Off-Campus Housing Choices for College Students
A Student Can Work for Room and Board, Plus Earn a Job Reference
Jul 16, 2009
Paying for college is not easy, especially when one has to tally in housing expenses. The food in most college dorms is not that great and there are health considerations specific to college dormitory environments. Why not check out off-campus alternatives to student housing?
Options for Living Off-Campus
A student who is fortunate enough to find steady full-time work may be able to afford an apartment while attending school. Many apartment complexes offer student rates and flexible lease terms with campus I.D. For most students, however, renting an apartment – even an efficiency unit – does not fit into the student housing expense budget.
Alternative choices for off-campus accommodations:
- Share a rented apartment with a roommate. The freedom is nice, but there are other considerations: It's not easy finding someone compatible to live with and there is the worry of splitting rent, bills, housework, and expenses.
- Live with a relative or friend who resides close by and share expenses.
- Check campus bulletin boards for teacher and staff possibilities. Some professors take in student boarders in exchange for taking over school-related tasks, such as grading papers, running errands, and so forth.
- Check for rooms offered within the community. Scan local newspapers, church bulletins, and college campus bulletin boards for people offering spare rooms to students in exchange for work. Be careful when applying for a room from a stranger; get all the information possible before making an agreement. This choice comes with a bonus: Do a good job and the host may provide a good work reference for the future.
Jobs College Students Can Do in Exchange for Room and Board
Be very specific about asking questions and agree beforehand on guidelines concerning the work that goes with the room offer. For example, if one is hired to watch a child after school, then don't get hooked into having to watch a few of the neighbor's kids every day, too.
A student wanting to live off-campus might consider one of the following work suggestions in exchange for room and board:
- Mother's Helper
- Handyman/woman
- Groundskeeper
- Chauffeur
- Babysitter
- Nanny
- Sitter for an Elderly Person
- Companion for a Person Disabled
- Housekeeper
- Tutor for School Children
- Home Business Assistant
Benefits and Disadvantages of Students Working for Room and Board
There are pros and cons to living off-campus and having to work for room and board. Working students have to juggle work with studying, and some people just cannot do both. Additional considerations particular to working college students:
- Do a good job for the "employer" and the student may get a good work reference for future employment.
- A student can gain valuable experience. A young college man or woman studying to work in the field of special education might take a job looking after a child with a mental disability. The student gains experience working closely with a special-needs child in a home setting.
- Once committed, the student should stick with the job for at least the duration of the semester. However, if the student is not deemed suitable for the job, then the employer has the right to make immediate changes. This could put a student in a situation with no job and no place to live.
- A job may be only temporary – may last for a semester or two – and is then terminated. The student will have to do another job/housing search.
- Caution should be taken when searching for off-campus housing in private homes. In fact, it's a good idea to take a friend along to check out the situation and ask additional questions. Getting a background check on the homeowner is not a bad idea, either.
Students are not obligated to live in campus dormitories if other suitable arrangements are made. In some cases, colleges require parental consent before a minor student can be allowed to live off-campus.
There are options for students who want to learn how to find off-campus housing. Apartment living for some college students may be too expensive, and sharing expenses with roommates is not always the best answer. Some college staff members may offer housing accommodations to students.
Students who opt to work in someone's home in exchange for room and board have the opportunity to learn additional skills; however, caution should be taken when searching for a host employer. Working in exchange for room and board is not without certain disadvantages, so the student is advised to get as much information as possible regarding the offer. With any luck, the student will find suitable living arrangements, gain work skills, and establish a good employer/employee relationship.
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