The dorms on campus are convenient and make it easy for students that are possibly moving out of their parents’ house for the first time to have a place. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they are worth their price though, especially considering that they are required for first year students.
The dorms on campus cost roughly $2700 a semester, or $5400 for an academic year. This varies depending on the building, but that is a price that is reasonably close to what a student would pay. Each semester is about 4 months, so these prices would average out to $675 a month if it were set as a monthly payment instead of just part of the fees paid for the semester.
It would not be too difficult to find a decent two-bedroom apartment in Moscow for a similar price to that and considering that that apartment would probably be acquired with a roommate, the costs would be cut in half.
The prices above are not including a meal plan that is also required for on campus students. Depending on which meal plan a student chooses, these can cost anywhere from $800 to a little over $2000. These meal plans give students that live on campus a certain amount of meal exchanges and dining dollars that can be used around campus for food. This is really convenient, especially for students that don’t have a lot of money for food elsewhere.
So, are the dorms worth it? Well, the costs of the rooms seem excessive when compared to what you could get off campus for the same price. and while the meal plans look like a good option they are also required. The student doesn’t get a choice of whether they have a meal plan if they live on campus, and if they don’t use it, then it really looks like money down the drain.
The dorms are also required for first year students. This seems unnecessary and frankly a little greedy on the University’s part. Making students live in dorms that aren’t to a standard that matches their price. It really looks like a cash grab and a bit of a rip-off.
However, plenty of students keep returning to the dorms even after it is required of them, so why is this? The biggest reason really, is convenience. Living on campus means that you don’t have to find a way to get to campus. You are already there. There are lots of apartments really close to campus but those are also usually the first ones to be taken.
It is also really nice for students who go back to live with their parents during the summer. Finding an 8 month or 10 month lease can be tricky, so it makes sense to live on campus if you don’t plan on staying in Moscow year round.
And while the prices are well over what the dorms should probably cost based on their quality and the pricing of the housing options around town, the fact that they are part of your school fees means that federal aid and scholarships can be applied to them, so you may not necessarily have to pay for them right away, depending on your financial aid looks like, and this can be a big deal to some students.
So, are the dorms worth it? Depends on the situation. They probably shouldn’t be required, but it’s a good option for some students to get some convenient housing.
Jess Englis can be reached at [email protected]