<p>D is looking at big and small schools and one thing that comforts me as a mom is that in the smaller schools a lot of kids live on campus all four years (I know there are down sides to this too). But as we look at big schools (UKentucky specifically) I see that she may not be able to live on campus sophomore and even if she did most of her classmates wouldn't. How does this work--I hear it's a nightmore for IU kids. Will she have to figure out her sophomore housing when she is a new freshman? Any thought? Experiences? If off campus housing is limited how does this work?
FWIW I went to UMCP many moons ago and there was no problem with off campus housing so I have no experience with this. Thanks!</p>
<p>I think the most important thing to find out – from the grapevine or from people on this forum, if possible – is when students at a particular school sign leases for the next year’s off-campus housing.</p>
<p>There are college communities where this happens well before Thanksgiving. My daughter attended one such school. In such cases, it would be really difficult for a freshman to find compatible roommates and make arrangements in time unless students from the same home town who already know each other intend to share an apartment. Fortunately, my daughter’s school guaranteed housing for two years, and the situation is not as difficult for sophomores, who tend to know lots of other students in the same situation.</p>
<p>If students don’t sign leases for the next school year until spring, I think it would be do-able for a freshman. </p>
<p>Thanks @marian. Does anybody know about U Kentucky specifically? </p>
<p>I would see if there’s anyone in the Kentucky forum who could help.</p>
<p>Also- check the school’s housing website. With so many students living off campus there may be apartment listings and advice to students. I know UW-Madison does this and cautions students to not look as soon as the fall listings are available.</p>
<p>If this is how the school operates (that only freshmen are guaranteed housing) there will be tons of options for sophomores and up. Many of the largest universities do this, only providing one or two years in the dorms. Options around the campus will be single or double or multiple apartment units, sorority and fraternity houses, even boarding houses. One of my daughter’s is at a school that requires 2 years on campus; after that about 1/2 remain on campus and the other half rent houses or apartments around the town. </p>
<p>If everyone has to do it, everyone does it. I don’t think the U of Kentucky has a ‘homeless sophomore’ problem.</p>
<p>There should be opportunities. My oldest never had to figure out the next year’s housing 'til spring but my #3 is at one of those big unis where they stand in line for the best apartments and houses the first week of october and prices are outragious, plus the landlord holds my deposit ten months. What a scam. </p>
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<p>Nevertheless, if a particular student does not take the initiative to find roommates, tour apartments, and sign a lease, that student could end up homeless. It happens. Students do have to make the effort to find a place to live and people to live with.</p>
<p>Have you looked at this <a href=“http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/OCSS/faq.html”>http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/OCSS/faq.html</a> ?</p>