My daughter and I just had an arguement. She wants to rent a house off campus next year (she'll be a junior in college). She's like a dog with a bone, no reasoning with her! It's going to cost at LEAST $300 a month more to live off campus, and that doesn't even factor in the extra food, gas, interent, laundry facilities or the million other things that you don't think about when you get your first home. Not to mention the extra 3 months of rent she'll be required to pay when she's not living there.

Although she started working when she was 14 and works on all vacations a "part-time" job in her college town is not an option for many reasons. 1) She has a really good work ethic and when asked to work extra shifts she always did, she can't say no. She violated every state law there is working too many hours, wrong hours etc. Worked at least 40 hours a week. 2) Her major requires many hours of extra "volunteer" work and TAing. Especially as an upper classman, the expectation doubles each year. She's on an excellent track getting into the grad school of her choice because of the work she's done so far. 3) We all know that when you are burning the candle at that many ends something will have to give, she gets scholarships because of her grades and if they slip that will end up costing us more money for tuition.

It's not just the money either. She lives on a very secure campus, not only do they have their own police department but this college has one of the largest criminal justice programs in the state. Part of the requirement of the program is foot patrols and escorts. Everywhere you look there is a call box with camera and two-way radio. Response time is minutes. They've actually worked it out so that if you haven't called ahead for an escort, you hit that button and someone is talking to you and can see you immediately and until your escort arrives. This can be used for basic car trouble as well, flat tire, dead battery etc.