how can colleges force you to live on campus?

Question

it seems like you should be able to live off campus if you want to. they say that it's an "enriching experience" you should take part in, but it's been nothing but a nightmare for me. i've been trying to get off campus, but they keep insisting i have to stay. if i wanna pay monthly rent, take on my own responsibilities, etc. i should be able to! instead of paying an insane amount of money each semester to be unhappy. can they legally force you to stay on campus? can they not let you out of the requirement to pay room/board/etc.?

i had a 40 hour work week through high school and paid my own bills, so it's no shock for me to continue working (already have a job along with college).

Answer 1

it is very rare that a college forces you to live on campus. and if you hate it, which i understand, i know a lot of people who have hated it, i guess I would appeal it to the highest authorities, while telling them that i fyou cant live off campus youre going to change schools. ifthat dosent work, change schools.

Answer 2

Because you decided to go to that school, they can ask you to do anything they think will work best. In the case of having you live on campus (usually schools only require this for a year, which doesn't seem excessive) they have a combination of reasons for requiring this. In part it is a matter of liability. If you are living on campus, they can keep an eye on what is happening, but off campus, you are in more danger and many freshmen are still minors, so their parents could hold the school responsible if something happened to their kids. Rather than trying to make some freshmen live on campus and not others, they set a general policy. Secondly, they know that students who live on campus are more tied to campus life and are less likely to drop out. Once you live elsewhere, other priorities tend to arise (you mention a job) which often lead to students flunking out. Finally, it gives them a chance to create a campus environment that commuter schools lack. When students aren't living on campus, they are less likely to join clubs, less likely to attend programs, and more likely just to go to class and leave, which is not what schools want to have happen.

Answer 3

They usually want first years to stay on campus because of the transition. For some it is hard to transition from high school to college much less transitioning from high to college with a job and bills. That first year is meant for you to settle into college life then after that you can do what makes you feel comfortable.

Answer 4

Baby, they own the joint. They can do what they like.

You do have alternatives, however. You could change to another school.
What you actually need to do is to ask yourself why you are unhappy where you are. What about seeing the student counsellor ?

If the rent is too high for you, take that to your student adviser .
You are already being responsible financially so you don't need to move out because of that. Dig a bit deeper to find the true problem.


Do not leave the solving this issue for too long .You could be studying better if you are not being annoyed by this worry. Best of luck.

Answer 5

i dont know, but i think that living in a dorm keeps you involved on campus, my cousin lived off campus at a state school and he hates it there

I think living in a dorm helps you make friends, get involved, be closer to your classes

Answer 6

it all depends on what school u are in and what u agreed t when u signed the residential contract and if u never signed one i think u should talk with ur RA or residential communities manager

Answer 7

Because it's technically your choice to go there so they can make all the crap rules they want but it still comes down to you being allowed to go somewhere else that doesn't force that...