moved out there last year offered me a part of his 4 bedroom apartment. I get my own bathroom, washer and dryer in the apartment, etc. Low price. It looks really great. Only issue is the person…although we used to be friends, he seems to have gotten into partying and stuff and it looks like they have a lot of “fun” there…but I’m not like that. My idea of fun isn’t partying. Just not who I am. And I don’t want to live with partiers.
But the complex he made the offer in has other apartments open…2 bedroom/2 bath that I could try for, and do a roommate pairing to make sure I get a roommate who won’t bother me.
If I decline my former friend’s offer but get a place in the same complex, do you think he will be offended?
@bodangles…no, I think I would get my own room in his apartment. 4 bedrooms, 4 people.
I’m going to take a tour of the place this weekend. But I really don’t want to live with him; if I like apartments (and it appears they have everything I need), I’m going to do the roommate matching tool they have so I get placed with someone who I will work well with in a 2-bedroom/2-bathroom apartment.
I’ll just have to tell my old friend the truth…that I had a bunch of different options and had to go with that because it’s better for me personally and I like to live with as few other people as possible.
I’m really torn between applying to live with one other person or two other people. I’m trying to figure out what would be better.
It’s not necessary to take sharing rooms and stuff into account because I get my own bedroom and bathroom regardless of how many other people are there. Each apartment has bedroom/bathroom combos.
It’s really just whether I want to deal with just one other person or two. I’m very introverted so I lean towards just one other person, but at the same time, I could use some friends and exposure to more socialized situations.
If I apply to live with 2 others, and they turn out to be similar to me, it would work great. But if they aren’t, then it might be more stressful.
If I apply to live with just 1 other, and he’s similar to me…all good. But if not, then we are both alone doing our own thing.
1 or 2, it doesn’t matter, what matters is that the apartment be “substance-free” so you have a quiet apartment since you can’t stand parties/drunk people (I infer this from what you said upthread).
What about costs? If 2 roommates is cheaper, choose that since your financial situation is precarious.
Yeah, the 2 bedroom is $760, the 3 bedroom is $680, and the 4 bedroom is $655. I guess even the 4 bedroom is an option, since it’s easier for one person to feel left out in in the 3 bedroom vs 4 bedroom. But I might feel more comfortable with the 3 bedroom, just for some reason.