Dealbreaker: students required to live on campus for 3 or even 4 years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the purpose of your post? If it’s a dealbreaker, he should go elsewhere. Not sure what the question is.

OP here. The purpose is merely to express surprise that this re$idential requirement is as common as it is, even at schools that aren't tiny enrollment rural LACs. I've a

Sometimes on DCUM people create posts that don't ask for advice. What happened to this CA family? $1 million in Brightwood! APS mask policy contradicts CDC. And that's ok.

I think you may be defensive because you have realized how limited your world view was. And that's ok too.

Actually, I would say the opposite. When it comes to university study, things like living on campus all four years, life revolving around campus stuff, "student life" etc. are all VERY VERY American things. It is very uncommon in the rest of the world. If the OP's experience is with universities in other countries, it is not at all surprising that she would be surprised by residential requirements. If you are surprised that OP is surprised (whew!) by residential requirements, I would say it is you who has a limited worldview. And that's ok too.

Plenty, plenty of universities in Africa which are almost solely residential. I haven't been to all of them, but I've been to plenty, and they are almost exclusively residential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the purpose of your post? If it’s a dealbreaker, he should go elsewhere. Not sure what the question is.

OP here. The purpose is merely to express surprise that this re$idential requirement is as common as it is, even at schools that aren't tiny enrollment rural LACs. I've a

Sometimes on DCUM people create posts that don't ask for advice. What happened to this CA family? $1 million in Brightwood! APS mask policy contradicts CDC. And that's ok.

I think you may be defensive because you have realized how limited your world view was. And that's ok too.

Haha yep. This is the norm at Ivies btw. I went to Harvard. It was a great equalizer actually ( everyone in the dorms and on the meal plan).

Same. I can't imagine how the rich kids would live otherwise if given the option -- parents buying/renting them huge houses or luxury penthouse apts near campus, while poor students doubled up in basement apartments? Awkwardness when rich kids wanted to go out to eat and others ate ramen? But no, we all lived together and ate together so it was expected that you'd just grab a meal in the dining hall together.

It promotes community through shared experiences and traditions. Of course the universities love it because alumni come out with fond memories of their college experience and then they donate more!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's weird that it's a requirement. I couldn't imagine living on campus my senior year of college. I agree it's a red flag. You aren't signing up for boarding school. This is college.

As PP said it is a requirement often to maintain peace with local community. Same at my undergrad.

I view it as a plus. If you don't, don't go.

I lived off campus three years. That was a mistake. I wish I had done more on campus. I think I missed something.

That's fine. But living off campus, I finally got to have my own room (in a large shared house with other students) and some privacy. I paid my own rent which was half the cost of the dorms (no small thing as a student on financial aid with very little parental help). Not sure what the policies are at these schools, but they usually require students to have roommates. I was giddy having a room to myself, a real kitchen to cook in, and space to have guests. And save thousands of dollars. Plus we had the best parties -- not possible to do this on campus where I went to school.

The bold is inaccurate. Plenty of single rooms in dorms or single bedrooms in shared suites on many campuses. Yes, some campuses are horribly overcrowded and cramming three students into what was a double room etc., as other threads have noted. But it's not correct to use huge generalizations like "they" usually require...anything.

As far as saving money, as another PP noted, most landlords want at least 12 months of commitment. So you lose money if you only want nine months of renting, or you have to find someone to sublet (if that's even allowed). And some landlords near colleges truly do gouge, knowing students can be desperate for housing at some schools. How long ago were you in college?

OMG you are insufferable. Most the previous posters have stated their kids on campus are sharing rooms. When I was in college, there were no singles allowed on campus unless you had a medical issue.

Yes, renting is usually 12 months. Not a problem. I didn't go home for summer because I was an adult. So continued to rent. Some of my roommates sublet for the summer (because we were allowed to per the lease which we read in advance and made sure was an option -- because, again, adults!). No one lost any money. Not gouged either, as it was twice as expensive to live on campus (in a major urban area). It was fine. Because, at that age, we were all adults. Young ones, but still adults. And it wasn't that long ago. The house we rented is still a college rental at present.

So you had to leap right to "insufferable"? Wow, your threshold for insufferable is pretty low. Is it because you think your experience is the one and only way?

Yes, many PPs have kids sharing rooms. That doesn't make it the one and only option for every college everywhere.

Yes, when you were in college -- how long ago? -- there were "no singles allowed on campus" except for medical reasons. You mean, no singles on YOUR campus. My college a long time ago had two large dorms of singles only. As well as dorms of doubles only and dorms with singles, doubles and triples mixed.

See how that works? I'm not claiming my experience back then was universal, or that my kid's experience today is universal, but your experience isn't universal either. And what "most of the previous posters" are describing is their kids' experience which-- you guessed it! -- isn't universal either.

I'm glad you weren't gouged for rent back in your day not that long ago. Again, your experience. I know that in some college towns, there are indeed kids who find it expensive to live off campus. And there are places where it's cheaper to live off campus. Not sure why you're so strident about the idea that other students today might have other experiences from yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's weird that it's a requirement. I couldn't imagine living on campus my senior year of college. I agree it's a red flag. You aren't signing up for boarding school. This is college.

As PP said it is a requirement often to maintain peace with local community. Same at my undergrad.

I view it as a plus. If you don't, don't go.

I lived off campus three years. That was a mistake. I wish I had done more on campus. I think I missed something.

That's fine. But living off campus, I finally got to have my own room (in a large shared house with other students) and some privacy. I paid my own rent which was half the cost of the dorms (no small thing as a student on financial aid with very little parental help). Not sure what the policies are at these schools, but they usually require students to have roommates. I was giddy having a room to myself, a real kitchen to cook in, and space to have guests. And save thousands of dollars. Plus we had the best parties -- not possible to do this on campus where I went to school.

The bold is inaccurate. Plenty of single rooms in dorms or single bedrooms in shared suites on many campuses. Yes, some campuses are horribly overcrowded and cramming three students into what was a double room etc., as other threads have noted. But it's not correct to use huge generalizations like "they" usually require...anything.

As far as saving money, as another PP noted, most landlords want at least 12 months of commitment. So you lose money if you only want nine months of renting, or you have to find someone to sublet (if that's even allowed). And some landlords near colleges truly do gouge, knowing students can be desperate for housing at some schools. How long ago were you in college?

OMG you are insufferable. Most the previous posters have stated their kids on campus are sharing rooms. When I was in college, there were no singles allowed on campus unless you had a medical issue.

Yes, renting is usually 12 months. Not a problem. I didn't go home for summer because I was an adult. So continued to rent. Some of my roommates sublet for the summer (because we were allowed to per the lease which we read in advance and made sure was an option -- because, again, adults!). No one lost any money. Not gouged either, as it was twice as expensive to live on campus (in a major urban area). It was fine. Because, at that age, we were all adults. Young ones, but still adults. And it wasn't that long ago. The house we rented is still a college rental at present.

Most students need to go somewhere to do a summer internship to advance their careers. Less likely to find something appropriate in many college towns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's weird that it's a requirement. I couldn't imagine living on campus my senior year of college. I agree it's a red flag. You aren't signing up for boarding school. This is college.

As PP said it is a requirement often to maintain peace with local community. Same at my undergrad.

I view it as a plus. If you don't, don't go.

I lived off campus three years. That was a mistake. I wish I had done more on campus. I think I missed something.

That's fine. But living off campus, I finally got to have my own room (in a large shared house with other students) and some privacy. I paid my own rent which was half the cost of the dorms (no small thing as a student on financial aid with very little parental help). Not sure what the policies are at these schools, but they usually require students to have roommates. I was giddy having a room to myself, a real kitchen to cook in, and space to have guests. And save thousands of dollars. Plus we had the best parties -- not possible to do this on campus where I went to school.

The bold is inaccurate. Plenty of single rooms in dorms or single bedrooms in shared suites on many campuses. Yes, some campuses are horribly overcrowded and cramming three students into what was a double room etc., as other threads have noted. But it's not correct to use huge generalizations like "they" usually require...anything.

As far as saving money, as another PP noted, most landlords want at least 12 months of commitment. So you lose money if you only want nine months of renting, or you have to find someone to sublet (if that's even allowed). And some landlords near colleges truly do gouge, knowing students can be desperate for housing at some schools. How long ago were you in college?

OMG you are insufferable. Most the previous posters have stated their kids on campus are sharing rooms. When I was in college, there were no singles allowed on campus unless you had a medical issue.

Yes, renting is usually 12 months. Not a problem. I didn't go home for summer because I was an adult. So continued to rent. Some of my roommates sublet for the summer (because we were allowed to per the lease which we read in advance and made sure was an option -- because, again, adults!). No one lost any money. Not gouged either, as it was twice as expensive to live on campus (in a major urban area). It was fine. Because, at that age, we were all adults. Young ones, but still adults. And it wasn't that long ago. The house we rented is still a college rental at present.

So you had to leap right to "insufferable"? Wow, your threshold for insufferable is pretty low. Is it because you think your experience is the one and only way?

Yes, many PPs have kids sharing rooms. That doesn't make it the one and only option for every college everywhere.

Yes, when you were in college -- how long ago? -- there were "no singles allowed on campus" except for medical reasons. You mean, no singles on YOUR campus. My college a long time ago had two large dorms of singles only. As well as dorms of doubles only and dorms with singles, doubles and triples mixed.

See how that works? I'm not claiming my experience back then was universal, or that my kid's experience today is universal, but your experience isn't universal either. And what "most of the previous posters" are describing is their kids' experience which-- you guessed it! -- isn't universal either.

I'm glad you weren't gouged for rent back in your day not that long ago. Again, your experience. I know that in some college towns, there are indeed kids who find it expensive to live off campus. And there are places where it's cheaper to live off campus. Not sure why you're so strident about the idea that other students today might have other experiences from yours.

Yes, I stand by "insufferable" based on your response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the purpose of your post? If it’s a dealbreaker, he should go elsewhere. Not sure what the question is.

OP here. The purpose is merely to express surprise that this re$idential requirement is as common as it is, even at schools that aren't tiny enrollment rural LACs. I've a

Sometimes on DCUM people create posts that don't ask for advice. What happened to this CA family? $1 million in Brightwood! APS mask policy contradicts CDC. And that's ok.

I think you may be defensive because you have realized how limited your world view was. And that's ok too.

Actually, I would say the opposite. When it comes to university study, things like living on campus all four years, life revolving around campus stuff, "student life" etc. are all VERY VERY American things. It is very uncommon in the rest of the world. If the OP's experience is with universities in other countries, it is not at all surprising that she would be surprised by residential requirements. If you are surprised that OP is surprised (whew!) by residential requirements, I would say it is you who has a limited worldview. And that's ok too.

As many have noted, residential requirements are fairly typical throughout the world. Just less common in urban campuses and in some European countries. The American college life with American football and college towns IS quite an American phenomena--but those are usually the colleges WITHOUT a residential requirement because the whole town serves as a proxy-campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the purpose of your post? If it’s a dealbreaker, he should go elsewhere. Not sure what the question is.

OP here. The purpose is merely to express surprise that this re$idential requirement is as common as it is, even at schools that aren't tiny enrollment rural LACs. I've a

Sometimes on DCUM people create posts that don't ask for advice. What happened to this CA family? $1 million in Brightwood! APS mask policy contradicts CDC. And that's ok.

I think you may be defensive because you have realized how limited your world view was. And that's ok too.

Actually, I would say the opposite. When it comes to university study, things like living on campus all four years, life revolving around campus stuff, "student life" etc. are all VERY VERY American things. It is very uncommon in the rest of the world. If the OP's experience is with universities in other countries, it is not at all surprising that she would be surprised by residential requirements. If you are surprised that OP is surprised (whew!) by residential requirements, I would say it is you who has a limited worldview. And that's ok too.

Perhaps English is not your first language? You don't seem to know grasp what "world view" means, as it was used in the PP's posting.

NP -- that is just rude. You should ashamed of yourself.

It is not rude to suggest that someone who is describing their experience going to college in Europe may have a different native tongue. That is not an insult.
The poster explains below that in fact their first language was not English and asked for help with interpreting "world view."

Only a monolingual poster would take offense at this question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:23 year olds are typically not in college.
Not sure what schools have curfews. I went to a SLAC that had on-campus housing for all 4 years. It was fabulous. No curfew. Juniors and seniors had really nice rooms. Or they had suites with friends. No worry about rent.

You’re making an issue out of nothing.

Swarthmore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school is taking responsibility for Student Life, an aspect of college for which that many universities feel no responsibility. It's education the whole student, not just academics. The school probably has a much richer Student Life/Activities focus than other colleges. And much richer financial resources.

This is a very American point of view. Which makes sense! Because this is a US-based message board. But in many (most?) places in the world, this is not how college is. At all. When I moved here, it definitely took some getting used to and felt a lot like prolonged adolescence. Where I'm from (Germany), you mostly just go to school for classes like people go to their job in real life. Very few students live on campus, they live in the city in their own rented apartments (or some with family). "Student life" does not really exist- for personal life, we do things in the city rather than the structured events that are organized and ran by the college. You are expected to learn and live independently and the university is not going to organize a social life for you. In fact, many of your friends might not even go to your university. As a result of all this, you don't have the rigid separation between the university students and the greater community like you do in a lot of places in the US. Students just integrate into the city and are treated more like "regular residents. I personally think this is a good thing; others (see: many comments on this thread) prefer a more insulated experience, more like a boarding school, and that's fine. Different strokes.

Yes and this is why Europe sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't get some of these comments, I went to a large state school where most people moved off campus sophomore year. Some stayed in dorms as sophs but definitely by junior year everyone had a house or apartment. "Off campus" doesn't mean moving thirty miles away, it just meant we were paying rent to a landlord instead of to the school. We were still physically right in the mix. In fact the places I lived were all closer to most of the academic buildings than my freshman year dorms.

+1. My college only required Freshman year on campus. I'm surprised no one mentioned cost! It's much more expensive to live on campus! We had to buy the meal plan, which you had to be a linebacker to be able to eat all the prepaid food.

Living off campus was a good "in between" stage between living hotel-like on campus without privacy and living on your own.

omg, the cost! My daughter is at a school that requires on campus all four years. We are paying $7200 for her to live in a 3 bedroom, on campus "townhouse" with 5 other girls (3 bedrooms, two per room). Two bathrooms. So about 800/month in rent for the 9 month school year. I know this doesn't seem like that much if you live in a high COL area, but this is a smallish city in the midwest. I looked up off campus rental options, and you could get a 3 bedroom duplex or apartment half a mile from campus for $1500. If that was split between six people, it'd be $250 a month! Less than a third of what we are paying now! Even if it were 3 people and everyone got their own bedroom, it'd still be almost half of what we are paying.

It's a money maker for the school, plain and simple.

Campus housing is furnished and includes cable and wifi. Add those costs into your 3 bedroom duplex or apartment and see how much cheaper it actually is.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why this is a concern I went to Dartmouth, and pretty much everyone lived on campus all four years (including Greek/interest housing) and it was just the norm. I just assumed this was how college was and thought it was kind of weird when I learned people at other schools lived off campus. I couldn't imagine being apart from my peers and not just being able to wander out of my dorm room and talk to a bunch of people my own age, or dash across the campus to the library to pick something up late at night.

Somehow I, along with all my classmates, managed to figure out how to live independently after we graduated.

I think this should not be a concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the purpose of your post? If it’s a dealbreaker, he should go elsewhere. Not sure what the question is.

OP here. The purpose is merely to express surprise that this re$idential requirement is as common as it is, even at schools that aren't tiny enrollment rural LACs. I've a

Sometimes on DCUM people create posts that don't ask for advice. What happened to this CA family? $1 million in Brightwood! APS mask policy contradicts CDC. And that's ok.

I think you may be defensive because you have realized how limited your world view was. And that's ok too.

Haha yep. This is the norm at Ivies btw. I went to Harvard. It was a great equalizer actually ( everyone in the dorms and on the meal plan).

You believe living on campus at Harvard was a great "equalizer" for you and your other ivy chums, and you're making fun of the OP for their limited world view? SMH.

Yes, because rich and poor students lived in the same places. Often with each other. They ate the same food. It equalized living arrangements.

This wasn't my experience at an Ivy at all. The rich students ate out a LOT. I came from a more middle income background and just couldn't keep up. Not equal at all.

But can you imagine how worse it would be if they didn't share dorms and meal plans? At least some of the time you were all eating and living together. And it may be more true of Harvard which has a strong house system compared to a school where students switch dorms each year etc.

[Anonymous]

I’m used to large state schools that have many older second-degree students and students that still live with their families to save money, so this is a strange concept.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the purpose of your post? If it’s a dealbreaker, he should go elsewhere. Not sure what the question is.

OP here. The purpose is merely to express surprise that this re$idential requirement is as common as it is, even at schools that aren't tiny enrollment rural LACs. I've a

Sometimes on DCUM people create posts that don't ask for advice. What happened to this CA family? $1 million in Brightwood! APS mask policy contradicts CDC. And that's ok.

I think you may be defensive because you have realized how limited your world view was. And that's ok too.

Actually, I would say the opposite. When it comes to university study, things like living on campus all four years, life revolving around campus stuff, "student life" etc. are all VERY VERY American things. It is very uncommon in the rest of the world. If the OP's experience is with universities in other countries, it is not at all surprising that she would be surprised by residential requirements. If you are surprised that OP is surprised (whew!) by residential requirements, I would say it is you who has a limited worldview. And that's ok too.

Perhaps English is not your first language? You don't seem to know grasp what "world view" means, as it was used in the PP's posting.

NP -- that is just rude. You should ashamed of yourself.

It is not rude to suggest that someone who is describing their experience going to college in Europe may have a different native tongue. That is not an insult.
The poster explains below that in fact their first language was not English and asked for help with interpreting "world view."

Only a monolingual poster would take offense at this question.

It was totally condescending, as is your post. Tone is everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our family is narrowing the list of reach/match schools, and as part of this process, we are closely reading about the details of 'student life.'

It had someone escaped our attention that DS's #1 and #3 choices require students to live in on campus, in assigned housing, for 3 and 4 years, respectively. One of these schools goes on and on about how nobody is likely to get an exemption from that rule (unless you're married with kids, significant ADA issue that can't be accommodated, etc.). What the hell?

On a whim I went down his 'Maybe list' of 15 schools and I see that the 3 year requirement is not a rarity. The notable exceptions are giant state schools and/or California schools. Why would a university mandate that their 22, 23 yr old students live in little dorm rooms, potentially with a roommate, and have curfews, alcohol bans, visitor limits and so on? Not to mention limits on having a pet, having a car, and more.

Local woman cannot understand why the world doesn’t bend to her will.