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How do I find a good apartment to rent near my college?

I live in California currently and I need to apply for renting a place in New York because that's where my college is. It is super difficult looking for places when I can't really be there in person at the moment. I need to rent because the room and board at my college is super expensive and it would put my family $20,000 in debt. Please Help! #apartment #rent #college #collegeisexpensive #debt #tuition #california #newyork

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Rachael’s Answer

Hi Angelina, I would search on Facebook for your college and then "roommate search" or "college living" and there are probably a few facebook pages where you could ask questions and find roommates.

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Kelsey’s Answer

Hi Angelina - I moved from Texas to New York City for college and faced the same challenge. I did a little bit of apartment searching on websites like StreetEasy, NYBits.com, and Craigslist, but ended up calculating that it would actually be more affordable and cost-effective to go through university room and board. Like a lot of people have mentioned, I found a roommate through a Facebook group and we decided together which dorm option was best for us. My college offered different levels of housing: single rooms or rooms with roommates, buildings with or without air conditioner (it doesn't get as bad in New York as it is in Texas and California!), so we were able to select a type of dorm that fit our budget. Now that I've lived in apartments in New York City, I know there are a LOT of things to deal with when moving into a new apartment on your own, and living in a dorm eliminates a lot of these steps. Starting college in a new state (and moving across the country!) will bring a lot of changes all at once, so if you can make the transition easier in any way, I recommend doing so!

Kelsey recommends the following next steps:

Do your research to figure out if renting an apartment really would be the most cost-effective route: make sure you include all the living expenses you will have to cover, like electric bills, cable/internet bills, groceries, transportation, etc. Also learn about the process for applying for an apartment - many landlords will require extensive documentation of income, guarantors (someone older who can prove they can cover your rent expenses) - and make sure you can meet all the requirements.
Start meeting other students who have gotten into your college and see if any of them would be good roommates for you!
Reach out to your university housing resource - you are definitely not the first person deciding between on-campus or off-campus housing, and they will be able to help you through the decision!
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Daniel A.’s Answer

Angelina - Going to school in a city can be difficult, especially when you add that you are unfamiliar with the area. First, I would get familiar with the area and find where is close to your university. Usually schools will have a "group" - on Facebook, their school site, or in your admissions they may mention - where you can find and get in touch with other students. I would look at apartment complexes near the university, and often times you can get set up with another student looking for a roommate. Do your research and google the areas and where most students live "off campus".
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