University of Maryland - College ParkOff-Campus Housing Summary

Written by Paul Yu

Paul Yu

Hometown

Bethesda, MD

Major

Civil and Environmental Engineering

View all previous student authors

Students thinking about moving off campus after their first year need to consider three things: cost, convenience, and quality of life. The transition from living on campus to moving off campus can be exhilarating for some students, but with more freedom comes more responsibility. Rents are competitive compared to on-campus living, so expect to pay a good deal of money for quality apartments close to UMCP. Many students suggest starting the search for off-campus housing early to get a jump on the competition.

Students debating whether they should live off campus also have to decide if they’re going to try and save time and money on parking spaces by walking to class. Many students have to cross some busy streets to get to UMCP. Additionally, you’ll probably need to walk for at least 20 minutes to reach the center of campus, which is where many classes are held for first- and second-year students. It depends on whether an extra half-hour of walking or commuting and paying more bills is worth the hassle of risking being late for class due to traffic.