<p>Wants to buy back 200 contracts</p>
<p>They’re also allowing freshmen to take this offer and live off-campus their first year, which Virginia Tech normally doesn’t allow. They just emailed me about this. The incentives, such as guaranteed suite-style housing the following years, are nice, but I don’t think it would be much fun to stay off-campus for my first year. Besides, it would cancel my participation in the living-learning community.</p>
<p>If my memory serves me correctly, this happened year before last as well. I think it really says shows our economy is still kind of puttering along. I don’t know if the stats support it, but I guess many parents believe living on campus is cheaper than off.</p>
<p>"I guess many parents believe living on campus is cheaper than off. "</p>
<p>Of course they do, because it IS cheaper…FAR cheaper. Who would think that an apartment is cheaper??</p>
<p>A few folks we know have kids renting apartments off campus (with several roommates of course). They claim that the costs are about the same as having them room on campus.
I can’t figure out their math, but to each his/her own I guess. We had one neighbor whose son began his persuasive argument to live in an off campus apartment by presenting a spreadsheet to mom and dad in order to show them the cost comparison. It was a hoot. </p>
<p>Personally, we never did the cost comparison-our kid likes living on. But I agree VTmom, his bank account and ours are probably a bit higher because of that decision.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, this did happen last year as well. I know some people who gave up their contracts, but Tech didn’t offer them incentives like they do this year.</p>
<p>Anyway, overall it’s probably not cheaper to rent an apartment, but there are some exceptions. </p>
<p>If anyone was interested in my budget (which I carefully kept track of over this past year) - I believe I’m able to pay less than or close to the same at my apartment as I do in the dorms. It’s a good deal too, in my opinion. I put a lot of time/research into figuring out which was the better deal when deciding between the two after freshman year.</p>
<p>Hi - not speaking of VT - but at many campuses - it is living OFF CAMPUS that is much cheaper. So - it is a valid question to ask. We spend about $9000/year for housing on campus for son - this is for a single within a suite. Yet - he could easily rent a 2 bedroom apartment 2-3 miles from campus for a total of $900/month - so $450 each per month - which would be about $5400 for the year plus maybe another $1200 for utilities. So - clearly it would be cheaper for him to live off campus and he may do so next year. I’m just throwing this comment into the mix because I really would not know for any particular university which option is cheaper - and of course there are other considerations besides price.</p>
<p>It might just be tech that it’s cheaper to live on campus than off? A friend of mine is paying 400(including utilities) a month for a pretty good apartment shared with 2 other guys and for a year it would be 4,800. The dorm at UVA is 4,870 the first year and 5,500+ the rest of the years. I always assumed it was cheaper to live in apartments with 2-3 other guys than in a dorm.</p>
<p>Another factor to consider is food costs. If someone is going to cook their food (as in actually cooking, not microwavable food) they’re going to be eating a lot cheaper than if they have a meal plan and are eating on campus.</p>
<p>We got the offer too. I think living on campus as a freshman is an important time for bonding with lots of other kids, besides it is easier to get to class and food. I think the oversold dorms is because of the economy. So many kids are accepting their state school positions because of price. They are underestimating how many will say yes. I am glad my daughter has a dorm room and just a double.</p>
<p>I also was reading online where the number of students choosing to be in the Corps of Cadets has increased. They have to be on campus. The refurbishment of West AJ has a lot to do with it, too. That knocks out an entire dorm for use this year. East AJ is re-opening, but it will not have as many spaces bc the rooms’ sizes were increased with the renovation. I would like to see the new renovations; I have heard those rooms/dorms are going to be really nice now. </p>
<p>[2011-2012</a> campus housing limited for West Ambler Johnston renovations | Virginia Tech News | Virginia Tech](<a href=“http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/notices/120810-dsa-reducedbeds.html]2011-2012”>http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/notices/120810-dsa-reducedbeds.html)</p>
<p>They do this every year yet it’s a different story/blame each time. When I was an RA 3 years ago they were doing the same thing. They made me have a roommate both years I was one for half of the semester which technically violated my contract too. The housing guy told us that they basically “guess” at what numbers will need to be housed ect and it’s always an under estimate it seems. It’s terribly inefficient and somewhat stupid since it screws a certain number of people but at least they aren’t struggling to fill rooms I guess.</p>
<p>Anyway, I have lived off campus for 2 years now and I’d say the prices are about the same. Although some apartments are cheaper than living on-campus and some are more expensive, the primary thing to remember is how much will utilities cost and how much will you be eating at home/shopping for groceries. </p>
<p>I’d say it’s potentially cheaper to live off campus since you can find rent as low as $350 around here and potentially cheaper if you have a lot of roommates. You can buy cheap food as well that would be cheaper than a meal plan which tends to bite your wallet if you don’t use all the money on your plan since you can’t get it back.</p>