<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>Before I transferred to AU (Fall of 2010) I came on this forum a few times looking for answers to some questions. So now that I have some experience under my belt, I thought I would try to honestly share my thoughts on some of the things I wish I would’ve known in the hopes that some other prospective transfers might find them helpful.</p>
<p>1.) Housing - For various reasons (mostly because I wasn’t sure I was going to get on campus housing), I decided to live off campus. I didn’t know anyone from AU, so I ended up finding a roommate on AU’s off campus housing site. In the end the person I got an apartment with had some major problems that caused me a lot of trouble and stress. I think everyone needs to know the full ramifications of deciding to enter in a lease with another student, friend or not. First, a lease is a CONTRACT. You should be aware that once you put your name on that piece of paper, you’re locked into it for whatever term it may be. So be aware of A.) How much your rent is per month and B.) How long the lease is before you sign anything. No, I’m not trying to be demeaning, I actually had a roommate try to bail on a lease simply because their mom moved close to the city and they wanted to go live at home.</p>
<p>Second, if your new roommate decides not to pay their rent or to bail on the lease, assuming you’ve always paid your rent, the apartment building WILL come after you. You are both equally liable and since you’re the one who’s been paying the rent, they assume you’re the responsible one with the money, and they will sue you. This has not happened to me but it’s something you should be aware of. </p>
<p>Third, aside from the legal aspects, living off campus is a big decision. There’s a huge social “wall”, if you will, between living on and off campus. If you try to get involved on campus that always helps, but you still probably won’t be as involved and will make less friends than you would on campus. That’s just how it is. I’ve lived two different places off campus, now, and in both places I have no contact with my neighbors… so there’s literally no community feel. You’re more likely to find that on campus. Also, you won’t get that “traditional” college experience of living in the dorms, sharing a bathroom with a zillion other people… well, the point is. If you want community/more social interaction/the tradition experience, live in the dorms. If not, live off campus.</p>
<p>Finally, The Berks. As you probably know by now a lot of students live in the Berks, mostly because the Berks is close to AU and/or because they don’t do income checks. Many buildings in the city make you prove your income and, if you’re like me, you don’t have a full time job or have a cosigner with a certain income level. (Whatever apartment you’re looking at, they take the monthly rent and multiply it by about 34, and that’s how much they require you to make a year to qualify for the apartment). IF you can prove your income LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE. The Berks just isn’t a nice place. They do seem to try by updating things (they just redid all the entry ways), landscaping, and they’re always cleaning the Lobby/1st floor, but the students completely disrespect the place. As soon as something is fixed or cleaned, students trash or break it. It IS old, the walls are too thin so you will hear everything your neighbors do and the apartments are small. Yes there are bugs. I’ve had two different apartments and I like the apartments themselves (but be careful to see the actual apartment you’re renting. Some aren’t updated and are real dumps). I’ve always had terribly rude neighbors that carry on late into the night, which is difficult when you’re serious about your grades and have a job. You can call the front desk but very few of them will actually do something about it, and in every aspect the leasing office is USELESS. </p>
<p>2.) Transportation - On tours they will gloat about the metro system and how easy it is to get around the city. It isn’t. If you live on campus it’s a bit easier because you can get on the shuttle more easily to take you to the metro. If you live in The Berks, for example, you have to walk up the hill to catch the bus. That isn’t too bad except when it’s freezing cold out and it just happens to be the weekend so you have to wait half an hour for the next bus! Eventually you’ll get to the metro… which is very unreliable. During the week it isn’t too bad but evenings/weekends they’re always doing track work. On average it takes me an hour to get to my job in Arlington. That’s a long time for 8 miles. On the up side though, it is more affordable than having a car in the city. Just pack a lot of patience and leave early.</p>
<p>3.) Classes - This might not be an issue for SIS/SOC types but for those of us in CAS, especially the more hard-science oriented majors, it can be VERY difficult to get the classes you need. I thought that was a problem that community colleges had and was looking forward to not worrying about it, but no such luck. Your department head/adviser will probably be understanding and let you substitute classes but it is a worry. </p>
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<li>) TDR - Okay, I live off campus, but last year my friend got me dinner every Friday. TDR sucks. Don’t be fooled by the meals they give you at Transfer Preview Days or whatever. This is the #1 reason I’m glad I didn’t live on campus. TDR literally made me sick every time I went there (I’m really a sucker for a free meal), and by not having a meal plan I save a TON of money every year.</li>
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<p>AU is a good school, and you’ll meet some great people here, including some great professors. It is pretty cool being able to go to the National Mall on the weekends and have the city at your finger tips. There are some great job and internship opportunities. I’ve learned and experienced a lot and grown immensely as a person. </p>
<p>I’m sure some people will disagree with some things I just said. That’s fine… these are just some honest lessons and experiences I’ve had, and I think it’s important to hear about different experiences. So I hope that some of you may find all of this helpful.</p>
<p>If anyone has questions, I will try to check back occasionally. Good luck, or, if you’ve already been accepted, welcome to AU!</p>