College Decisions: On or Off Campus?

Student Housing- What is it? How to find the Best Option in 3 Productive Tips?

Numerous studies all over the world have made assumptions about the academic performance of students staying on campus in residences and those who travel to campus every day. Some studies suggest that those students who live in campus residences tend to have an advantage over those who don’t (Peterson, 1975). The following review based in related literature will strive to be as thorough as possible about the chosen topic and problems.

College is one of the biggest stepping stones of life. For some, the transition can be rough. Many important decisions have to be made, one of those being housing arrangements. The decision to dorm or commute can change one’s perspective at college immensely. They are very different; dorming is not for everybody; commuting is not for everybody. Commuting and dorming differ in independence, money, transportation, and experiences.

The focus of this paper is to dispel a common view that community colleges do not provide on-campus housing and to provide greater insights into the types of community colleges that provide on-campus housing, the typical student who resides in on-campus housing, a guide to various California community colleges that provide on-campus housing, and the impact that on-campus housing has on student learning outcomes, financial gains for community colleges that provide on-campus housing, and an overview of the lack of data in the area of not only on-campus housing in community colleges, but community colleges at large. According to Cohen and Brawer (2008) access to student housing is one of the fundamental dissimilarities between public

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is one of the largest universities in Tennessee; however, they do not offer enough housing to provide for all of their students. As a result, students are expected to find their own housing off-campus. Hence, students must live in off-campus apartment complexes that are expensive, too far away, and difficult for young students to rent. While there are some benefits to off-campus housing, students face many problems in securing these types of housing situations. The prices of off-campus housing are high and the locations are often too far away from campus to walk. In addition, many apartment complexes do not want young, college-aged people living there.

Whether a student is looking to stay in-state or move out, the cost is still very high. According to College Board, expenses, on average, to attend a 4-year university add up to around $9,000 a year for in-state residents. Triple this amount and non-residents must pay that. Private school expenses tend to add up to around $35,000 a year (College Costs). During the 1995-1996 academic years, 66% of four year students in public institutions received some form of financial aid (Losco). Although the financial aid sounds like a good plan at the time, it causes the ones who take aid to being their adulthood in a large amount of debt. Even though there are a number of scholarships and financial aid programs available, each student must qualify and meet certain requirements that are not always met.

Colleges have always encouraged their students to live on campus, especially freshman. This is for the reason that living on campus allows student to encounter new cultures, participate in organizations, and reach academic heights. For example, Tarleton State University states that “Living on campus will enable [the student] to interact with diverse people enriching [their] educational experience and will provide convenient access to professors and academic resources the campus offers. In addition, on-campus students are more likely to become and stay involved in clubs and organizations” (Tarleton State University, 2016). Along with the notion that students residing on campus are likely to reach academic heights, a study conducted at the University of North Dakota during the fall semester of 1966-1967

They always seem to choose to live in the dorms the first year. The main reason for this is to focus on school and be close to their classes for the first year. Typically, college students do not know their costs of living in the area and have no way of estimating it because they have lived with their parents their whole life. So, they just agree to pay the dorms tremendously high living expenses. The university of Kansas State is completely taking advantage of this opportunity of students living in the dorms. The university is taking in over 29 million dollars according to their projected revenue statement for this coming year of 2018 (Housing Budget 2018). With this much coming in just for the dorms and they do not even bother renovating the 1980’s style rooms which are very complex and typically put two people to one room and they share a bathroom with their sweet mates, and yet they continue to pile as many kids in there, to bring in as much money as possible in to the housing department at Kansas State (K-State Housing Website). Students do not even think twice about where else and how much cheaper it would be to live in off campus housing and just agree to pay the over-priced dorms and put their first year of living on their student loans. This causes the students to start out college in twice as much debt, that could be avoided if the university would lower the costs of living on campus.

The environment is more conducive to learning because the student’s focus is on academics. Although there are other extracurricular activities and sports, academics are at the forefront. Students learn responsibility while living away from home. Their parents are not there to wake them up for school or to remind them to clean up their rooms. They get to experience what it feels like to live in a dorm and attend classes on a college rotation. Because of the rigor of the classes and the college environment, students will be more prepared for college courses and college

The air is filled with innocent laughs and the sound of honorable applause. As you hear the sound of the “Land of Hope and Glory” march commence, it hits you. You have finally accomplished what appeared to be a prolonged journey that would never end, with the early mornings and late night homework out of the way, you now feel free. Suddenly, you catch yourself asking what’s next? And you realize, that your real life has just begun. You are now faced with one of the most drastic decisions that will defy your impending future, should you stay at home and attend a community college or would you rather move away into a four-year university and live on campus? What is the right choice for you? Here are a few tips to persuade your choice.

College is a life changing experience for students. College is a new environment for most students and comes with lots of challenges. Things such as the increased difficulty of academic work and not being around the same social groups as a student was before college can make the transition very difficult. One of the best things a student can do to help with this transition is to live in a campus residence hall. Students should live in dorms because of the community that this creates. Students will gain many beneficial social interactions, will be able to better complete academic work, and will ease the adjustment to college life.

Imagine the senior year of high school when students are poised to enter college and become adults. It's a time of responsibility, of being on one's own, and of shaping lives by making daily decisions. One of the major decisions is where to attend college. Should a person stay close to home and attend an in-state school where people and even campuses are somewhat familiar? Or should the decision be to start a completely new chapter in one's life by attending a college farther away, with totally new challenges? I believe the answer is definitely to leave town.

The hardest decision a student has to make during their senior year of high school is which school to attend and whether to live on campus or commute. There are both advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios. The entire college experience is a learning trip and it is oftentimes a young adults first step towards independence. Living on campus is an adjustment and is a huge eye-opener to the real world. The college dorm life is considered to be part of the "full college experience," but the costs of living in a residence hall can persuade students to remain home while they are in college in order to avoid housing fees.

The first year of college comes with many changes and challenges. These changes can include the food in the cafeteria, study habits, time management skills, and much more. Every student has to find their own way to handle the first year and determine what works best for them. For many the most essential change is living away from home. Campus life provides opportunities to become a part of a unique, diversified community. With these opportunities come challenges, such as having a roommate, being away from one’s parents, and determining self-limits.

Going into college is like going into a foreign land. The student does not know many people, most likely will not know the area, and does not have much money. More so does not have any. A college student will do whatever it takes to save a penny, whether it is getting a part time job or even selling their fortunes on Ebay. Living on campus has many benefits just as living off campus. Looking at the cost, the community, and responsibilities the student will have to determined the best living that will fit your needs.