Israel 1 Heather Israel Mr.

Newman English 101: Rhetoric 8 November 2013

Residing on Campus High school seniors that plan on attending college will all face the tough question of whether to live on or off campus. For those that decide on a college far away the answer is simple; however, the rest of us struggle between having the freedom to make our own choices and saving enough money to pay for a year of schooling. This decision is not only left to the students. Parents that are forking out money also have a valuable say in the matter. Mothers often struggle to let their children go and often vouch for them to commute, using the brilliant tactic of persuading them through the idea of saving a ton of money in the process. The benefits of living on campus far outweighs the benefits of commuting. Despite the distractions and financial issues students may face, students that choose to live on campus are more likely to succeed in school as well as develop independence and responsibility. Both university staff and future students see many benefits of living on campus. Living on campus provides support and welcomes students into a new communityThe perks are being close to class, having better access to university resources and developing a solid foundation in the college community, stated by Michael Davis, vice president of Ambling Management student housing. To further this point, Donna Shalala, the president of the University of Miami, claims that colleges purposely want to keep students on campus and there are several ways in which the university can accomplish this goal. Housing students and keeping them busy with activities: drama club, athletics, choir, academic clubs, community service, are

Israel 2 just a few of the hundreds of ways colleges like to keep their students active and on campus (Shalala). These activities allow their students to grow and guides them on a promising journey. Another fascinating fact is one brought up by Anya Kamenetz, author of DIY U and a forthcoming paper, The $10,000 Degree. Kamenetz points out that students that get better acquainted with their peers and faculty are more engaged in learning and personal development. Another idea that prospective students must consider is whether to live on campus all four years or just the first two. Living on campus as freshman and sophomores provides students with a chance to escape from their family and feel free while still having rules and restrictions. Living off campus in an apartment or housing provided by the college should be a choice offered only to upperclassmen. Davis agrees that off-campus apartments are for upperclassmen who have matured and can handle the freedom. This freedom does come at a price. Some students may abuse this power and decide not to do their work and lose focus, throw parties, and ultimately get themselves into loads of trouble. Also, students need to locate a place to live that is near campus. Tara Bryant, a junior at the University of Kansas, stresses that upperclassmen must find the right mix of independence, proximity and affordability. Some staff members agree with parents that commuting may be a better option for their prospective college freshman; saving them from too much freedom and thousands of dollars in debt. In the last academic school year, college students spent an average of around $8,000 a year for a standard dorm room. This amount truly only covers the cost of a room and the food that student will need for the year. Rita Kirshstein, the director of the Delta Cost Project, which deals with college affordability, explains that though these charges havent been rising as fast as tuition, what students pay to live on campus has increased by about 65 percent in the past

Israel 3 decade. This price will only continue to increase. Thus, parents typically want to keep their children home in order to save thousands of dollars. Saving thousands of dollars sounds like a great deal that all students will need to consider. A fair amount of college students want to live on campus for many reasons, the first most likely being to get out of the house and be on their own for once. Dorm life is exciting and many kids go overboard by spending extra money to insure themselves a nicer, more luxurious room. Teenagers expect the best and wont consider settling for less because students expect a rich experience (Kirshstein). This concept is true in many ways. The life of a typical college student would most likely consist of them growing up with the newest technologies and the best things being handed to them. Some children are used to getting the absolute best and therefore, want the best for themselves in a college dorm. Another thing that students dont consider, myself being guilty of this, is wanting the best dorm room and roommate and not fully realizing how much money I could have saved if I would have just dealt with an average size room and shared the bathroom with the whole floor. Its not hard to understand why children want all these luxuries when the resources are right in front of us and the concept of money isnt as transparent as we would like. The benefits of living on campus far outweighs the amount of money students can and most likely will spend. The money for an extravagant dorm room might not be an ideal choice, but living on campus contributes to the success of the student and their future. Prospective seniors need to take into consideration how successful they would be living both on and off campus; focus less on the amount of money it might take. Keeping students engaged and making them feel as if they are part of something greater will allow these students to feel at home and focus on their studies. Students that live on campus the first two years are able to experience

Israel 4 independence, but not go wild. Off campus living should only be an option for upperclassmen as these students are older and more mature. Upperclassmen can handle themselves and their schoolwork. The environment and success rate of students that live on campus is something that everyone should take into consideration when thinking about college.

Israel 5 Works Cited Bryant, Tara. "The Goldilocks Apartment." Room for Debate. New York Times Company, 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. Davis, Michael A. "On Campus, Off Campus, Near Campus." Room for Debate. New York Times Company, 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. Kamenetz, Anya. "The College Experience, for 'Nontraditional' Students." Room for Debate. New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Kirshstein, Rita. "If You're Looking for a Bargain." Room for Debate. New York Times Company, 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. Shalala, Donna E. "The Main Perk of Campus? It's Fun." Room for Debate. New York Times Company, 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.

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