4 * transfers: the few, the proud

Transfer Q&A

I put down a deposit for on-campus housing. What are my chances of receiving on-campus housing?

To be honest, very small. Freshmen are guaranteed housing, and returning students wrestled for available spots in the Spring. You can wait and see if 70 freshmen simply disappear, but my advice is to go ahead and make some kind of other living arrangements before you arrive for Orientation Week in August.

What exactly is Orientation Week and do I need to attend as a transfer student?

Orientation Week, or O-week, is a six day orientation session for all new students that begins Sunday, August 24. During this time you will meet many members of your residential college, take placement exams including ones that all new students must take, receive a generous amount of academic advising, receive an equally generous amount of orientation to campus life, and register for classes. There will also be some sessions specifically for transfers. Oh, and theres a lot of fun thrown in, too. And yes, you need to be therein fact its crucial to your Rice education and experience.

What is a residential college?

In layman's terms, a residential college is a unique cross between a dorm and a fraternity, sorority, or co-op. In early July all new students, including transfers, are randomly assigned to one of Rices eight residential colleges. You are a member of your college for as long as you are a student at Rice, and because the assignments are random, there is no pressure or elitism involved with membership to any one college. Your college is where youll receive mail, eat most of your on-campus meals, and live if you chose to live on-campus in coming years. More importantly, though, it is a community of which youre automatically a member and that you actually have to work to not be a part of. The colleges each have their own government, traditions, activities, and projects that serve to make them unique from the others. You will be hearing from your college in a matter of weeks and will receive a book concerning your colleges O-week.

The information about the colleges is keen, but will I really feel like I am part of the community?

Absolutely. By spending your first week at Rice with 100 of your peers you will never be able to return to your college without knowing someone. Yes, it can be difficult to live off-campus your first year, and you may miss out on some of the more spontaneous aspects of being a Rice student. On the other hand, you will get to know most of the people at your college and they will seek you out, invite you to events on campus, and do everything they can to make you feel like you are a part of the college community.

I'm still concerned with living off-campus and my decision to attend Rice is still up in the air.

I cannot stress enough how important, supportive, and easy the college system is. Many students live off-campus for a year, and have little problem staying in touch with their college. In fact, there are many benefits to living off-campus, including having your own kitchen and being able to get away from campus for a while. Dont deny yourself the chance of a lifetime by not attending Rice without finding out more about life off-campus.

Enough with the general info -- I want to know about finding housing. How should I start?

Well, the first step is to read the materials Ive sent you. You need to figure out what some of the general limitations of your housing search will be. Will you want a roommate? Do you have a car, or will you need to find an apartment close to campus? How much do you want to spend a month on rent and utilities? Next, you should take a close look at the Off-Campus Housing Guide to start evaluating your options.

I'm thinking about living alone.

Living on your own may be the right thing for you. On the other hand, it is strongly recommended that you consider living with at least one roommate for many reasons. Not only will having a roommate help lower the cost of living and make transportation easier if your roommate has a car and you do not, but life at Rice is difficult and challenging at times and it helps to have somebody with whom to share things. You have probably already had a roommate experience, perhaps even a bad one, but remember that youre coming to a new school and that you are going to be off-campus. Having another student to live with will help you not feel so removed from campus life.

Well, I'll think about it. What next?

One of two things. If youve decided to live alone, skip to the next questions. If you want a roommate, hang tight until mid-July. As soon as I receive a majority of the questionnaires, I will mail them to you. Read through them all -- carefully. When choosing a roommate, be sure to look at all aspects of your life, not just smoking preference or economic or transportation limitations. To ensure a better match, be sure to think about other important questions concerning alcohol, smoking, and other preferences. Don't be afraid to ask potential roommates questions that weren't on the questionnaire. It is up to you to contact potential roommates and to start looking for a place. You might designate one person to make calls, or perhaps you might split up the research. However, do make sure that you are all on the same page.

So what should I look for in an apartment?

Well, start by looking at the information in the Off-Campus Housing Guide. This will give you an idea of the price ranges and locations of complexes. Remember that every apartments location is indicated on the map included in the packet. Next, go ahead and start calling apartments. Look at the map and decide how close to campus you want to be. Ask about parking and safety. Ask how new the complex is and what kind of appliances are included with the apartment. See if utilities are included in the monthly rent. Double-check any information in the Housing Guide on which you are basing your decision. Ask about the terms of the lease, and see how they can help you set up a lease from out of town. If long distance calling is a problem, Nino & Associates can fax you more information about specific apartment complexes (See flyer).

OK, I've got a list of two or three potential places. How do I decide?

First, talk with your roommates and see if they have any preferences. Communication with them will be key in finding an acceptable place to live. Feel free to give me a call as I might know something that would be helpful or worth knowing. Also, Im willing to make some calls or trips around Houston on your behalf if necessary. To an extent, I can be your eyes and ears.

Should I visit Houston over the summer to find a place?

This isnt a bad idea, but the information in this packet, your own research and an apartment locator should be enough to prevent your having to visit. Many transfers just dont have the time or the money to come to Houston before O-week. If you plan on being around, though, give me a call and Ill meet with you to talk about housing and give you a tour!

Can I wait until O-Week to find a place to live?

The problem with this option is that youll spend time during O-Week running around town and missing out on the important things. Those who arrive for O-Week without housing arrangements will have a noticeably harder time feeling connected to their college and to Rice as a whole because of the activities they miss.

So when should I arrive?

Since it would help to be settled before O-Week, think about arriving a day or two beforehand to set up your place. You will have a room on campus at your college for the week, though, so you may decide to just move into your apartment the weekend before classes begin. It is very important for you to live on-campus during O-week. This will give you a unique opportunity to get acquainted with your college and the University

Can I send my stuff early?

There is nowhere to store things on-campus before O-Week, but you can have boxes arrive at your college during O-Week. Also, you can send boxes to yourself at your apartment so long as they arrive after you move in.

Cost of living alone/with someone?

One bedroom apartments usually start around $400/month and go up from there. Two bedroom apartments start around $650/month, which divided between two people is only $325/month. Of course, utilities are also less when split between two people. Living on campus, on the other hand, costs around $400/month and gives you a smaller living space with no kitchen and no privacy. I mention this to remind you that living off-campus is not a bad thing, especially considering the savings. There are many Rice students who chose to live off-campus for these very reasons.

What if I don't have a car?

There are about four options. First, live within walking distance of campus. While many apartments within walking distance tend to be older and kind of quaint, they are also more expensive and much more difficult to find than those just a little farther away. One complex near campus is the Grad House; see the next question for details. The second option is to buy a bike and live within biking distance. The third option is to live at an apartment that offers shuttle service to campus. While this is nice, shuttles generally have restricted running times. Finally, option four is to live with someone who has a car and work out some kind of arrangement with him/her. Of course this works better with people you already know, but as usual, communication is the key. Ideally, you might combine options: having a bike and living near campus with a roommate who has a car will give you enough flexibility to be in better control of your transportation situation.

What about the Grad House?

The Graduate House is owned by Rice University and provides housing adjacent to campus primarily for graduate students. However, typically there are 30-40 undergrads at the Grad House as well. This is a good option if you dont want the hassle of finding an actual apartment and need to be within walking distance. While the accommodations are decent, it is important to know that it is not an apartment complex. The Grad House is a hotel that Rice bought and converted into housingthus, you will be sharing a room with someone else and will not have a kitchen. If I were living off-campus, I would want to take advantage of the niceties that can go along with renting an apartment (i.e., privacy, a living room, and a kitchen). Thus, unless you have a good reasons for wanting the Grad Houses closeness to campus, I would suggest that you look at other options. (See the Off-Campus Housing Guide for details on the Grad House.)

What if money is really tight?

There are ways to handle the money situation -- don't worry too much yet. First, live with at least one other person. The more people you live with, the less expensive rent and utilities will be each month. Also, you should look at some of the locations further away from campus; this will give you more options, especially if you have a car.

Should I be concerned with safety off-campus?

Yes, you should think about safety in that you are living in one of Americas largest cities. The area around Rice has its peculiarities. On one hand, it is a nice, upscale neighborhood. Thus, you should feel comfortable walking off-campus during the day. Also, Rice is next to the Village, a very nice shopping area with restaurants and boutiques, and the Museum District, giving you plenty of sights to see. On the other hand, Rices location next to Hermann Park and the Medical Center means that there are a lot of open spaces and that it is not safe to walk off-campus alone at night. What this means in relation to your housing search is that you should not plan on walking home at night, periodit doesnt matter if you find something just across the street from Rice. The Grad House has late-night shuttle service and the Campus Police can always give you a ride there, but youll need to make arrangements if you live elsewhere. A friend can always drop you off or you might consider crashing on-campus at a friends room if you stay at the Library or Shepherd School of Music late at night. You should not plan to stay on campus late unless you have an option other than walking home. You need not be panicked about living in Houston, just keep your head about you and always be aware of your surroundings.

How does food service work at Rice?

Each residential college at Rice has a kitchen and a dining hall for students, and all students are welcome to eat at any of the colleges. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are offered on weekdays, but only brunch is served on weekends. Thus, students are on their own for dinner on Saturday and Sunday nights. In addition to normal food service, there is a general cafeteria in the Student Center which is open during the day and from 9pm to Midnight Sunday through Thursday for an on-campus snack. The Student Center also has a Coffeehouse for those who require caffeine and Willys Pub for socializing.

Meal plans are electronically connected to your student I.D., and every student who lives on campus is required to buy one of the Universitys on-campus meal plans. As an off-campus student you will not have to buy a meal plan, but it is recommended that you do so for convenience and the chance to spend time at your college. Because meals tend to be one of the most social times at the colleges, it is easy for off-campus members to stay in touch simply by spending the lunch hour at the college. Furthermore, its difficult to cook every meal and still get all your work done. The meal plans are flexible so you can add money to them at any point during the year.

The on-campus plans range from $918 to $1400 per semester and an average student usually spends between these amounts. The off-campus plans start at $415 per semester with the ability to add money in $25 increments at any time. Because youre probably living off-campus, you wont spend as much per semester as a student who lives on campus. Any money that you do not spend during a semester will roll-over to the next semester.

What is available in terms of banks and shopping?

The area near Rice has a high density of retail shops and other services. The map Ive sent with apartment locations shows just some of the banks and supermarkets in the Rice vicinity, and there are many others as well. Along with supermarkets, there are many casual, formal, and fast food restaurants around Rice. You can rest assured that wherever you live there will be options within walking distance. As far as banking goes, three of the larger banks in Houston are Nations Bank, Wells Fargo, and Chase Bank. Nations Bank probably has the most ATM locations near Rice and has served many Rice students, Chase has an ATM in our library (Fondren), and Wells Fargo has locations in local supermarkets with extended banking hours. These banks usually have special student accounts with no minimum balance as well. Unless you really need to have a bank before you arrive, wait until Orientation Week to set up your account. Most new students open accounts in Houston during this first week; thus, your advisors will likely take you to a few banks during or just after Orientation.

How do I find furniture once I get there?

If you do not plan to bring much furniture with you, you can either try to get a furnished apartment or look for furniture once you get here. There are always garage sales in the fall, and there is a Salvation Army used furniture store which has supplied furniture to a number of Rice students. Your advisors and other members of your college will be a great resource to use to help you find furnishings for your home, and they may even lend you something indefinitely if they dont have space for it. Also, some students rent furniture like beds and desks for their apartments. This is the easiest because the companies deliver the furniture, but this option is quite costly.

The joy of living off-campus...

Personally, I like living off-campus. For my senior year -- the year I could have gotten any room I wanted in my college -- I still chose to stay off-campus. Living on-campus carries with it convenience and social atmosphere, but there are plenty of reasons that living on-campus is less than desirable. Not only is it relatively expensive, but the nature of the rooms often limits ones comfort. On-campus you have to share a bedroom and thus have a hard time finding privacy, have no control over the temperature of the air which comes out of the antiquated air conditioning units, have minimal living space outside your bedroom, cant easily turn off the loud music at the Friday night party across the hall, and do not have access to much in the way of cooking facilities. Off-campus, however, you do have control over your environment, have as much privacy as you want, and have your own kitchen to work with. Each college has common study and entertainment space where you can hang out, so you won't be left out of college life. In fact, I think that I've been more social living off-campus, because I don't have my own campus room to hide away in. Make the most of your situation--and you won't be disappointed.