More financial strain looks set to be placed on students at Tech
Blacksburg, Va., Feb 16 - Freshman Dorm: Elizabeth Synder is one of the freshman speaking out about the on campus housing costs. Photo credit: Isobel Cootes.
Virginia Tech once again rose their prices for living on campus in 2015/16, placing further financial strain on incoming Freshman for the thirtheenth consecutive year.
At Virginia Tech and many other colleges around the US, it is a requirement for incoming freshman to live on campus. However, many have not seen the 143% increase in dorm prices that Tech has.
Yet many students felt they have missed out on the proposed ‘college experience’ they were promised. With the strict rules enforced by Resident Assistant's playing parents and the added problem of over shared bathrooms/rooms this year. The 2019 Class has been left wondering if it would have been easier to live off campus...
Over the 13 year documented period, dorm prices have been increasing each year and followed suit again for the 2015/16 year. With prices increasing to see on campus housing beginning at $4688 and reaching up to $6092 for a 5 month lease. However, students living off campus could expect to pay between $2400 to $5000 for a 12 month lease.
A graph showing the increase of on campus housing costs at Virginia Tech between 2003-2015.
Although living on campus is promoted as a convenience for Freshman to get to classes, it appears students living off campus, in apartments such as The Edge or Tech Terrace, have an even shorter travel time to the academic side of campus.
Sophmore and Edge apartment resident Abishek Singh agrees and says the pricing on campus is not justifiable for the independence and personal facilities he gets off campus, "I'm paying the same amount of money to live off campus and it's actually closer to the academic side than Peddrew Yates is, so i don't see a point to pay all that money."
Similarly, the findings of Ruth N. López Turley and Geoffrey Wodtke threw another blow to on campus living support. By debunking the myth that it is a benefit for Freshmen to live on campus and found instead that 'the type of residence during college does not have a significant effect on 1st-year academic performance'.
A common problem at Tech this year was overcrowding in the dorms, with an estimated 50 residents expected to share a single bathroom, consisting of 4 toilets and 6 showers in O'Shaughnessy Hall. However, in the off campus apartments students pay the same to share their bathroom with one other person or to have their own suite, according to Abishek.
Freshman and O'Shaughnessy resident, Elizabeth Synder expressed her opinion on the increasing fees this year, "It's a bit ridiculous and they're asking a lot of their students, we're already having to pay a lot for tuition, I don't think we need to pay more for housing."
To explore your living options for next year, the Spring Off-Campus Housing Fair will take place today in the Commonwealth Ballroom at Squires from 10am - 4pm.
The group responsible for the budget increases and distribution of funding, the Board of Visitors at Virginia Tech, were unavailable for comment on dorm pricing.