High fuel costs pack
students into area dorms
Longview News
Journal
Friday, August 29, 2008
KILGORE — Kilgore College student Chris Kennedy said moving on campus was more than a convenience. It was an economic necessity.
"I opted not to commute because of the gas prices," the 20-year-old Longview man said as he was standing in line a week ago, waiting for a key to his dorm.
"I drive a Dodge Ram 1500, and it costs $150 a week to fill it up driving between Longview and school," he said. "I figured I might as well stay on campus and save money."
Colleges and universities across East Texas are reporting an increase in demand for on-campus housing because of higher gasoline and living costs, college officials say.
Kilgore College has seen a 10 to 15 percent increase in applications compared with 2007. The college has added six extra beds to accommodate the demand this year, turning some two-bed dorm rooms into three-bed rooms where possible for a total of 498 beds.
Edward B. Williams, Kilgore College's residential life and student activities director, said the college's residence halls are at capacity for the second year in a row.
In the 2007-08 school year, Kilgore College's housing department turned away 100 students. This year, however, the college anticipates finding rooms for the eight students that remain on school's waiting list, as the school experienced a higher number of nonpayments than in 2007.
"We saw the same trend last year when gas was $2.50 a gallon," Williams said. "Right now all the beds are full, and we're only working off a waiting list."
Northeast Texas Community College housing officials in Mount Pleasant decided to discard their waiting list after realizing they could not accommodate the number of students on the list. The college has added 15 extra beds to its one dorm between this year and the 2007-08 school year. This fall, a record 125 students are living on campus, compared with 120 students a year ago.
During normal arrangements, four students live in a suite and share a bathroom. This year, those 15 extra students mean some suites have five students.
"We're going to let attrition happen and not accommodate the waiting list," said Beth Thompson, vice president of administrative services for Northeast Texas Community College. The school has decided not to add any more five-student suites because of student dissatisfaction.
The on-campus housing crunch at Panola College has led housing officials to add more beds to dorm rooms that can accommodate three people per room instead of the usual two.
Krystn Davis, Panola College residence life coordinator, said the Carthage school reached capacity for its 215 beds and added 10 extra beds to accommodate the demand.
"We're primarily a commuter school," Davis said. "We've noticed this year that a lot of the students moving on campus are from surrounding areas and live close enough to commute. What we're hearing is it's the rising cost of gas bringing them closer to campus."
Nationwide
East Texas is not the only area seeing an on-campus housing crunch.
The Association of College and University Housing Officers-International does not have figures for the number of students living on college campuses. However, the group, whose membership includes 6,400 college housing organizations, has heard the same comments from institutions nationwide, said Emily Glenn, a librarian for the organization.
"There are a large number of colleges reporting a high demand for housing," Glenn said. "It's something we've been seeing for a while."
Norma G. Kent, American Association of Community Colleges vice president of communication, said she's not surprised by the trend.
"There are a number of factors for community colleges adding more residents to their campus," she said. The association represents 1,195 public and private colleges nationwide.
"For one, students are tired of traveling great distances for class, and the enrollment of international students is also rising."
Keep trying
Despite the increased demand for on-campus housing this year, officials are still encouraging students to apply for housing. More rooms might become available as there typically are students who will drop out or move home, for instance.
"More than likely they'll be put on a waiting list," Williams of Kilgore College said. "Once a room becomes available, we'll call them and see if they are interested."
If on-campus housing is not available, officials encourage students to remain on the waiting list for the next semester, continue their commute or look for a nearby apartment within walking distance of campus.
"I tell students from Gladewater and Gilmer that in the three days you drive between here and your home for classes, you've paid for a dorm room in Kilgore," Williams said.
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Can't find a room?
If you can't find a room on-campus, don't get bummed out about it. Here are some tips that might help you with your commute or the next time you apply for housing:
Carpool: Find other students in your area and create a carpool system to class, but don't stiff your driver on the gas money or you'll be traveling by thumb.
Take morning classes: According to the American Automobile Association, vehicles burn less fuel during the summer months in the morning than in the afternoon. Plus who wants to stay at school all day anyway?
Take-a-hike: East Texas is beautiful. Why not take in its full beauty on a bike or during a walk to campus? These alternatives might help you save money on gas and alleviate some of the stress you might experience trying to park on campus.
Take the bus: Some schools offer shuttle services to parts of campus, and if you're lucky, cities (such as Longview) have a bus service with stops that can be found in every part of the city. Finding a particular route is up to you. Kilgore College also offers a shuttle service between Longview and Kilgore.
Spend a night: If you have a friend who lives on campus and has an extra mattress (or room on the floor) stay over for the night. But check the college or university's housing policy first before pitching the sleeping bag for the night.
Don't apply for housing at the last minute: There's a reason why "deadline" is usually printed in bold font on a college's housing Web site. Even if you apply to multiple colleges, make sure you pay your deposit amount and closely read the terms of your housing contract by deadline. Even if you decide to attend LeTourneau over UT Tyler, most housing departments will refund your deposit if you choose not to attend their university.
Make sure you can afford the dorm you apply for: Look closely at room and board prices for the year you're applying for housing and budget accordingly. It's college, not a 15-story loft overlooking downtown Dallas.
Stay on the waiting list: Your patience might pay off in a week, a month and, yes, maybe next semester. Remember, the earlier you apply, the more likely you're going to get the dorm room of your choice.
Source: Education Portal
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Other money saving tips
If you're on a tight budget while you're in college, there are tricks for saving money that might reduce your chances of eating nothing but Ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese:
TUITION EXPENSES
- Look for scholarships offered by your school or foundations.
? Shop around for student loans, comparing interest rates and looking for loans that don't charge interest until after college.
BOOK EXPENSES
- Ask your friends if you could borrow their books.
- Buy books from your friends who took a class in which you're enrolled.
- Check out school ads for used textbooks. Books in school classifieds are usually less than what the bookstore would charge for them. Just be sure they're the right edition.
- Buy used textbooks online, but make sure you get the right edition and that you can get them in time for your class.
FOOD EXPENSES
- Look for sales. Check the local paper or fliers sent through the mail to find good deals on your favorite snacks or basic food staples.
- Share your food. If you share the food expenses with your roommate, you might be able to save some money.
- Cut back on junk food. Junk food is often expensive.
- Share a meal. If you're eating out, you may want to share a meal with a friend.
- Go to restaurants that don't have waiters. That way you don't have to pay a tip.
ENTERTAINMENT EXPENSES
- Look for student discounts at restaurants, bars, movie theaters and stores.
- Try the matinee.
- Cut back on electronic toys.
OTHER EXPENSES
- Shop around for a reasonable cell phone plan that best fits your needs.
- Try filling your prescriptions at your school's health center, as it will sometimes be cheaper than at a regular pharmacy.
- See a doctor on campus, as those services are often free.
- Go to the on-campus gym. Access to the gym equipment is usually free, although there might be a charge for group classes.
Source: Education Portal
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Bucking the trend
Not all local colleges are seeing the same record-setting demand for dorm rooms as East Texas community colleges.
- At the University of Texas at Tyler, Director of Residence Life and Judicial Affairs David Hill said there's been a slight increase in the number of applicants wanting on-campus housing compared with the previous year. However, Hill said he could not say whether the increase is a result of higher food and gas costs.
- At LeTourneau University, the trend to stay on campus has not fluctuated much over the years. For the past couple of years, LeTourneau's 1,150 beds stayed about 88 percent occupied, but the college expects that number to climb to about 90 percent this year. Janet Ragland, director of university relations, doesn't attribute that to the economy, adding that the university is a traditional campus with students from across the country who choose to live on campus.
- East Texas Baptist University Residence Life Director Jae Hunter reported that its men's dorms are at capacity while the women's dorms are not. Officials there could not say why.
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