Weighing the options: On-campus housing

Many University of Mississippi students are scrambling to finalize housing arrangements for the upcoming school year, while seeking the best value in on-campus living.

Students who opt to live on campus can choose between standard residence halls, residential colleges, on-campus apartments.

Residence Halls:

Martin, Stockard, Kincannon and Crosby halls cost $3,800 a year for a double room. This breaks down to $380 a month, considering the residence halls are based on the ten-month school year calendar.

Deaton, Hefley and Stewart are more expensive; they cost $4,000 a year for a double room.

Residential Colleges:

The new residential colleges are the most expensive living option on campus, but they include more amenities than standard residence halls and have a mandatory unlimited meal plan.

For a double room, the colleges run students $4,800 a year, which is $480 a month. A single room is a little more expensive at $5,700 per year, or $570 a month.

The residential college meal plan costs $3,200 for the year, which breaks down to $1,600 per semester, or $320 a month. This is more expensive than the most expensive Ole Miss Dining option, the All Access unlimited plan, which costs $2,498 for the year.

Extra amenities in the Ole Miss Residential College include dining halls, study rooms, classrooms, music practice rooms, a computer center and a teaching kitchen.

“There are a lot of advantages to living there; making relationships and meeting people could be a little better there,” sophomore English major Claire Maudlin said, “The doors lock and you don’t share bathrooms there, so you have to make a little more effort.”

On-Campus Apartments:

Student housing has two options for campus apartments, including Northgate and the newly acquired Campus Walk.

Northgate offers single, double and triple occupancy apartments for students to choose from. A single costs $5,600 a year, or $560 a month. A double will be $5,300 a year, or $530 a month and triples are $4,800, or $480 a month.

“I think I liked the proximity of Northgate but they need to update the buildings because it’s so outdated, and we had a problem with roaches,” senior international studies major Keon Dillon said. “If I could have, I would have signed a lease with another apartment because it’s cheaper. But, if you’re forced to live on campus, I think it’s a good option.”

Campus Walk apartments generally house four students per apartment, and are the same cost regardless of occupancy, $4,428 or $369 a month, based on a 12-month lease. All student housing is pre-furnished, including Campus Walk and Northgate apartments, so that cuts down on expenses for students.

Based solely on rent, Campus Walk is the least expensive of all of the housing options offered by Ole Miss. The 12-month lease is helpful for students who plan to remain in Oxford during summer or winter breaks.

Greek Housing:

The cost of Greek housing depends on the Greek organizations students are affiliated with.

Rachel Willis, a senior public policy major, estimated her living expenses during the two years she lived in her sorority house to be $270 for housing dues and $240 for the sorority meal plan.

“It was a very convenient experience,” Willis said. “It’s on-campus housing, and my meal plan was down the hall, which was convenient, and I got to bond with my sorority sisters. I think (choosing to live in the house) was more out of convenience than it being a more fun or better choice.”

Off-Campus Options:

There are a plethora of off-campus housing options available for students in and around Oxford.

From individually leased houses, apartment and condo complexes, as well as duplexes, there is something for everyone in every price range. There are furnished and unfurnished options available, as well as flexible leasing and move-in-dates based on the owner’s preferences.

Students can usually find a good deal from $250-$350 per month at complexes such as University Trails, Old Taylor Place, Campus Creek and Cambridge Station.

“I like having my own space and no rules,” junior accounting major Tam Nguyen said. “Living with two of my good friends and the feeling of independence has been really great.”