The first thing to do before deciding to live off-campus is to consider how you live and study. Apartment or house living will involve some trade-offs. For example, the money you save by sharing an apartment might be balanced out by the extra money you spend commuting to campus. Here are some things to consider:

Let's be honest, when it comes to college, deciding where to live is one of the biggest decisions you can make. For most students, it really comes down to whether you want to live on or off campus and there are distinct advantages and disadvantage to both options.

But what are these advantages and disadvantages?

Well, first of all you should understand that living off campus will mean that you need to travel a little further each day. On the other hand, maybe you want to be far from college and this is sometimes peace of mind for those who wish to escape the busy nature of life in college.

What's more, living in off campus student housing can bring a sense of independence for students, while the absence of residence rules is surely enough reason to not miss those dreaded hallways for a few hours. And then there's the cost of rent - something you can split with housemates to save money!

As for any parents reading this article, just know that living off campus will give your child a taste of the real world and an opportunity to sample life without the assistance of parents or teachers.

Have you decided already?

Let's look at some pros and cons to help you decide whether you should live on or off campus.

The Pros and Cons of Living in Off Campus Housing

Pros

Living in off campus housing is usually cheaper.

You will have way more freedom and privacy.

Off campus housing is often a lot quieter, too.

You will not need to share your bathroom with fifty other students.

Cons

You will need a security deposit before moving in.

You will need to cover the cost of everything including WiFi.

You might feel somewhat lonely away from campus.

Conclusion

If the cost is not an issue, it would seem that off campus housing offers some significant advantages that you will simply miss while staying on campus. For the most part, this will potentially come down to living alone and not having any friends or family around when you get home every day. However the sense of freedom and excitement is usually worth it and some real world experience never does any harm either. It's true, living in off campus housing will also mean having to deal with a landlord or fixing broken door knobs from time to time but let's be honest, that's a small price to pay for some extra freedom!