For college students, having a safe, comfortable place to live is an essential part of being able to focus and do good work in school. But whether it's a convenient on-campus dorm or an off-campus apartment, student housing presents challenges that students need to consider before they decide where to live each semester.
Accessibility and Convenience
One of the clearest problems in student housing is the need students have to find places to live that are close to campus. On-campus dormitories and apartments offer one solution, but many larger universities have so many students that auxiliary campuses and buses are the only way to provide enough accessible housing. Students of an urban campus may have few off-campus options if they don't own a car or rely on public transportation to get to class each day.
High demand for student housing near urban campuses or large schools may cause real estate prices to rise, making nearby apartments and rental houses unaffordable for students. Off-campus housing also places the burden of paying for utility service and commuting to and from campus on the students themselves. For students who take out loans to fund an education, expensive dorms, which may also require students to buy a meal plan to eat on campus, add to graduation debt.
Safety and Security
Safety is an issue throughout student housing. Schools employ security staffs to keep dorms safe, but unsafe behavior, some involving alcohol, still happens. Students who move off-campus are no longer under the protection of campus security. Student neighborhoods may become targets for theft and burglary due to the computers, cars and money students have that are disproportionate to the income level of the surrounding area, coupled with the inexperience of student renters, who may fail to take precautions such as barring windows or investing in an alarm system.
Student housing often means a large number of people living in a limited space, which can cause problems with privacy. Roommates sharing bathrooms are common in dorms, with private rooms and baths available only in select schools and for an additional cost. Shared spaces such as study lounges and kitchens may not provide the peace and quiet needed to study or carry on a phone conversation.
Dorms are notorious for being cramped, and off-campus student apartments may be no better. This is a special problem for students who need space to work, for example music students who need a quiet rehearsal space or art students who need a place to work and store supplies. On-campus facilities offer a less-convenient solution, and renting a studio space or office may be cost-prohibitive. Luxuries that students are used to from home, such as a garage to park a car in or a yard to play sports, may be hard to come by in any student housing scenario.
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