After the first year in the dorms, students are on their own. They are faced with the overwhelming task of finding a place to live for the next three years of college. Some students stay in the same place for the rest of their college careers, but others shop around.

“We have about a 15 percent renewal rate each year and I believe we have 4 to 5 residents who are onto their third and fourth years with us,” said Rachael Carlberg, the accounts manager at Rams’ Pointe apartments.

The Off-Campus Life office is located in the Lory Student Center and is available to make the transition easier for students. They provide a wide variety of services for students to prepare them for renting their first house or apartment, like party registration and information about U+2, the Fort Collins law forbidding more than three unrelated people to live in the same home. According to the Fort Collins website, 37.69 percent of students live in an apartment, while 33.85 percent live in an off-campus house.

Although the numbers are not far off, it appears that apartments are the more popular choice. Jeannie Ortega, the director of off-campus life at CSU, said “apartment complexes attract huge numbers of students.”

Off Campus Living Statistics*

******[KRIS – Make pie charts]******

Where students live

On-campus housing: 10.77 percent
Off-campus housing: 37.69 percent
Off-campus condo/duplex/townhome: 16.15 percent
Off-campus house: 33.65 percent
Other: 1.54 percent

How students pay
Own: 4.23 percent
Rent: 84.23 percent
Live with family: 5.38 percent
Other (includes residence halls): 6.15 percent

*Data from City of Fort Collins Student Housing Rental Survey available at www.fcgov.com. 260 people participated in the survey.

Off-Campus Living Options:

Rams Village Apartments
Average Cost: $460 per person
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2
Address: 900 Constitution Ave.
Washer/Dryer: On site
Miles from Campus:1.4 miles

Campus Crossings –– Ram’s Pointe
Average Cost: $595 per person
Bedrooms: two
Bathrooms: two
Address: 2250 W. Elizabeth St.
Washer/Dryer: In each unit
Miles from Campus: 2.2 miles

House Rental
Average Cost: $300 to $600
Renting a house is more of a gamble because each house is very different. The number of bedrooms and location, as well as the U+2 rule can make buying a house time-consuming. Check www.northerncoloradorentals.com for more information.

Rams Crossing Apartments
Cost: $875 per person
Bedrooms: one
Bathrooms: two
Address: 1117 City Park Ave.
Washer/Dryer: In each unit
Miles from Campus: One mile

Woodbox Condominiums
Cost: $350 per person
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Address- W Elizabeth St and Constitution St
Washer/Dryer- In each unit
Miles from Campus- 1.4 miles

The Pavilions at Silver Sage
Cost: $500 per person
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Address: 1212 Raintree Drive
Washer/Dryer: In each unit
Miles from Campus: 2.0 miles

Student Life Beat Reporter Amanda Zetah can be reached at news@collegian.com.