Did you live in the dorm for all 4 years of college?

[lucky1]

I lived in the dorm, my whole University life. 4.5 years. Only time I was off campus was during the summer. Dorm was just much easier, did not have to worry about food, transporation and clean the bathroom. Plus there was a built in social life.
Ok.. the food wasn't that good, but I could not cook.

As I got older, I moved into more "upper classman" dorms and so the social activities definately was different than my freshman year. I also payed for my room and board for a few quarters, by being the social director of my dorm. Also was able to move into a single room in later years so that did not have to worry about roommates.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I lived in dorms for 2 1/2...had to take a break, ran out of funds. Then I moved out with DH (then BF), into a ratty, small apt...I miss that $240 a month, furnished.
Our electric bill now is more than our first apartment.

 

[True North]

At my university residence space was limited so you where only allowed to live their your first year. Residence was a wonderful time, I made a lot of great friends, but by the end I was happy to try something new. (And a whole lot cheaper!)

 

[supercarrie]

Last year (first year) I lived in the dorms. This year I am studying abroad in London so I am living in a flat with other University of CA students, but when I come back in January I am probably going to commute from home to ease the cost of what this term is costing me. I am unsure about next year, either commuting again if it goes well or possibly living in an off-campus apartment -but rental costs in LA, especially near UCLA, are astronomical. (And you aren't guaranteed 4 years of housing, only 2.)

 

[bimshire]

First year in the dorm with 2 roommates and it was a nightmare. Just did not get along. What do the computers really know in matching people.

Sophmore year found my own roommate and move to a two-to-a-room dorm. Worked out great.

Had joined a fraternity as social member in my freshman year and due to a lot of encouragement, became a full member living there my junior and senior years. Final 3 years of college life is still memorable.

Go Polar Bears!

 

[Snowy]

Dorms all 4 years, including exchange semester at a college in another city.

 

[Pagan Moon]

I lived in the dorms for 3 years, then my SR year I lived with roommates off campus !!!

 

[puffkin]

First two years in a dorm.

Last two years by myself in a studio apartment a block from campus. My school had bought an apartment complex by then, but I wasn't able to get in because it filled up. I loved the apartment though, I definitely needed my own space!

Most schools are building suites/apartment type dorms now, so staying on campus may be more enticing to your kids. However, it is usually always cheaper to live off campus (even in my case where I lived by myself it was about the same as living in the dorms, but I got 100% privacy and my own bathroom!!!!)

 

[Sandy V.]

Lived in the dorms all 4 years. Mine was a small liberal arts college, and there really weren't many off campus housing options. Plus, you were right in the middle of things being on campus.

Out here in Colorado, it isn't unusual for parents to buy a condo or house in the college town and have their kids live in that while they go to school. I've known families that have done it both in Boulder (University of Colorado) and in Ft. Collins (Colorado State). Heck, with the rent you can charge for roommates to help defray the out-of-pocket mortgage expense, I can see why they did it. Then they sold the houses when their kids graduated, and hopefully made a little money in the end.

 

[laurie31]

I lived in the dorm all 4 years. We also called them "residence halls."

They were nice, more like apartments, really. They were "suites" with two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, and a common living room and kitchenette. They were for four people. So I shared a kitchen with 3 others and my bedroom/bathroom with only my roommate

Laurie

 

[goodeats]

Dorm 1 year
Sorority 2 years
Off Campus Apartment 1 year

 

[kadaten]

I lived in the dorm all 4 years, and was an RA the last 3 to make things more affordable. RA's got paid a pittance, but we got our dorm room for 1/2 price, so that made it easier. I was the proverbial poor college student....had tuition covered by scholarship with a tiny bit left over, but dorms and meal plan are expensive. However, in Charleston, SC, a downtown apt. is even more expensive, so the dorm was the way to go. Senior year I finally got a private room. Other 3 years I was in a suite...2 girls per bedroom, 2 bedrooms share bathroom and living area.

I did meal plan of some sort all 4 years, too. Full 21 meal plan years 1, 2, and 3. Senior year I was doing lots of classroom observations and student-teaching, so I couldn't make it to the cafeteria for a lot of meals, so I did 15 meals fall semester, and 7 spring.

 

[shamrock30]

I lived in the dorm for three years. (Each room had its own bathroom, or I would never have survived for that long.) For my senior year, I lived in an apartment on the bus route to school.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

NO--but if I had to do it again I would.

I didn't sign up for dorm for my sophomore year b/c I was in a sorority and they had a requirement to live in the house for a year or two minimum during your college career. Well, then they voted to close and I had no place to live .

Got together some roommates and rented an off-campus apartment which was a nuisance and a half.

Moved back on campus Junior year--and then took over now-hubby, then boyfriend's lesae when he graduated for my senior year b/c it was supposed to be cheaper than an apartment.

They had single occupancy options and on-campus apartment (but still dorm) options--and had I would have picked those in a heartbeat in hindsight.

One thing about that pre-paid dorm, it does not guarantee dorm space. So if dorm space is unavailable at the college selected, they will give you the dorm costs at the time (probably some average) to apply to off campus living arrangements. I'm sure that is a semester to semester or at most year to year arrangement and not an all 4 years arrangement.

 

[golfgal]

Where I went, almost everyone lived on campus all 4 years. They had dorms for freshmen, dorms and suites for sophomores and on campus apartments for jr's and sr's. It is really going to depend on where your child goes to school whether they will live on campus or not. Some schools only have on campus housing and others only have dorm space for underclassmen.

 

[chrissyk]

NO--but if I had to do it again I would.

I didn't sign up for dorm for my sophomore year b/c I was in a sorority and they had a requirement to live in the house for a year or two minimum during your college career. Well, then they voted to close and I had no place to live .

Got together some roommates and rented an off-campus apartment which was a nuisance and a half.

Moved back on campus Junior year--and then took over now-hubby, then boyfriend's lesae when he graduated for my senior year b/c it was supposed to be cheaper than an apartment.

They had single occupancy options and on-campus apartment (but still dorm) options--and had I would have picked those in a heartbeat in hindsight.

One thing about that pre-paid dorm, it does not guarantee dorm space. So if dorm space is unavailable at the college selected, they will give you the dorm costs at the time (probably some average) to apply to off campus living arrangements. I'm sure that is a semester to semester or at most year to year arrangement and not an all 4 years arrangement.

The main thing that has me wondering is that it doesn't look like the prepaid plan covers all dorms/apts. on campus. They have some preselected ones that they cover. What if the student would rather live in another one that is not covered?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The main thing that has me wondering is that it doesn't look like the prepaid plan covers all dorms/apts. on campus. They have some preselected ones that they cover. What if the student would rather live in another one that is not covered?

I believe they would be stuck.

The reason they are only selected dorms is because the fees vary widely---My dorm at the time cost me maybe $600 a semester and I was in a triple..doubles cost more....and singles cost even more. Newer facilities or more nicely set up accomodations could cost even more. (When I was at UF--there were dorms that were in excess of $1000 per semester per student).

Very easy for one dorm on campus to be one amount and another to be double that. The ones they have are probably the standard double accomodations that do not have an en suite bathroom.

You might be better investing the same amount of money into a regular 529 to not be limited in that way.

Also--you might call the program to verify what would happen if your student did not wish to stay in the dorms that the plan would cover.

 

[Beth76]

I don't think you could have paid me to live in the dorm all 4 years. It was required for all freshmen to live in the dorms (unless they lived at home and commuted). My roommate and I moved into an apartment together for our Sophomore year and stayed through our Senior year.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Dorm - 1 year. Got into a fight with them about the stupid meal plan, and moved out for the rest of my education. The school I work at on occasion requires all students to live on Campus except non-trads. Frankly it is a part of their bread-and-butter.

 

[DVC-Don]

Lived in appartment with my wife. Course I was in my 30's.