Tuition and fees aren’t the only college costs families are finding hard to swallow these days.  Room and board is also on the rise–now nearing $16,000 a year at some colleges.  A survey of the most expensive college dorms found that students attending The New School’s Eugene Lang College in New York City can expect to pay more than any other college students in the nation for standard-option housing and a meal plan, at $15,990 per year.

Rounding out the top five were Cooper Union in New York City, at $15,275; Suffolk University in Boston, at $14,544; the University of California at Berkeley, at $14,384; and the New York Institute of Technology at Manhattan, at $14,290.  By contrast, the average college room and board costs for 2009-2010 were $8,193 at public four-year schools and $9,363 for private colleges.  Students who want extras can expect to pay a lot more–to get an idea of how much, check out the New York Times‘ run-through of a few of the swankiest college living arrangements that have debuted recently on three campuses.

The list of the top 20 was largely dominated by schools in cities with high costs of living, where housing costs of $12,000 to $16,000 per year might not seem all that unreasonable. However, when you consider the fact that these costs are for a standard double room without any extravagant extras, students may still want to see if they can get a better deal living off-campus.  It’s possible to pay a comparable price to on-campus room and board for your own bedroom in many locations, and considering college students’ general ingenuity when it comes to apartment penny-pinching and packing people into houses and apartments, living off-campus could very well be a cheaper option than the dorms, regardless of where you attend college.

However, living off-campus isn’t always the best or cheapest option, even if the hefty price tag for a shared room and mediocre dorm food offends your sensibilities.  Before you decide where to live (if you’re given that option–some colleges require students to live on-campus all four years), come up with a sample budget, taking into account realistic costs for housing, food, maintenance, and commuting to and from campus.  For example, don’t budget for walking 20 blocks each way in the winter or eating nothing but ramen and leftover cookies you snag from your department’s faculty meetings, unless that’s really how you intend to live.  Think about what you’re giving up, as well–easy trips to class, free cleaning services, and a close sense of campus community.  If you’re not saving much by living off-campus, perhaps those things will encourage you to stay.

Posted: under College Budgets, College Costs, College Life.
Tags: College Budgets, College Costs, College Life, money management, Roommates

Comments (0) Nov 05 2009

It’s a few months into your freshman year, and the homesickness may be setting in. Or you’ve found yourself at war with your first college roommate, who sneaks snacks from your cupboard when you’re hard at work studying in the library.

So much of what you learn before you head off to college is related to the more rigorous academics you’ll be tackling, or all the paperwork you need to fill out to make sure your financial aid application is filed completely and on time. These things are very important, and you will be faced with new adult-like responsibilities once you’re on that campus. But what about the things your guidance counselors don’t tell you?

Harlan Cohen, who wrote the book “The Naked Roommate, and 107 Other Issues You Might Run into in College,” has been making the rounds the last few weeks to inform college students - and their parents - that a few bumps in the road are normal. He describes the more realistic picture of the first one, even two, years of college as years of “discomfort,” and that students will come across situations they may not have been prepared to encounter: that overly-rambunctious roommate that stays up late and keeps you awake, or the fact that you thought it’d be way easier to make friends on a campus of more than 20,000 students, all around your age.

Cohen suggests that getting through those difficult times will only make you stronger. The bad memories you may think you’re collecting now will slowly become good memories, as one day we nearly guarantee you’ll be talking about the “good old days” of attending college. The uneasiness you feel now will subside, and you’ll start finding your niche. Take advantage of what college campuses have to offer, because chances are, there’s something for every kind of student, no matter how diverse their interests. Some of Cohen’s suggestions have included speaking up to disruptive or inappropriate roommates, taking care of yourself to avoid falling into a physical, mental or emotional slump, and forcing yourself to get our of your comfort zone somethings by joining a new student group or making connections with classmates.

Browse through our site for more tips on transitioning into that first year of a new college lifestyle and dealing with common roommate problems. Chances are the things you’re experiencing are pretty universal, and easily remedied with a little faith that things will get better and giving yourself enough time to adapt to a new life on campus.

Posted: under Just for Fun, Roommates, Tips.
Tags: campus life, college tips, Just for Fun, Roommates, Tips

Comments (0) Oct 15 2009

If you are planning to move out of your parent’s house when you go back to school, you are probably going to have one or more roommates. Unique challenges often arise when living with roommates, so it’s a good idea to learn about common roommate problems before you become one. By doing so, you will be able to take steps to exhibit the traits of a good roommate. This knowledge will also help you recognize and resolve conflicts.

Some of the most common roommate problems include:

• Borrowing personal items without permission
• Eating other person’s food
• Messy living habits
• Poor personal hygiene
• Lack of respect for each other’s personal space
• Unwillingness to compromise
• Immodest behavior

Allowing such behaviors to go unchecked can permanently damage roommate relationships, and can make a living situation unbearable. It’s a good idea to establish roommate rules at the very beginning of the relationship for the sake of avoiding roommate problems before they have a chance to develop.

Posted: under Roommates, Tips.
Tags: Roommates

Comments (1) Oct 29 2007