Every year, millions of students head off to college. In the United States, this year there were 14,473,884 students enrolled in undergraduate programs. College is an exciting time for kids. For many, it is the first time in their life that they are on their own. It is also an incredible period of learning, both inside the class room and outside. While there are many great things about college, one thing that many kids, and their parents for that matter, dread is finding housing.
Many students choose to move into the dorms. In fact, according to the most recent US Census, there are 50,444 people living in college housing arrangements. Dorms are usually on campus and managed by a university. Typically, dorm rooms divided based on sex and are shared. Sharing a room with a bunch of total strangers is sometimes seen as a freshman right of passage. However, it can sometimes have some unpleasant consequences. Not all on campus housing is dormitories. Many universities now offer options like furnished on campus apartments.
An increasingly popular student housing option are off campus apartments. Off campus apartments offer a number of advantages over on campus dorms. For one, they are often much cheaper than living in the dorms, especially when you consider how much more space you can get. Second, they offer many more options than the dorms can offer.
Regardless of whatever option you elect for, there are some things you should keep in mind when moving into college housing. For instance, when moving in, always do a thorough run through of the unit to make sure all the appliances are working and note any damage in the apartment. It helps to document and even photograph, if possible, any thing you notice. This way you cannot be held liable when you move out. If you need help finding an apartment, try searching online. Great references here.