Covid restrictions taught parents and students that moving off campus as soon as possible is a good move.

Most schools where my kid applied did not guarantee on campus housing after the first year. A few didn't even guarantee it for freshman year. Coming from a SLAC in the 90s, that seemed so weird to me at first. I was on campus for 3 years and could have been there all 4, but I really, really wanted to live in an apt. my senior year. My kid is at UM and when I asked if they wanted to apply for sophomore housing, they were adamant that they did not. Most kids actually do want to live off campus. I think the dorm is really a good way to start freshman year b/c there is less responsibility and it gives kids an easy way to make friends. However, I can completely understand why living off campus after freshman year is appealing. It is pretty much the norm.

Anonymous wrote:Purdue and LSU are also a nightmare

Not sure if it's still like this, but when my student was accepted to Purdue for Fall 2022, they required an enrollment deposit by April 15 that was non-refundable (was either $400 or $500) in order to guarantee housing that was not auxiliary housing (off campus but nominally owned/operated by Purdue). No idea if it's still like that, but my student was still visiting/revisiting her top choices in mid-April since the pandemic prevented an earlier start on campus visits to farther away schools, and she ended up ruling out Purdue in part to that early deadline.

She should have had until May 1 to make a final school decision without penalty. Rubbed me the wrong way. That said, their admitted day was very well done and its clearly a strong school. Their communications/marketing felt much more like a private school than a public one, and it may have been more of a contender had it been closer/easier for my kid from where we live (NC) and not had that early deadline. She ended up a very enthusiastic Hokie and has had a fabulous almost 4 yrs at VT.

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Anonymous wrote:A good question to ask when touring schools or when reps visit.

I was surprised how few upperclassmen at U Mich live on campus. When you have huge universities, they just don’t have a lot of housing stock relative to the size of the student population

Most upperclassmen don't live on campus in general - unless it's a tiny SLAC.

Not true. Most of the ivies have on campus housing all 4 years.

As my kid said to me when I tried to get her interested in Ivy-type schools, those are basically LACs too.

Well, your kid’s an idiot.

You really think the undergrad experience at Princeton more closely resembles the undergrad experience at Penn State than the undergrad experience at Swarthmore? Interesting.

Many schools have housing shortages, some worse than others. Ask at each school.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A good question to ask when touring schools or when reps visit.

I was surprised how few upperclassmen at U Mich live on campus. When you have huge universities, they just don’t have a lot of housing stock relative to the size of the student population

Most upperclassmen don't live on campus in general - unless it's a tiny SLAC.

Not true. Most of the ivies have on campus housing all 4 years.

As my kid said to me when I tried to get her interested in Ivy-type schools, those are basically LACs too.

Well, your kid’s an idiot.

West Chester University in PA has notorious housing challenges for students.

Anonymous wrote:Wisconsin does not guarantee housing after freshman year but there seems to be a good number of off campus housing options . I read somewhere that it’s normal for UC Santa Cruz kids to live in cars .

Or tent camp in the woods.

Wisconsin does not guarantee housing after freshman year but there seems to be a good number of off campus housing options . I read somewhere that it’s normal for UC Santa Cruz kids to live in cars .

Vermont. Maybe they fixed it but our neighbor is a junior and finally got off campus housing this year but was in a forced triple freshman and sophomore year. Maybe she is just unlucky but that’s frustrating.

Also at some schools they may just not feel there's demand for more upperclassman housing it's a big gamble to have hundreds of vacant rooms

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A good question to ask when touring schools or when reps visit.

I was surprised how few upperclassmen at U Mich live on campus. When you have huge universities, they just don’t have a lot of housing stock relative to the size of the student population

When I was there many decades ago, most upperclassmen wanted to live off campus. I needed a flexible lease (only available in dorms) because I had a co-op with a company and by senior year I was a little tired of freshman antics.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A good question to ask when touring schools or when reps visit.

I was surprised how few upperclassmen at U Mich live on campus. When you have huge universities, they just don’t have a lot of housing stock relative to the size of the student population

Why though? Has the student population grown quickly? Are dorms a net loss for schools because kids don’t pay enough to cover the costs? I get that city schools might not have the space to add but why haven’t schools in college towns added the dorm capacity they need?

My theory and let the thread fix it. Source of funding:

1. Research Buildings - Mainly Federal Funds
2. Sport Facilities - Mainly Alumni
3. Academic - Mainly State and Alumni
4. Residential - Mainly State

If you want to fix it - get Alums to get their name on Residential buildings.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A good question to ask when touring schools or when reps visit.

I was surprised how few upperclassmen at U Mich live on campus. When you have huge universities, they just don’t have a lot of housing stock relative to the size of the student population

Most upperclassmen don't live on campus in general - unless it's a tiny SLAC.

Not true. Most of the ivies have on campus housing all 4 years.

As my kid said to me when I tried to get her interested in Ivy-type schools, those are basically LACs too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A good question to ask when touring schools or when reps visit.

I was surprised how few upperclassmen at U Mich live on campus. When you have huge universities, they just don’t have a lot of housing stock relative to the size of the student population

Most upperclassmen don't live on campus in general - unless it's a tiny SLAC.

Not true. Most of the ivies have on campus housing all 4 years.