Some see dorms as ideal places to relax, study, and hang out with friends. Others see them as cinderblock prisons. Many seniors, juniors, and even some sophomores have chosen to live off campus, preferring a more home-like atmosphere.
According to the dean’s office, 348 students currently live off-campus – or just more than 25 percent of the student body. Of that number, 32 percent of students living off campus are men and 19 percent are women.
Dean of Men Aaron Petersen said while it may look like Hillsdale College is favoring men in giving off-campus permission, the reality is that the demand for on-campus housing is higher among women, while more men prefer to live off campus.
“I am not sure of all the reasons for this, but I do think women enjoy the community of living together in large groups,” Petersen said.
Seniors Anne Taylor, Maggie Danaher, and Ann McAlister live together in the Lantern, a house on Manning Street near the college, with three other seniors and two juniors.
Taylor speculated that women’s underrepresentation in off-campus houses may simply stem from the fact that many women live in sorority houses.
“And also you have Waterman and the Paul house, which are kind of like off-campus for the girls, and you don’t really have as much of that for the guys,” Danaher said. “For girls you can kind of be on campus and still have that sort of house feel.”
Petersen said he would ideally like to see more people choose to stay on campus.
“I like more students living on campus because it supports the community spirit here. I think if too many go off campus, you take personalities, talent, and leadership off campus.”
Of course, not everyone who wants to live off campus gets the chance. Freshman are required to live in dorms, and only a limited number of upperclassmen receive permission to leave.
“We obviously can’t have everyone living off campus,” Petersen said, “so we tried to decide on a fair process to decide who gets permission.”
The applicants are first considered by year of high-school graduation. Those who have been out of high school the longest always receive first preference. The number of college credits is the next criterion.
If there is a tie in number of credits, GPA is the deciding factor.
At press time, the dean’s office was unable to collect data on the numbers of students from each class who live off campus.
Senior Kokko Tso is one of the few seniors living on campus who is not a resident assistant. Tso lived in Niedfelt Residence last year, and though he hoped to live there again this year, he now lives in Koon Residence.
“For me it’s more convenient because I don’t have a car,” Tso said. “I’m a music major, so I like being able to walk the distance to Howard.”
Tso says that although on-campus housing is expensive and there are things he doesn’t like about it, he does enjoy the community.
“I knew if I lived off campus too, I’d probably spend a lot less time on campus, and to be honest, I really do like living in a dorm. I think there’s a lot of benefit to living with a group of guys.”
Michael Kreuz is a junior who, like Tso, lived in Niedfelt last year and is now in Koon. For his senior year, however, Kreuz is looking for a house.
“The dorms help create a sense of community when you first come into the college, but after a while, it’s just natural to want to become more independent and build your own social life,” Kreuz said. “It’s healthy for a lot of students and good practice for living out in the real world, I think.”
Some of the Lantern residents were cautious about living off campus at first, but have found it to suit them well.
“I liked living in the dorms,” Danaher said. “But it really is nice being a senior and knowing that I’m going to have to learn how to take care of myself and to do all these things for myself. To actually have a house. I have to clean it. I have to be a big kid.”
Though becoming isolated can be a concern, especially for those who live farther away from campus, McAlister said it was not much of a problem for her.
“Because we are so close to campus, it’s not so much of a disconnect, because people will just stop by between classes,” she said. “And so it’s not that different, really. Except we don’t have people taking out our garbage in the morning.”
One reason many live off campus is the price. Of course, the rents for different houses vary widely, and utilities and furniture can also be factors, but for those in West Berlin, as well as those in the Lantern, living off campus has proven a much cheaper option.
