Campus Housing vs. Off-Campus Housing: Weighing your College Housing Options

Campus Housing vs. Off-Campus Housing

Campus housing offers an exciting opportunity to live with your peers during your college years — but not all dorms are created equal. The quality of college dorms ranges from school to school, as does the percentage of students that actually live on campus. Some students spend all four years in campus housing, others spend a year or two on campus before transitioning to off-campus housing, and others commute from home.

While campus housing may not be at the top of your priority list, it’s certainly worth exploring before submitting an application. After all, the college experience is much more than just academics. Many students find that living on campus during their first year greatly enhances their college experience. Plus, some schools have housing requirements that you’ll want to be aware of prior to applying.

Ultimately, the decision between on- or off-campus living will depend on your preferences and each school’s housing requirements. In this article we’re going to give you all the details about campus housing vs. off-campus housing.

Specifically, we’ll look at: 

• College housing options
• Dorms and facilities
• Cost of campus housing and off-campus housing
• Schools with the best dorms
• Campus housing at NYU, UMich, Boston College, and Brown University
• Affordable student housing
• How to choose your college housing, and more!

First, let’s review your options. Later, we’ll find out what the best college campuses have to offer.

Exploring College Housing Options

When thinking of living on campus, students and parents often imagine traditional-style dormitories. These types of dormitories are called residence halls, and usually freshman students live here. Generally, dorms in residence halls have students living with one, two, or even three roommates, sharing common spaces with those in their hall, such as a bathroom and lounge area. However, this is just one of many styles of housing offered on college campuses.

In addition to dorms, colleges may also offer suites or apartments. In suite-style housing students share a suite with a few bedrooms, living area, and a kitchenette. Usually, bedrooms are singles or doubles. Apartment style housing offers students a bit more privacy and independence, usually with private rooms and kitchens.

Themed housing

Another housing option to consider is themed housing. This is an interesting option for those looking to join (and live with) a community with shared interests. Themed housing can center around culture, academics, or social atmospheres. For example, Honors program students may live in the same residency, or there might be housing specific to those passionate about certain topics, such as music, sustainability, art, etc.

Living requirements

While some schools allow freshmen to live in off-campus student housing, many universities have on-campus living requirements. For example, Brown University requires students to live in on-campus college housing for three years. Ohio Wesleyan University and Dickinson College require full-time students to live in campus housing for all four years of undergrad. NYU, on the other hand, has no requirements or minimum. 

When considering on- or off-campus housing, think about the experience you’ll have in both. Living on campus allows you to be in close proximity to facilities such as campus dining services, research labs, and libraries. Off-campus living doesn’t necessarily offer these conveniences. Additionally, the best dorms and college housing services offer perks you may not find in off-campus student housing, such as on-site counselors, tech support, and a sense of community. Indeed, the best dorms won’t necessarily be about the building, but rather the connections fostered within them. 

College dorms and facilities

So, what does college housing actually look like? Well, traditional dorms usually come with similar facilities: a twin-sized bed, desk, chair, and closet or dresser for each student — the rest is up to you! Many universities have a list of what to bring to college on their residence life sites to ensure you arrive with all the essentials.

Different from off-campus student housing, college housing also has communal facilities. These typically include bathrooms, lounges, kitchens, laundry rooms, and study areas. Having these facilities in your living area offers convenient options for both social gatherings and quiet study time. Separate from these included amenities, students are usually required to purchase a meal plan to use at campus dining services as well. But, the best college campuses and best college towns usually offer a variety of food options. 

While these are the typical offerings in most college dorms, there are variations. Some facilities are more modern while others are more traditional. Private schools may have smaller residencies with just a few halls, whereas a large public university could have a ten-level residency building. The best way to get a feel for college housing is to see it in-person — and if that’s not an option, look into a virtual tour!

Campus housing supply vs. demand

At some schools, securing on-campus housing is ultra-competitive. In fact, with a rising number of students enrolling in college, some universities haven’t been able to meet the demand. Rather than offer affordable student housing, some universities moved first-year students into hotels, making families and students cover the higher cost. Other universities incentivized students to pursue off-campus living by awarding money to freshmen who went off campus.

On the other hand, some schools are taking their housing options up a notch, making students prefer on-campus over off-campus housing — not only for the student life and community, but also for the facilities. For example, UMass has its own university village of 140 townhouses! This modular housing is an excellent option for affordable student housing. And, as universities continue to have more students enrolling than space in residencies, these types of affordable student housing options will likely become more prevalent. 

Finding Dorm Tours

Just as campus tours help you explore the best college campuses, dorm tours help you determine your best living situation. Since touring campus housing is so important, you might be wondering how exactly to find a dorm tour. Well, there are a variety of options!

The most traditional way would be to book a tour during a campus visit. Some campus tours will pass through the dormitories, others will not. So, be sure to inquire and ask to schedule a dorm tour if possible. Seeing campus housing in-person is the ideal option, however, you may not be able to visit every school on your college list in person. If that’s the case, there are virtual options. 

You may be able to find a dorm tour on YouTube. However, many universities also offer virtual dorm tours on their websites. The various NYU dorms are displayed here — you can explore all of the housing options, with a short video tour online!

If you do visit in person, prepare questions ahead of time to ensure you learn everything you need to know. Additionally, make observations such as layout, cleanliness, amenities, and space. And be sure to note how you feel! While campus housing is usually a huge change from how you’ve lived so far, try to imagine how you’d feel living on campus in these facilities. 

Alternatively, if you opt for off-campus student housing, be sure to visit the facilities before signing a lease. You want to visit both on- and off-campus student housing in person, or at least virtually, before committing to anything!

College Housing Lottery

Unfortunately, on campus housing isn’t guaranteed for all students. While most freshmen will have the opportunity to live on campus, usually, college housing is restricted to a certain number of students in subsequent years. Therefore, many schools offer a college housing lottery to determine on campus housing for rising sophomores. 

A college housing lottery is a system that determines who is eligible for and able to choose their college housing. It aims to ensure a fair distribution of college housing services to all interested students. But, how exactly does it work? Well, the specifics may vary depending on your school. However, usually, students need to submit an application that includes roommate and housing preferences. Then, they’re given a letter number which determines their eligibility and selection priority. The lottery usually happens in early spring to determine housing for the following fall semester. 

For example, if aiming for Boston College housing, students will participate in the housing lottery in March. There are various lotteries on different days, depending on the type of housing you’re interested in. Students register in the morning and find out later that day if they are able to select housing based on their lottery number. If they don’t get a selection time, they can try again another day, for different housing. 

Indeed, this process may seem to leave a lot up to chance and luck. This is why it’s important for students to be prepared by having their roommate preferences ready, as well as backup housing options if they don’t get their first choice. However, if it’s your first year or you’re opting for off-campus housing, you won’t have to worry about this process. 

How much is college housing?

There are plenty of proponents of living in off-campus housing as a way to save money. However, there’s some debate as to whether on- or off-campus is the more affordable student housing. On average, though, living on your own in off-campus housing is more expensive than living in on-campus housing. The average annual housing cost of living on campus at a public, four-year school is $7,167. For off-campus housing, the average is $11,249 (not living with family).

Of course, the exact cost of living on campus will depend on the university. For example, the University of Michigan offers a variety of options when it comes to housing, including singles, doubles, triples, quad rooms, and suites. To get an idea of the UMich housing cost per year, a “double economy” room in the residence halls is $8,921. Private or elite schools can be even costlier. For instance, Brown University housing is $10,410 for the year in suite and dorm apartments. Boston College housing varies depending on the buildings, however, the most affordable building is $10,940 per year.

Often, the best value colleges will have the most affordable student housing. When considering the cost of the best dorms, or any dorms, remember that students are often required to use the campus dining services and purchase meal plans. This is added on to the cost of the room. Due to these high costs, some students prefer to live at home or in off-campus student housing, finding roommates and cooking at home to lessen their overall living costs. 

Exploring college housing at top universities

As we’ve mentioned, campus housing and college housing services vary significantly by school. A university’s location, size, and campus culture will play a huge role in college housing options. For that reason, it’s important to do your research on each school. You’ll need to know what they offer in terms of campus housing and college housing services. 

In the next sections, we’re going to look at four different schools and what it’s like for students living on their campuses. We’ll check out on NYU dorms, UMich housing, Boston College housing, and Brown University housing — and what you need to know when deciding if the school’s residential life is for you!

NYU Dorms

With two locations in New York City (Manhattan and Brooklyn), New York University housing offers students a unique experience. Without a centralized campus, NYU students are encouraged to embrace the city as their campus. This may feel overwhelming to some, however, living on campus in the residencies can help students feel a sense of community.

NYU dorms and residence halls vary. There are traditional style halls as well as apartments/suites. In the traditional NYU dorms, students have a shared kitchen in most halls, or at least a refrigerator and microwave. However, in the apartment- and suite-style housing, students have a kitchen within their residency. 

In general, freshmen are housed in the traditional NYU dorms, whereas the apartments and suites are reserved for upperclassmen. However, there is one apartment style hall dedicated to freshmen. All of the residencies, including NYU dorms and apartments/suites are located in either Manhattan or Brooklyn.

Students living in traditional style dorms are required to have a meal plan. While there is no themed housing, other than law school housing for graduates, NYU does offer plenty of resources for their student residents. However, one of the main benefits of attending NYU is living and experiencing the city. And, with the NYU dorms in the heart of the action, you’ll have access to to it as soon as you step out of your building. 

Housing Options at University of Michigan

Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the University of Michigan has 18 residence halls and 1,480 apartments on campus. Additionally, the school offers options for UMich off-campus housing. They even have a convenient site with UMich off-campus housing options that include pricing and walking distance to campus. 

Keep in mind that the UMich college experience can vary greatly depending on whether you opt for UMich off-campus housing or on-campus housing. Many opt for on-campus options as opposed to off-campus housing for a richer student life experience. However, UMich off-campus housing options are conveniently located. Plus, you’ll likely be sharing apartment buildings with plenty of UMich students!

While there is no requirement for first-year students to live in UMich housing, they are given priority. And, most freshmen opt to live in UMich housing as a way to get the full campus experience. Housing isn’t guaranteed at UMich, however, so you’ll likely spend part of your college years living off-campus. For more housing context, check out these FAQs from UMich about returning to on campus living or switching to UMich off-campus housing.  

The pricing of UMich housing varies depending on the type of space. For example, a Single Premium room costs $13,666 per year while a Single Economy room costs $8,921 yearly. There are also plenty of options for theme communities and Michigan Learning Communities. For example, UMich housing offers a Living Business community for students admitted to Ross School of Business. There’s also a Sustainable Living Experience community which is dedicated to those interested in being leaders in sustainability and environmental causes. And, those are just a couple of the options for those interested in living communities!

Brown University Housing

Brown is a well-known, Ivy League school located in Providence, Rhode Island. The residential experience is an important one for Brown student life, where inclusion, diversity, and community are key values. In fact, traditional undergraduates are required to live on campus in Brown University housing for a minimum of six semesters — that’s three years! 

Brown University housing is divided into separate halls based on year. You can also choose to live in theme, program or greek buildings when selecting your Brown University housing. There are currently five theme houses: Wellness, Civic Engagement, Sustainability, Interfaith, and Substance-Free. 

First year students staying in Brown University housing live in a “neighborhood.” Neighborhoods consist of 40-60 students and several community coordinators, or peer counselors, living across two hallways or, in some cases, an entire building. Rooms, roommates, and residence halls are made based on a questionnaire students have filled out prior to receiving their housing assignments. 

Even with the on-campus living requirement, Brown still offers useful college housing services to help guide the off-campus student housing process. In fact, Brown has its own off-campus housing site, where you can find off-campus student housing rentals and a roommate-finding platform.

Boston College Housing

At Boston College, students live in 35 residence halls that all offer different living situations. Boston College housing consists of traditional dorm-style rooms, apartments, and suites. Thanks to this variety, more than 90% of BC students choose to live in on-campus housing. First year students are also required to live on campus, adding to BC’s on-campus population.

The majority of first year students living in Boston College housing reside in 10 residence halls located in Upper Campus. Students may also opt to live in Living Learning Communities, or theme housing. These communities aim to foster collaboration, connection, and community through shared interests and values. 

Some LLCs for first years include the Kostska Women’s Experience for those interested in women empowerment and leadership. Perspectives Living & Learning is intended for those interested in building deeper relationships through shared living. Justice & the Common Good brings together students committed to social justice and cultural diversity.  

Colleges with the Best Dorms

Now that we’ve gone over some specific examples of campus housing, including UMich housing, Brown University housing, and Boston College housing, let’s explore more colleges with the best dorms.

Just like you can find lists of the best college towns, you can find rankings of different schools with the best dorms. Publications like the Princeton Review and college ranking sites like Niche all have their own lists. You can also look on social networking sites like Reddit to interact with real students who can weigh in on their schools’ campus housing.

Here are five more schools with some of the best dorms in the country. 

Top College Dorms

High Point University

Located in North Carolina, High Point offers a wide variety of different types of campus housing, from apartment-style singles to your traditional double dorm room. They even offer house-like tiny home dorms as part of their campus housing!

Scripps College

Located in Claremont, California, Scripps boasts beautiful Mediterranean-style architecture, and the dorms come complete with picturesque courtyards and gardens. Style and community all in one place!

Saginaw Valley State University

Unlike other colleges, Saginaw Valley State students have access to apartment-style living with private bedrooms and full kitchens. They also offer traditional residence halls and two-person suites, giving students a wide range of options.

Washington University in St. Louis

WashU is well known for its housing, and offers students options between modern and traditional buildings. Most dorms house between three and six students, and allow them to bring in their own amenities like Keurigs and mini fridges.

Butler University

At Butler, all freshmen are housed within Irvington House or Residential College (ResCo). Despite having less flexibility in choosing their hall, Butler’s dorms are spacious and modern enough to accommodate most students’ needs.

Remember, no matter which school you attend, there’s going to be a wide variety of different options for campus housing. Even if you’re on one of the best college campuses, you may not wind up in one of their best dorms. However, you’ll still have everything you need to make the most of your freshman year. 

Colleges with single dorms for freshmen

Availability for single dorms is typically very limited for freshmen unless you require an accommodation. However, there are some schools that offer single dorms for freshmen as part of their campus housing. Columbia University in New York has some, as do smaller liberal arts colleges like Pomona and Williams. As such, you should probably prepare to share a room in college, at least for your freshman year.

While living in close quarters with someone can be stressful, it’s also a great way to make friends. And, living in residence halls is a big part of student life. Besides, living with a college roommate is a huge right of passage — it throws you into the action and makes you feel like you’re part of the community. Moreover, if you don’t get the best campus housing your first year, you can likely get better housing when you’re a sophomore.

Is it cheaper to live on or off campus?

When it comes to comparing the cost of on-campus housing vs. off-campus housing, there’s a few factors to consider. Whether one is drastically more expensive than the other depends on the school you go to, the dorms you choose, and what area your school is located in. For example, some NYU dorms and Boston College housing options are incredibly expensive — but some, given the urban area, will still be cheaper than the living options around them.

You also have to factor in the associated costs of living in campus housing vs. off-campus housing. If you live in campus housing, your utilities, like hot water, heat, gas, and air conditioning, are all covered in your housing costs. So is your WiFi! Living on campus also often requires a meal plan, so you don’t have to worry about groceries.

If you’re living in off-campus housing, you’re facing the same living costs as any other adult. You’ll need to pay rent, likely monthly, as well as utilities like WiFi and heat. You’ll also be responsible for buying your own groceries and cooking your own meals. You may also save money living off-campus by having roommates, but you may also have to furnish your apartment, which you don’t usually do in campus housing.

While there’s more to manage, taking care of your living accommodations is a great learning experience. It helps you get to know the housing market in the city so you’re prepared when you graduate, and can make you feel more independent.

How much does off-campus living cost?

Living in off-campus housing rather than on-campus housing can have costs that you might not expect. As a college student living on your own for the first time, you may be surprised how many things off-campus you need to pay for — and how expensive they are. Furniture? Expensive. Rugs? Expensive. Plates and pans and cleaning supplies? Expensive.

There are also utility costs when you live in off-campus housing, like WiFi, heat, gas, electricity, and sometimes water. Plus, you have to deal with finding an apartment or house and renting it, which is a far more labor and time-intensive process than entering a lottery for campus housing. 

Each college town is different

Off-campus housing prices depend a lot on the area. If you’re attending school in a city, you’re probably better off opting for the campus housing rather than looking to rent an apartment. For example, the average rent in NYC is $3.9K a month — the NYU dorms may give you better options (though NYU dorms are notoriously expensive as well, and not the most affordable student housing). 

In Ann Arbor, one of the best college towns, the average rent is $1.6K a month, which is lower than New York, but can still strain the budget. UMich housing may be a better option budget-wise than UMich off-campus housing, especially for your first year. Many students choose to live in UMich off-campus housing in later years at UMich — and more students wish to live in college housing than there is space for.

Off campus living has its perks, though. Independence, roommate choice, the ability to cook your own food rather than relying on campus dining services, more space, and a bit of distance from student life. But you’ll need to compare costs specific to your college housing and college town to know whether off-campus living is the best choice for your budget.

Living on campus vs. living at home

In the college housing vs. off-campus housing debate, we need to address an important third option: living at home.

Making the choice to live at home instead of living in campus housing can be a difficult one. Many students don’t want to miss out on the college experience or student life, especially if you’re going to be commuting to one of the best college campuses. But you can still get the most out of your college experience by living at home, and the money you save in the long run can make it worth it.

Instead of paying for campus dining services and college housing, living at home allows you to take advantage of your parents’ generosity for a few more years. You can commute to school, and save on the costs associated with college housing, as well as costs you might spend living in off-campus housing. It’s a win win!

However, it’s still a big decision to make. The opportunity to live in such close proximity to other young people when living in college housing is one you may not ever have again. It makes it easy to have late night study sessions and other bonding experiences. Plus, living in college housing can also give you some independence from your family. By living at home, you may still feel as if you’re in high school, but with harder, more expensive classes.

But college is wildly expensive, and every student’s path is different. However, if college housing is something you’re not willing to sacrifice, maybe focus on going for scholarships, working a job, or attending a more affordable college.

Student living apartments

Another option that’s a bridge between off-campus housing and college housing are student living apartments. These off-campus student housing apartments are privately owned, off-campus housing built specifically for students, often located near campus so that students can attend class. They also usually have amenities tailored towards students, like gyms or study rooms.

The pros of off-campus student housing are that they combine a lot of what’s good about college housing, like proximity to other students and to campus, with the independence of living on your own. 

Off-campus student housing options often come with individual leases, meaning that even if you have roommates, each student has their own lease with the landlord — so each individual is on the line for their own payments. Plus, utilities are often bundled into the rent, unlike with standard apartments in off-campus housing. 

Unlike dorms, off-campus student housing offers a bit less support. There will be no RAs to come to your aid, and no college housing services if something goes wrong. There also won’t be programmed community building activities as there often are in dorms. While off-campus student housing offers more freedom than traditional dorms, like Boston College housing or Brown University housing, it is also likely more expensive. So, if you’re looking for affordable student housing, this might not be your first choice.

How can I get cheap housing for college?

Finding affordable student housing is a concern for many students, even in the best college towns. However, there are some strategies you can employ to try to lower your housing costs. 

On-campus housing

First, after your freshman year, you can become an RA: a Resident Assistant (or Advisor, depending on who you ask). As an RA, you’ll lead and supervise a group of students, facilitate bonding activities, and be their first point of contact if they need college housing services. In return, the school may provide you with discounted or free college housing.

Though some colleges have a flat housing rate, many allow you to choose dorms that are more or less expensive. The less expensive dorms will likely mean more roommates and/or double rooms, less amenities (maybe no AC), and smaller spaces. 

You may also be able to get financial aid for your housing specifically. Always make sure to check whether housing is included in your financial aid package when you’re applying to schools.

Off-campus housing

Housing in the best college towns can be competitive and expensive. If you choose to go the route of off-campus living instead, look for roommates to share your apartment with. You’ll definitely get a better deal that way. And, it’s a good way to make friends and get the most out of your college experience.

Further, off-campus student housing might give you a better option than trying to hack it in the real housing marketplace. Though privately owned, these apartments are catered to students, so may have deals or be more tailored to a student budget. 

When looking for off-campus housing, try using websites like Facebook Marketplace or Facebook housing groups (you can look up Your School + Housing and will likely find it), or ForRentUniversity.com. Some schools even have their own websites for off-campus housing. For instance, you can find UMich housing and UMich off-campus housing on their UMich off-campus housing website. In addition to its on-campus housing options, Brown also offers off-campus housing assistance to help set students up with roommates and potential rentals. 

You can also connect with college housing services at your school to get advice on where to look for housing. And remember, current students are also a great resource! Students searching for affordable Brown University housing or Boston College housing should connect with upperclassmen for the inside scoop on the best bang for your buck. 

6 Things to Consider when choosing your housing for college

Choosing housing for college is a big decision. While everyone wants affordable student housing, many end up caught between off-campus student housing, living on campus, and living at home. Here are six factors to consider when weighing your housing options.

6 Factors to Consider in College Housing

#1: Distance to campus/classes

One of the perks of living on campus is that you’re naturally close to class. You’re not only near your classes — which is perfect when you wake up for your 9 a.m. lecture at 8:55 a.m. — but also your extracurriculars, friends, and clubs as well. If you have rehearsal or practice late at night, or you’re studying in the library until the wee hours of the morning, living on campus can be really valuable.

If you want to live off-campus, make sure you factor in how you plan on getting to class. Do you have a car? If you do, do you have a place to park it? Some colleges have better public transit options than others. For example, Boston College and Harvard are both near the T, or the subway in Boston and Cambridge. So even if you don’t live on campus in a residence hall at BC, you may still be able to take public transportation to school. 

Sometimes, upperclassmen like a little bit of distance from campus, and the best college towns have a lot to offer. Maybe they have jobs or internships that they also have to commute to, or maybe they’re more involved with Greek life that’s a bit offset from the campus center. Off-campus living can have perks as well — just make sure you have a plan for commuting to class. 

#2: Monthly/semester cost

If you’re living on campus, you’re probably paying housing costs by semester, whereas off-campus living often requires paying rent monthly. As we’ve mentioned above, there are more “hidden” costs with living off campus (utilities, groceries, furniture, etc.). Make sure that when you’re comparing costs, you’re not only considering rent. Try to tally up how much you think you’d spend on those extra costs per month, in addition to rent.

#3: Roommate situation

Roommates can make or break a living situation, and it can feel like a lot of pressure. But in this day and age, people often live with roommates well beyond college, so get used to sharing your space. Living on campus — especially freshman year — you might get assigned a roommate rather than getting to choose one yourself. Off-campus living, on the other hand, gives you the flexibility to choose who you live with. 

When thinking about choosing your roommates, don’t just think of how they are as friends. Rather, think about how you might live together. How often do you want to clean your apartment or wash the dishes? Do you want quiet hours after a certain time of night? When on-campus, you might be able to bring in college housing services to mediate disagreements. Off-campus living means you need to facilitate those yourself — even if it means breaking a lease or finding a new roommate.

#4: Safety and security

There are a lot of different things to think about when it comes to safety and security, and it can differ a lot based on where you live. If you live on campus, you have some security built in. IDs are needed to enter the building, there’s on-campus police and security guards, plus college housing services available to address any concerns. 

If you live off-campus, you may feel more vulnerable. You’ll have to be vigilant about locking your doors and know the protocols in an emergency situation. But don’t let that worry you too much. Everyone lives “off-campus” eventually. and it’s important to get used to taking your own precautions. 

#5: Amenities and internet access

Living on campus, you have all of your amenities taken care of: you have a free gym, free WiFi, and your apartment comes with furniture. Off-campus, you’re left to fend for yourself. You’ll have to handle costs associated with living that aren’t just paying rent. For example, students who live in UMich off-campus housing will likely have to pay for their own internet and buy their own furniture, whereas students who live in UMich housing on campus have that covered. If it’s available for your school, off-campus student housing may offer a good middle ground. This type of housing comes with more amenities, like furniture, while still feeling like a “real” apartment.

#6: Meal plan access or kitchen availability

Lastly, think about how you want to eat on campus. Campus dining services are very divisive: some people love them and some people hate them. For some students, it’s a dream to be able to go to the dining hall and fill up on different types of food at almost any time of day. But some students prefer to be in control of what they eat and when, needing a kitchen to have that control. Living on campus, you may not have kitchen access at all — and off campus, you may have to pay extra if you still want access to the dining halls.

Weighing your college housing options

So, how do you decide where to live?

First, reflect on your priorities. What are you looking for from your college experience: living on one of the best college campuses, or getting a degree to prepare for your future? Are you making your decisions based on finding affordable student housing? Or are you trying to find the best student life? Remember, you don’t have to sacrifice community for cost. But, it’s important to be aware of your priorities during the decision-making process. 

It’s also important to put college housing in context. Colleges have a wide variety of dorms, and even if the college you choose has some of the best dorms in the country, you may not get to live in them. 

When weighing your options, create a pros and cons list for each housing type. If you can, talk to students who are currently at the school — and go on college tours, even if they’re virtual! Asking questions on your tours and seeing the dorms for yourself will give you the best understanding of the housing options at a particular school.

Campus Housing vs. Off-Campus Housing – Takeaways

Figuring out where to live when you’re in college can be a big decision! Here are the main things to remember when you’re thinking about your options:

If you have any more questions about campus housing or the college application process, CollegeAdvisor is here to help. In addition to free guides like this one, we offer one-on-one coaching, essay editing, and interview prep. Feel free to reach out!

This article was written by Sarah Kaminski and Rachel Kahn. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.