Making a Second-Year Housing Decision
As early as October, some campus-area property owners will begin advertising housing vacancies for fall 2012, and students may begin to feel pressure from friends about where to live next fall. Students mistakenly think that if they do not make a decision during these early months, housing will not be available. Living options and different types of living arrangements are vast and plentiful.
A construction boom in recent years has resulted in more housing spaces than there are students to fill them. With the addition of hundreds of new rentals nearby, as well as a recent on-campus housing expansion, the long-standing trend of signing a lease in November no longer applies.
Students are best served by being patient and not rushing into making hasty housing decisions. Doing so could lead to legal obligations to live with people they have not had the chance to get to know, result in paying premium prices for a rental, or potentially lock them out of other opportunities, including studying abroad for a semester.
Encourage your student to consider staying on campus. There are many benefits to living in the University Residence Halls, including the chance to choose a hall, floor, and room. In fall 2012, students will enjoy two new facilities: a residence hall is opening along the shores of Lake Mendota, and a new Gordon Dining and Event Center will be replacing Gordon Commons. At sign-up time, students can also arrange to live close to their friends. In addition to academic initiatives, University Residence Halls offer dining facilities featuring fresh, nutritious meals as well as resume-boosting employment opportunities. Electricity, heat, cable television, and Internet access are all included.
Information about selecting rooms for 2012–13 will be available in late fall 2011, along with open houses that offer students a chance to visit other buildings, learn about different residence hall communities, explore single-room options, and meet the staff. Even though the process kicks off before winter break, University Housing contracts are not due until the spring semester, giving your student plenty of time to make a decision.
Thursday, November 17
Varsity Hall
Union South 3–6:30 p.m.
This housing fair will feature “Renting 101” information sessions, Student Tenant Resources, rental options, and more.
Other students may find that sharing an apartment or house with several friends, or renting a room in the home of a local family, could be a better match. Many campus-area options are available, including apartments, houses, and rooms in privately owned residence halls, co-ops, and private homes. UW–Madison’s online Campus Area Housing Listing Service offers a consolidated and searchable list of campus-area rentals, along with other important housing-related information.
For some students, living in an environment that provides some element of support or programming may be the best fit. In that case, learning about properties that participate in UW–Madison’s Private Housing Connections (PHC) Program would be a good next step. The program links property owners and their staff to the campus so they may better connect their student tenants to campus resources.
Discussing housing options will help your student make an informed decision about factors including rent prices, lease terms, location, utilities, furnishings, pets, parking, and meal plans.
Also consider discussing with your student whether you would co-sign for an off-campus lease. Students may not realize that many rental owners require a co-signature. And keep in mind that once a lease is signed, it is a legal and binding contract.
For more information about housing options, visit the housing section of the Parent Program website.