Foo - Why do colleges have residency requirements?

Private colleges, not public ones. My college has a residency requirement: students who do not live within a 50mile radius of the college are required to live in college-owned housing for three years. I feel like this is just a money making scheme, but then again, I might be too cynical about this. Does anyone know why colleges do this?

duh.

http://www.wisebread.com/files/fruganomics/wisebread_imce/dollar-bills.jpg

I feel like this is just a money making scheme

Got it on the first try. See? You're way too intelligent to have to attend college.

Seriously.

You're an adult. Rent an apt.* within the 50 mile radius and skip the residency requirement.

*Use an address of a friend or relative as a maildrop for the university and live wherever you want.

Private colleges, not public ones. My college has a residency requirement: students who do not live within a 50mile radius of the college are required to live in college-owned housing for three years. I feel like this is just a money making scheme, but then again, I might be too cynical about this. Does anyone know why colleges do this?

Usually, the main reason is that the younger students generally do better if they live on campus. The thinking is that there are fewer distractions. It's not the only reason, but it is one of them.

they rightly want to keep you young adults under control. last thing we need is for you to get loose in mass, riding around in your jalopies, wearing your zoot suits, hitting every gin joint and flop house in sight. I for one do not want to have to deal with a horde of hooligans all hopped up on bathtub gin and goofballs.

Usually, the main reason is that the younger students generally do better if they live on campus. The thinking is that there are fewer distractions. It's not the only reason, but it is one of them.HAH! So much for that idea. EVERY single kid but one on my dorm floor got kicked out after our first semester due to bad grades...

You're an adult. Rent an apt.* within the 50 mile radius and skip the residency requirement.

*Use an address of a friend or relative as a maildrop for the university and live wherever you want.

Funny you mention this. The reason I am upset right now is because I have an opportunity to sign a lease for a house located right outside of campus, a very nice house at that. For some reason this isn't good enough to make me quality as a commuter student or something; I'm not sure about how this part of it works. I know commuter students who live in the next town over.

Each year this college releases 150 rising juniors, of which I am one, from the residency requirement. Students are supposed to apply for this in November, but I wasn't even aware of the possibility of a lease until January! All of the forms were unavailable by this time!

Get a girlfriend off campus.

Students are supposed to apply for this in November, but I wasn't even aware of the possibility of a lease until January! All of the forms were unavailable by this time!

Seems very similar to the beginning of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (the novel, not the Guide itself [or that craptacular movie]).

Some schools require freshmen to live on campus without a car no matter how close the parents live.

Some schools require freshmen to live on campus without a car no matter how close the parents live.

This college allows anyone willing to pay 150/year for a pass to have a car. I've found out why I cannot just lease and call it my residence, qualifying as a commuter student: you need to be living with a parent or legal guardian.

1. most schools make you do 1 year confinement on campus. your school is teh suck. please tell us what it is so we know not to send ourselves/our kids there.

2. get a girlfriend off campus. if you cannot muster that, at least get a girlfriend. If you cannot muster that, stop talking to us. :D

3. Appeal to the dean of students regarding form eligibility and your status.

HAH! So much for that idea. EVERY single kid but one on my dorm floor got kicked out after our first semester due to bad grades...

hey, that's the thought process. Now whether it's valid or not.....

Usually, the main reason is that the younger students generally do better if they live on campus. The thinking is that there are fewer distractions. It's not the only reason, but it is one of them.

They might say that but I have my doubts.

This college allows anyone willing to pay 150/year for a pass to have a car. I've found out why I cannot just lease and call it my residence, qualifying as a commuter student: you need to be living with a parent or legal guardian.
If you're over 18, you're an adult and don't need to live w/ a parent or guardian. I don't think the court will even grant you emancipated minor status cuz you're not a minor anymore. Tell them to talk to your civil rights attorney.

I have been in the room when these things have been discussed. Another reason is to reduce the number of vehicles on campus. They will charge high prices for parking passes, and new parking they do provide will be on the outskirts of the campus.

more bongs off campus. they know this.

more bongs off campus. they know this.

Bingo.

And those residency requirements mean nothing at most schools. I got my own place, filed change of address and that was it.

If you're over 18, you're an adult and don't need to live w/ a parent or guardian. I don't think the court will even grant you emancipated minor status cuz you're not a minor anymore. Tell them to talk to your civil rights attorney.

But if this is a private college, isn't it their right to decree that all dependent students not living with their dependents nearby must live on campus to be enrolled?

To the person who asked: This is Allegheny College.

I went to a small private college in San Diego. We had similar requirements, and having sat in on the meetings I know it was due to several factors:

1. # of total students enrolled at the school to keep the teacher student ratio low
2. # of rooms available on campus and needing to keep residency at or near 100%
3. limited availability of parking on campus

you combine all three of these things and you got the rules that required 3 years of living on campus if your permanent address at time of acceptance was farther than the 50 mile radius.

Private colleges, not public ones. My college has a residency requirement: students who do not live within a 50mile radius of the college are required to live in college-owned housing for three years. I feel like this is just a money making scheme, but then again, I might be too cynical about this. Does anyone know why colleges do this?
It could be because the type of experience you will have is totally different. At least half of college life is about actually being there.

If you are in a dorm, you will be crammed together with tons of people you'd never have anything to do with if you had any choice in the matter. But it's far more fun than it sounds and you'll learn more from them (and them from you) than you'd guess. One of the disadvantages to getting to choose your living and social conditions is that you're far more likely to be a social rеtard when you graduate -- that will hurt you in the marketplace.

Nowadays, people can get degrees while having very little contact with their campus or their classmates. You might be able to pick up enough skills to get the piece of paper, but in my mind this misses the whole point.

It could be because the type of experience you will have is totally different. At least half of college life is about actually being there.

If you are in a dorm, you will be crammed together with tons of people you'd never have anything to do with if you had any choice in the matter. But it's far more fun than it sounds and you'll learn more from them (and them from you) than you'd guess. One of the disadvantages to getting to choose your living and social conditions is that you're far more likely to be a social rеtard when you graduate -- that will hurt you in the marketplace.

Nowadays, people can get degrees while having very little contact with their campus or their classmates. You might be able to pick up enough skills to get the piece of paper, but in my mind this misses the whole point.


While I dont really think this is why schools make this decision..it is a great point.. I would not trade my years in the dorm for anything.. those friends I made are my best friends to this day.

banerjek, you make a good point. I am living in the dorm now though, and have been for many months. The house I want to live in is literally just outside the campus, as in I can see it if I look outside my dorm window; not exactly like I am not being there, engulfed by the social life.

And I would be living with one of my best friends (current roommate), along with another person who I like but do not know as well as my roommate. They're both on the hockey team though, and have known each other for many years.

It could be because the type of experience you will have is totally different. At least half of college life is about actually being there.

If you are in a dorm, you will be crammed together with tons of people you'd never have anything to do with if you had any choice in the matter. But it's far more fun than it sounds and you'll learn more from them (and them from you) than you'd guess. One of the disadvantages to getting to choose your living and social conditions is that you're far more likely to be a social rеtard when you graduate -- that will hurt you in the marketplace.

Nowadays, people can get degrees while having very little contact with their campus or their classmates. You might be able to pick up enough skills to get the piece of paper, but in my mind this misses the whole point.

There's a guy at work who spent his college years with his parents at home and traveling to class. Never stayed in a dorm, never even shared an off-campus apartment. He completely missed out on relating socially to huge varieties of people. He's a good guy, one of the most honest people I've met, but damn, he can be maddening.

they rightly want to keep you young adults under control. last thing we need is for you to get loose in mass, riding around in your jalopies, wearing your zoot suits, hitting every gin joint and flop house in sight. I for one do not want to have to deal with a horde of hooligans all hopped up on bathtub gin and goofballs.


Can't let this post go by unappreciated. Very funny.

Why do colleges have residency requirements?
To piss you off.

Put it to them like this: I understand that the school has my best interests in mind for making me stay on campus during my freshman and sophomore years. The time for total protection has passed. I have proven that I am a capable student. I know what it takes to succeed in the classroom. Now I feel I would be better served by allowing me to move off campus. I seek the challenge of living on my own.

If that don't work^, move anyway.

Campus housing is for the birds and an insult to any grown adult. Save money and get an apt.

It's all about the money. Georgia Tech started requiring Freshmen to live on campus shortly after I started there. I think they now require Freshmen and Sophomores to live on campus, but I'm not sure. I knew more than one student there who lived with their parents in town and never used the dorm room they were required to pay for. The policy is really terrible because it prevents many out-of-town upper-class students who actually NEED on-campus housing from having it.

do they organise orgies and need to keep numbers up for them

I checked out Allegheny's profile, and that helps explain the rather strict residency requirements. First, it's a Methodist-affiliated school, and religious colleges are generally more strict about housing than non-affiliated schools. More to the point, though, the college has a retention rate of 87%, which is actually not bad, considering the size of the school, location, and national ranking. Residency requirements can give the college a more cohesive feel, and studies show that anything to make students feel a part of a larger community helps in retention. For whatever reason, Allegheny feels that its residency requirement is helping students stay connected and is keeping them there. Based on their size, I'd also guess they're tuition-dependent, so they need to keep warm, paying bodies enrolled to keep the lights on.