As a student, deciding on where to attend college can be heavily reliant on what housing options are offered and available on and around campus. Some students might decide to live off campus, a generally cheaper option depending on individual circumstances. Living on campus can also be a better option for students who might have scholarships assisting with room and board or who prefer community living.
While there are advantages to both, the problems surrounding the current housing situations both at UNK and in Kearney are significant. There needs to be a change.
There are many things to take into consideration when deciding to live on campus. While it is typically the cheapest option for most students in the moment, living on campus at UNK is can be significantly more expensive overall than living off campus.
The housing options offered are something else to be considered, with each having advantages and disadvantages surrounding them. If a student decides to live in a building like Mantor Hall or Randall Hall, they are faced with dealing with communal bathrooms and shared dorm rooms. In the campus apartments or in one of the halls like Antelope Hall or Nestor Hall, there are advantages. They will have private bathrooms and a room to themselves but will also be paying significantly more.
Problems surrounding the options for housing off campus unfortunately aren’t much better. While it is cheaper in the long run, there is the challenge of finding a location. Despite the large number of rental homes, apartments and duplexes, actually finding one of these places can prove to be more difficult than some might expect. The first step is to search as early as possible. Most available locations are taken within hours of becoming available, making it difficult just to find any location. The monthly rates on many of these locations are also unreasonably high.
Once a location is decided on, the processes needed to be approved for rental can be just as difficult as it was to find the location in the first place. It is dependent on the landlord, but some places may require things like a certain credit score, references, prior housing history or proof of income. These are all factors that can eliminate potential renters who could have been great tenants otherwise.
After the process of finding and deciding on a location is decided, the problems that come with living off campus may continue depending on where you end up. Some apartment complexes or rental homes have good honest owners, but not all of them. Unfortunately, there is a good portion of landlords and renters who will take advantage of their tenants at every opportunity available.
When deciding what decision is best, take into consideration the pros and cons that weigh on all available options. Decide what type of housing style is most suitable and take advantage of any scholarships or grants that may apply to room and board when living on campus. If living off campus is a more feasible option, make sure to weigh out all available options and research who to rent from before making the final decision.
