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Monday, August 17, 2015

Housing Alternatives

When he moves off campus this fall, UCLA junior Will Van Der Wey said, he will miss the variety of dining hall meals. His homemade sandwiches just aren't going to be as appealing. But even if his food options shrink, his budget won't. After sharing dorm rooms for two years, he is moving to a two-bedroom apartment in the Westwood area that he said will offer the chance to live and eat more cheaply, and have more independence from university-controlled housing. With rent shared by three friends and lower food costs, he anticipates saving about $2,000 by next summer, even after having to buy some second-hand furniture and dishes, silverware and glasses.

"Given the cost of tuition, a lot of students are eager to look for ways to save money. If moving off campus is a cheaper alternative than the dorms, that alone is enough to justify the decision," said the biology major from San Jose…

Among their many options, UCLA students this year can pay $11,436 for a bed in a triple and a food plan providing 11 meals a week, or $14,090 for a double room and 19 meals a week. (UCLA estimates that a student can reduce costs by about $4,000 by living off campus in an apartment and, of course, can cut costs much lower by living with family.)…

 
Of course, there’ll soon be the Grand Hotel! Why not stay there?

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