Why Knowing Life Off Campus Matters When Choosing a College
Most of college happens outside the classroom. Here's why seeing student housing and the college town matters as much as seeing campus.
Knowing what life is like off campus matters because that's where students spend most of their time. Where they live after freshman year, where they eat, study, work and hang out on weekends all shape the college experience as much as the classes do. Seeing that part of a school, along with campus itself, gives you a much clearer picture of whether it's the right fit.
We call it the other 75%: the off-campus living and the places where students actually spend their time.
Class is only part of the week
A full-time student might spend 15 to 20 hours a week in class. The rest of the week happens somewhere else: at home, at the gym, grabbing food, studying at a coffee shop, at a club meeting or out with friends.
When you're comparing schools, it's worth asking what all of those hours will look like. Two colleges with similar academics can feel completely different once you step off campus.
Where students live after freshman year
At a lot of schools, most students move off campus after their first year. That means the neighborhoods around campus become home for the next three years.
It helps to know what those neighborhoods look like before you commit. Are students in houses, apartments or both? How far is the walk to class? Do people bike, bus or drive? When does the housing search usually start? These are the things current students know inside and out.
The college town shapes the social life
Every great college town has a main strip, a walkable stretch of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and stores where students run into each other constantly. It's where people grab dinner after class, meet up with friends and celebrate after a big game.
That district says a lot about a school's personality. Is it lively on a weeknight? Is it mostly students or a mix with locals? Is there a spot everyone goes after exams? You can feel the answer just by walking it.
See campus and the town with a current student. Book a Signature Private Tour for $150 flat for your whole group, a 60 to 90 minute walk through campus and the college town, customized to what you want to see. Not visiting yet? Book a 30-minute Ask a Student video call for $50. Request your tour.
Getting around and feeling comfortable
Parents often want to know how students get from place to place and whether the area feels comfortable at night. Is everything within walking distance? Are there student shuttles? Which areas do students like to live in and why?
Walking the neighborhoods yourself, with someone who lives there, answers a lot of these questions quickly.
The cost of living adds up
Tuition gets most of the attention, but rent, groceries and going out add up over four years. Off-campus rent can vary a lot from one college town to the next.
A current student can give you a realistic sense of what people pay, how many roommates are typical and where students find the best value.
Questions to ask about off-campus life
- Where do most students live after freshman year?
- How early do people start looking for housing?
- What's the main hangout strip, and how far is it from campus?
- What does a normal weeknight look like? A normal Saturday?
- How do students get around without a car?
- What do you wish you'd known about the town before you moved here?
How to actually see it
The best way to understand life off campus is to walk it with a student who lives it. A student-led tour that covers campus and the college town lets you see the dorms and academic buildings, then keep going into the neighborhoods, the main strip and the spots students love.
Pair it with the official campus tour and you'll have the full picture: the academics, the campus and the daily life that happens around it.
FAQ
Why does off-campus life matter when choosing a college? Students spend most of their time outside the classroom, and at many schools most students live off campus after freshman year. The housing, the college town and the social scene all shape the experience.
What is a college town? A college town is the community around a university, usually with a walkable district of restaurants, shops and student housing where much of student life happens.
How can I see what life is like around a college? Walk the neighborhoods and main strip during your visit, ideally with a current student. A private student-led tour covers both campus and the college town.
Do your tours only cover off-campus areas? No. Tours cover campus and the college town, and the route is customized to what your family wants to see.
How much does a private tour cost? The Signature Private Tour is $150 flat for any group size. The Ask a Student video call is $50 for 30 minutes.
Can we learn about off-campus life without visiting? Yes. The Ask a Student video call connects you with a current student for 30 minutes to talk housing, the town and daily life.
See where students actually spend their time
The right school is the one where your student can picture their whole life, not just their schedule. Book a Signature Private Tour for $150 for your whole group, or an Ask a Student video call for $50, at tourcollegetowns.com.