While dorm life is great while it lasts, you will inevitably become tired of the meal plan, a shared bathroom, a roommate, and the watchful eyes of the CAs. When this happens, it is time to move off campus. For most students, this move will take place after sophomore year, but there are some eager beavers who move off campus after freshman year, and then there are those who stay on campus for their entire undergraduate career. If you do choose to move to an apartment or an off-campus house, there are a few things to keep in mind. First off, location matters. Do you want to live north or south? Do you want an apartment in downtown or one in the neighborhoods? Some popular places to live in the north section of town are the apartments on Ridge and Noyes, and smatterings of houses along Simpson, Garrett, and Hamlin. If you want a city-like apartment experience, the Evanston Place Apartments, Green Door Apartments, and the apartments between Beck’s Books and Clarke's or above Cosi are popular choices.
Another important factor to keep in mind is the price. Evanston is one of the wealthiest suburbs of Chicago, so the rent is not cheap, and being the college town that it is, Evanston landlords know how to take advantage of college students. So just do your research, know what you want, and don’t be afraid to negotiate. If you find something you like, jump on it. Students start looking for apartments early in the year, usually around fall quarter of the year before they are looking to move off campus. But once you get settled with your own space and relish the ability to cook for yourself and throw parties without worrying about a CA knocking on your door, the stress of finding an apartment will be well worth it.
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Off-Campus Housing at Northwestern University
Jdkatzy
Business Administration and Management '14
3.1
B-
A Lot There but Not Very Nice
almost everyone lives off campus as an upperclassman. Evanston is a huge residential area so there are houses and apartments galore that aren't very far off campus. Most are no more than a 5-10 minute walk away. The off campus options, while abundant, aren't the nicest. They are pretty typical college houses or apartments if they are for rent. They tend to have a lot of rooms and are kept livable. Many have extremely odd structures. it is very convenient but can cost a lot. average rent is anywhere from 600-900 a month. Parking is the worst. It cost a lot and you can't even park on campus unless you are an upperclassman and the parking isn't even close to any buildings. cars are a burden if you go to nu. I give it a B- because there are a lot of off campus options but few nice and parking is awful.
Nov 28, 2011
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Off-Campus Housing at Northwestern University
abb123
Drama and Theatre Production '15
4.6
A
There Are Tons of Places to Live Off Campus
It seems to be pretty common to move off campus after freshman year. There are TONS of apartment complexes all around, some right next to where the dorms are; some a little bit farther, but it seems like if you can get a group of friends together to get an apartment, it is very easy to find one.
Oct 18, 2011
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Off-Campus Housing at Northwestern University
B-
Off Campus Options Vary
the off-campus options that are conveniently near campus aren't the best in terms of being exceptionally kept. Also any off-campus housing option that is really great is usually very expensive, even when rent is divided among a few roommates. The school really doesn't do much to help you find housing. They mostly just have a website with links to pages with apartment listings.
Sep 21, 2011
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User rating for Northwestern University - Off-Campus Housing is
3.5 out of 5
based on 26 user reviews.
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