Cost of Living: Off Campus vs. On Campus

It's that time of year when University of Portland students are starting to stress about finding a place to live for the 2017-18 school year. For some students, close proximity to school is a priority and for others, price is his or her main concern. UP requires (with a few exceptions) students to live on-campus during their freshmen year to create friendships and get to know the community better. But from sophomore year on, students get to choose their own housing situation.

While some students find convenience and a better community in living on-campus, others see living off-campus as a cheaper option that allows for more independence. And because housing plans can be stressful, many students say it’s important to start thinking about housing for the next school year early in the first semester, whether it be off-campus or on-campus.

The Beacon talked to a few students living on and off campus to find the advantages and disadvantages on both sides.

ON CAMPUS HOUSING

Junior political science major Lina Tragni, who lived in Fields Hall during her freshmen and sophomore years and moved to Haggerty-Tyson apartments this year, prefers living on-campus “way more” than off-campus.

“I prefer living on-campus, because it’s just closer and more accessible to everything and it gives you a better community,” Tragni said. “In HagTy, you have the people who live near you so if you’re out of milk or if you need something, you can just knock on your friend’s door.”

Students reported that convenience and accessibility are the biggest perks of living on-campus. Tragni also said living in Haggerty is more or less the same level of responsibility as living in off-campus housing.

Unfortunately, there are a few restrictions when living on-campus. Intervisitation hours, for instance, hinder friends from staying over beyond a certain time by the end of the day. And when students want someone to sleep over, they need to fill out a form.

Additionally, If you live on-campus, you are required to get a meal plan, which ranges from $1,575 per semester to $2,768 depending on the plan you choose.

Financial aid, work study and scholarships can cover lodging costs in dormitories, Haggerty and Tyson apartments and UP owned houses. In addition, a student can also apply to become an RA which can cover their cost of living in the dorms as well as their meal plans.

Tragni lives in a double room in Haggerty with Meal Plan 1, which costs $5,917 per semester. In addition, there is a $190 supplementary amenities charge for living in Haggerty and Tyson Halls. To top that off, she spends about $50 every month and a half to buy extra groceries not sold at Mack’s Market such as toiletries and other foods.

OFF CAMPUS HOUSING

Junior communication studies major Kristen Hansen has lived off-campus since her freshman year. Initially, she lived with her parents far off-campus and commuted for about an hour and a half just to get to school. Now, she’s moved out of her parents’ house and lives fifteen minutes away from campus on Sauvie Island on a family member’s property. Therefore, she does not have to pay for rent or utilities.

“It works for me because I’m not really into the party scene, I guess you can say I’m very goal-oriented,” Hansen said. “I would just love to get my education done and move on.”

Hansen said that fully living in a school environment would stress her out. The only thing she finds difficult is going to group project meetings, since her classes are only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

She says she spends about $120 per month for gas and approximately $100 for food and supplies.

Senior accounting major Maverick Tolentino lives with seven other people in an eight-bedroom house a couple blocks from campus. He and his housemates pay about $450 a month for rent and approximately $40-50 for utilities. Tolentino emphasizes the significant difference in the cost of his tuition when he decided to live off-campus instead of on-campus.

“Dorming is quite expensive and living off-campus is a great experience, especially when you know all the people living in your house,” Tolentino said. “Some people say that hanging out and living with friends is different, because you get to see their mannerisms and you may or may not jive with them on that level, but here, we are a tight knit community.”

Juniors Andrea Delin and Louie Amurao live with Tolentino. They agree that living off-campus is more cost efficient than living on-campus, but they also understand the benefits to living on-campus.

“When you pay for the dorms, you pay for the convenience more so,” Delin said. “You have study rooms near by, free internet, free water, and basically don’t have to worry about bills.

According to Delin, it is also important to keep in mind that most of the necessities on-campus are communal and not everyone is “as sanitary as you are” versus being in your own house, where you are in charge of your own cleanliness.

“The only thing is you’re more open and you create more relationships when you’re on-campus, because everyone’s pretty much there,” Amurao said. “While off-campus, you mostly just see your housemates.”

Mostly, Tolentino and his housemates miss the convenience of having meal points, because when you are stuck on campus with no meal points, there are two choices: find someone you know who does or use your own money.