Off-Campus Housing: How to Convince Your Parents

Many colleges have a requirement that freshmen spend their first year in the dorms. Beyond that, most universities are happy to allow their students to move into off-campus housing if they prefer. Of course, many students choose to live in the dorms the entire time. Others, however, crave a bit more freedom. If this is you and you aren't paying your own bills, you'll need to persuade your parents that it is a good idea. Easier said than done, but there are some compelling arguments for moving into your own place. Here are some of them.

Decreased Distractions

If you're to convince your parents that you should be able to move into off-campus housing, you're going to have to make arguments they will respond to. Giving them arguments about increased freedom to party and relaxed rules about having the opposite sex sleep over are unlikely to make your case.

But if you hammer the point about decreased distractions, you might get somewhere. And it's true. Your parents may have forgotten, but the dorms are often one big non-stop party. It can be difficult to remain glued to your studies when there are constant activities begging for your attention.

Less Expensive

This is the argument that is going to seal the deal in many cases. Dorms are expensive. Because they are wrapped into the total cost of tuition, it can be easy to miss it, but you'll notice when it comes off the bill. While you can certainly find off-campus housing that is even pricier than the dorms, you will easily find an apartment that costs much less. For that decreased price, you'll get thicker walls, more privacy, and a chance to start living like an adult. These things may not matter much to your parents, but the benefit to their checkbook may be persuasion enough.

Your Credit

It can be tough to find your financial footing in the world after graduation. Students who are accustomed to their parents paying for everything find themselves not only having to suddenly cope with their own bills, but faced with the prospect of getting credit and loans without any credit history on which to rely. This can be difficult, to say the least. If you get an apartment in your own name, however, you can start building up that credit score. This will come in handy when you want to buy a car or a house in the future. If your parents don't relish the idea of co-signing on your loans in the future, this could be an argument for off-campus housing they can appreciate.


Article Source: Aloysius Aucoin