EDUCATION | CAMPUS HOUSING | WORDWEAVERDESIGN.COM

A family should explore these questions before a student considers moving off campus

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A global housing crisis has impacted university college students’ and their families’ bottom lines due to increasing rental costs and limited availability of affordable rental units that are accessible to campus. Before parents and students sign a lease agreement with a corporate or private leasing company, they should explore several important questions and considerations that can impact the academic year experience.

Do students actually know their potential roommates?

A student potentially has compiled a list of four to six roommates. But in reality, the student might be compatible with only one of those roommates. Study habits, socialization, and personal routines can impact living dynamics. A key question to consider: Do the potential roommates have similar majors and time commitments for studying? Engineering students, for example, spend considerable amounts time on campus working in labs and maker spaces. Extensive on-campus time commitments mean they spend little time at home. This could be a positive or negative. Some students moving off campus experience isolation without the rhythm of supportive, on-campus life and peer interactions that encourage discipline and daily routines.

What are the lease terms for the off-campus housing unit and timeline?

Families should consider and compare lease terms, campus proximity, and transportation options when developing a spreadsheet comparing housing options. A key question to ask: Is the off-campus monthly apartment rent assessed based by the bed or by the unit? Lease pricing strategies can impact rents. Apartment leases offered by university housing departments might only extend nine months, but corporate leasing companies expect payment and occupancy for 11 to 12 months. Read the lease terms carefully to determine if the student is allowed to vacate the unit and sublease it. There can be substantial costs associated with unit subleases. Some firms do not permit subleases. A student accepting an on-site internship out of state who is required to secure rental housing could be paying double rent on campus and at the internship location. In an expensive rental market like Chicago, short-term housing units can cost as much as $2,000 per month. An intern housing stipend might not cover the costs for one unit, let alone both units.

What are the transit options and operating hours for off-campus housing?

Campus parking permits often sell out. It’s about supply and demand. Even if a student secures a parking pass, university transportation departments can oversell permits. Students potentially might have to schedule classes early in the day to secure a parking location in a first-come, first-serve campus parking lot or garage. Public transit serves off campus sites, but sometimes transit agencies do not offer late service when exams occur. Universities often have extensive bike paths. But before depending on those paths, students need to determine if pedestrian paths are lighted during evening hours and maintained during winter months when there can be snow and ice coverage.

Is college the right time to explore culinary interests?

Parents might jump at the opportunity to furnish a kitchen for a student by purchasing cookware, and a Costco membership. Having access to a kitchen seems like a positive, right? But does the student have time to grocery shop, and actually cook food? The lack of convenience and time constraints that come with cooking meals can wear on a college student as the semester progresses. Packing a lunch and saving money seems like a worthy ambition in August when school begins. Eating fast food meals for $15 each twice a day becomes reality when a student becomes stressed for time. Many colleges have expanded global cuisine and dining options on campus in the past decade that are more affordable than eating off campus or cooking at home. Research is a valuable investment when a considering an off-campus housing commitment that can impact as student’s experience both personally and professionally.

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