Do universities still let students live off campus?

[kalvado]

College wanting students to have health insurance - and giving them an option of getting something through the college if nothing is available otherwise, especially for dorm population - makes some sense. Maybe not perfect sense, but dealing with seriously sick kid in a dorm is a challenge
food plan.. I can also see some logic here. At least I heard more than once about K-12 kids coming to school only because they can get a free meal. Partying through all the money... I can also see that happening.  And dorms are likely not happy with kids cooking their own stuff as well, for fire prevention reasons if nothing else.
So entire package of dorm (dry one for freshmen over here) + meal plan + health insurance to me is just a way to maximize the chance of students surviving their first year. Not sure if that is too much of a nanny state college, but IMHO that is the spirit.
Income from dorms is also a part of the deal... 

[hotdogPi]

I did not have a meal plan. I still lived at home. I used what were called RiverHawk Bucks, which I could spend $300 cash and get $400 worth for on-campus dining – much cheaper than $2000 for a meal plan, since I was only having one meal per day, typically lunch, on campus. (I had to get off campus by 5:30 PM or else I would have to take an Uber home, which is $25.) In addition, some restaurants in downtown Lowell give students a 10% discount.

[Rothman]

The worst: BYU campuses requiring that students only live in "approved" housing, thus creating a small, very overpriced oligarchy.

Provo at least has loosened that.  After a full year in the dorms or approved housing, you can live anywhere now.

Interesting. I am sure landlords in Provo that had approved housing screamed bloody murder when that change occurred.

The worst, most criminal landlords I've ever had were in Rexburg, ID when I went to Ricks.  Made me think of Mormons that got to Missouri first and then charged those that came later twice the price...

[SectorZ]

I did not have a meal plan. I still lived at home. I used what were called RiverHawk Bucks, which I could spend $300 cash and get $400 worth for on-campus dining – much cheaper than $2000 for a meal plan, since I was only having one meal per day, typically lunch, on campus. (I had to get off campus by 5:30 PM or else I would have to take an Uber home, which is $25.) In addition, some restaurants in downtown Lowell give students a 10% discount.

I had the same commuting from Tewksbury next door to Lowell 1996-2000. No meal plan needed, no requirement or even suggestion to live on campus, waived health insurance since I could stay on my father's thru graduation, but no RiverHawk bucks yet at that point (glad to see something like that implemented for your generation).

[abefroman329]

My alma mater had a policy where freshman and sophomores were required to live on campus, but it was possible to request an exception to that policy (although I don't know what that entailed).

[triplemultiplex]

Student housing is always a low-key civil war between campus interests and townie interests.  The students want affordable options close to school; the townies don't like the 'kids' getting all rowdy on the weekends and are always, ALWAYS complaining about goddamn parking.  I swear you can't get anything done in a college down without a bunch of blue-hairs whining about stupid parking.  They don't like street parking; they don't like parking lots; parking garages are too expensive; it never ends with the townies and their precious parking.  All because one time they couldn't park directly in front of the place they were going.

If I had a dollar for every time I've read/heard the phrase, "Local residents are raising concerns about the parking situation related to the proposed....." I could take a really nice vacation.

[JayhawkCO]

Didn't have to live in the dorms at KU nor have a meal plan. I did live in the dorms freshman year and cancelled my meal plan halfway through the year as I wasn't there enough to use it between classes and working.

[74/171FAN]

Student housing is always a low-key civil war between campus interests and townie interests.  The students want affordable options close to school; the townies don't like the 'kids' getting all rowdy on the weekends and are always, ALWAYS complaining about goddamn parking.  I swear you can't get anything done in a college down without a bunch of blue-hairs whining about stupid parking.  They don't like street parking; they don't like parking lots; parking garages are too expensive; it never ends with the townies and their precious parking.  All because one time they couldn't park directly in front of the place they were going.

If I had a dollar for every time I've read/heard the phrase, "Local residents are raising concerns about the parking situation related to the proposed....." I could take a really nice vacation.

I could not have said it better myself.

[ozarkman417]

When I went to Missouri State, the rule was that freshmen were required to stay in the dorms, but sophomores and up were allowed to live off-campus. I think you were able to get a waiver if your parents lived close enough and you wanted to remain living with them, however. They did have a bunch of BS reasons for it, claiming that students did better academically living in the dorms than off-campus.

When Missouri State called me about my application, I asked about this policy. They said to me that if I live within 45 minutes away from campus I'm allowed to live at home.

After looking at some of the dorms at MSU, I can say I am better off at home. I can get more studying and homework done when I don't have to take the time to walk down and wait to use the communal kitchen or restroom/showers that everyone on a floor has to share.

[JayhawkCO]

When I went to Missouri State, the rule was that freshmen were required to stay in the dorms, but sophomores and up were allowed to live off-campus. I think you were able to get a waiver if your parents lived close enough and you wanted to remain living with them, however. They did have a bunch of BS reasons for it, claiming that students did better academically living in the dorms than off-campus.

When Missouri State called me about my application, I asked about this policy. They said to me that if I live within 45 minutes away from campus I'm allowed to live at home.

After looking at some of the dorms at MSU, I can say I am better off at home. I can get more studying and homework done when I don't have to take the time to walk down and wait to use the communal kitchen or restroom/showers that everyone on a floor has to share.

I was unwilling to have communal bathrooms, which is one of the reasons I went to KU. We had a quad dorm room with two two-person bedrooms on either side of a communal living space with kitchenette and bathroom. Sharing one bathroom with three guys was way better than the whole floor, that's for sure.

[bandit957]

At least I heard more than once about K-12 kids coming to school only because they can get a free meal.

When I went to NKU, meals weren't free. It was more like a food court or fast food restaurant.

[kkt]

All these things depend enormously on the university in question.  Some don't require students to live on campus at all, some do for the first year or two...

Some require students who don't already have medical insurance to buy it - this is especially useful for international students very few of whom have insurance from their home countries that would cover treatment in the U.S.  But other universities don't require it.

Checking each university's web site that you're interested in might be the best way to find out.

[abefroman329]

Student housing is always a low-key civil war between campus interests and townie interests.  The students want affordable options close to school; the townies don't like the 'kids' getting all rowdy on the weekends and are always, ALWAYS complaining about goddamn parking.  I swear you can't get anything done in a college down without a bunch of blue-hairs whining about stupid parking.  They don't like street parking; they don't like parking lots; parking garages are too expensive; it never ends with the townies and their precious parking.  All because one time they couldn't park directly in front of the place they were going.

If I had a dollar for every time I've read/heard the phrase, "Local residents are raising concerns about the parking situation related to the proposed....." I could take a really nice vacation.

Jesus, if that's your attitude, then why in the hell are you living in a college town?

[Life in Paradise]

A lot of schools require freshman and some sophomore students to live on campus. They may say its better for the college experience or for academics, but one of the reasons for that and the meal plans is that the schools make quite a bit of money off of both of those.  I had three sons that went to college, one went to a part commuter school (obviously no requirement) and then the other a community school (no dorms).  The second went to Murray State where he lived in a dorm for two years and then moved to an apartment for his remaining four years (yes-six years for BS Degree), the third went to a local private university where he commuted for four years due to an exception since we lived within 7 or 8 miles of the campus.  I do know for a fact that one of the schools built a student union building with the extra funds available through housing/meals.

[bandit957]

A lot of schools require freshman and some sophomore students to live on campus. They may say its better for the college experience or for academics, but one of the reasons for that and the meal plans is that the schools make quite a bit of money off of both of those.  I had three sons that went to college, one went to a part commuter school (obviously no requirement) and then the other a community school (no dorms).  The second went to Murray State where he lived in a dorm for two years and then moved to an apartment for his remaining four years (yes-six years for BS Degree), the third went to a local private university where he commuted for four years due to an exception since we lived within 7 or 8 miles of the campus.  I do know for a fact that one of the schools built a student union building with the extra funds available through housing/meals.

When I started college, we were told we could expect to take 5 years to complete a 4-year degree. That should have been a red flag.

[kkt]

Many 18 or 19 year olds feel lost the first year of college.  Many of them leave all or most of their friends as well as their families behind, and teachers take more of an "ask for help if you need it" attitude rather than coming to the student asking why they didn't turn in their assignment.  Student housing gives at least some degree of support socially in activities and parties on the floor, forced socializing with a roommate, and even some support in the university system by having an RA who's a peer to ask about problems rather than a grown up.

[JayhawkCO]

Many 18 or 19 year olds feel lost the first year of college.  Many of them leave all or most of their friends as well as their families behind, and teachers take more of an "ask for help if you need it" attitude rather than coming to the student asking why they didn't turn in their assignment.  Student housing gives at least some degree of support socially in activities and parties on the floor, forced socializing with a roommate, and even some support in the university system by having an RA who's a peer to ask about problems rather than a grown up.

I think I talked to my RA twice the entire time I lived in the dorm. I do agree the dorms help with making friends.

[US 89]

I went to Georgia Tech for undergrad. Probably 98% of freshmen, including me, were part of their Freshman Experience program (since renamed to First-Year Experience apparently because "freshmen" is now considered sexist). That meant you had to live in the dorms, and you had to buy the most expensive meal plan. Unless you joined a fraternity or sorority, in which case you could buy the less expensive Greek meal plan (though of course, any savings there would be quickly cancelled out by chapter dues and such).

Many 18 or 19 year olds feel lost the first year of college.  Many of them leave all or most of their friends as well as their families behind, and teachers take more of an "ask for help if you need it" attitude rather than coming to the student asking why they didn't turn in their assignment.  Student housing gives at least some degree of support socially in activities and parties on the floor, forced socializing with a roommate, and even some support in the university system by having an RA who's a peer to ask about problems rather than a grown up.

I think I talked to my RA twice the entire time I lived in the dorm. I do agree the dorms help with making friends.

This. I'm really glad I lived in the dorms simply for the socialization aspect, as I knew exactly zero people in Atlanta when I started college. I had two RA's and talked to them more than twice, but didn't really ever hang with them and they certainly weren't people I would think of going to with any issues/problems I had.

Of course, contributing to this was the fact that we cycled through something like four or five of them that year. One was never there and I think actually got removed after the fall semester, another went off to study abroad in spring, then the basement floor of my dorm building flooded and the RA for that floor was transferred up to ours temporarily.

[frankenroad]

A lot of schools require freshman and some sophomore students to live on campus.  ..

This just came up in conversation with a friend who is on staff at Miami University (Oxford, OH).  Freshmen and sophomores are required to live in the dorms unless their parents'/guardians' home is within x miles of campus (I can't remember for sure, but I think he said x=20). 

[JayhawkCO]

At the time when I was looking at schools, Miami was known for having some of the best dorms. Not sure if that's still the case.

[hbelkins]

It's been a few years since I was in college, but requirements varied even back then.

At Morehead State University, freshmen were required to live in the dorms unless they lived with their parents and commuted. Meal plans were optional. I lived in dorms my entire college career because the dorm room was covered in my scholarship. I only had to pay extra the years I had a private room.

Meanwhile, 60 miles down the road at UK, there was a meal plan requirement, but I don't know if it applied to everyone, or just those who lived in the dorms. One of my friends was attending UK and her boyfriend was at Morehead. She used to get extra snack cakes (Hostess, Little Debbie, that type) on her meal plan to give to him.

I have no idea what the requirements are now.

[SectorZ]

Student housing is always a low-key civil war between campus interests and townie interests.  The students want affordable options close to school; the townies don't like the 'kids' getting all rowdy on the weekends and are always, ALWAYS complaining about goddamn parking.  I swear you can't get anything done in a college down without a bunch of blue-hairs whining about stupid parking.  They don't like street parking; they don't like parking lots; parking garages are too expensive; it never ends with the townies and their precious parking.  All because one time they couldn't park directly in front of the place they were going.

If I had a dollar for every time I've read/heard the phrase, "Local residents are raising concerns about the parking situation related to the proposed....." I could take a really nice vacation.

The bigger problem with my alma mater UMass-Lowell is the university buying taxable land and taking it off the books, meanwhile refusing to pay anything to the city to pitch in because they pull the non-profit card when convenient then on another hand pull the state university card when convenient, whatever gets them out of paying a fair share to things like fire and EMS services. In the past 20 years I believe the city has lost something like $20M/year in property tax revenue due to it, though I imagine the city gets something in return economy-wise to offset the revenue loss.

[Rothman]

Heh.  I lived in a college town that was so brilliant that it put a large senior assisted living complex almost right in the middle of its downtown.

Town wanted to build a new parking garage.  By the time the blue hairs were done, the Town spent an absurd amount of money for about 15 spaces (at most) in a one-level hole in the ground "garage."

In more recent years, the blue hairs have seen their power wane, from what I've heard.

[KeithE4Phx]

Michigan State only allowed my sister to live at home with my Mon or in a dorm she freshman year.  I was doing things the poor man's way in the Maricopa Community Colleges, no dorms there.

Same here.  When I was at MCC (graduated in 1975), it was (and still is), like most community colleges, a commuter school.  I lived with my folks in NE Phoenix, about a 15 mile drive each way.  The 1973 gas shortage made filling up difficult.

But so was ASU for the most part, and even more-so today.  Tons of apartments in Tempe that are occupied by students.  When I lived south of Baseline Rd, the complex I lived in was probably 20% ASU students, and that's about 4 miles from campus.

[Stephane Dumas]

I have a cousin who rented an apartment in Montreal instead of of a dorm when he studied at McGill University in the late 1980s. I don't know if their policies have changed since then.