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When you are considering going to college, you might envision dorming as part of the traditional college experience, however, plenty of students also choose to commute. Surprisingly, less than half of first-year students at four-year colleges choose to dorm on campus. Each living situation has its pros and cons, but it’s up to you to decide which works best for you. Here, we break down the differences between each choice.
First and foremost, if you live a good distance away from your school of choice, dorming might be your only choice as a first-year student. The rules for dorming vary among schools, with some requiring students to live in campus housing for their first two years, and others that allow you to live in off-campus housing nearby. YSU offers a wide variety of on-campus and off-campus lodging, including options that cater to non-traditional students, graduate students, or students with families. You can find more information about YSU’s housing options here!
Some cons to living on campus include limited space in dorms, less privacy, the cost of room and board, and university rules regulating things such as what appliances are allowed in your dorm room. However, there’s plenty of perks to dorming at school. There’s accessibility to campus and classes, increased independence, access to campus amenities like the library or gyms, and reassurance provided by campus security. Additionally, most campus housing comes with a meal plan, so you don’t have to find a way to the grocery store every other week. There’s also Resident Assistants (RA’s) in dorms to help students adjust to college and ensure that your housing situation is safe and comfortable. Speaking of RA’s, most receive free or discounted housing plans in exchange for their work. If limited finances are a barrier to your ability to dorm, this is an option to consider (please note that schools typically require RA’s to have obtained a minimum number of credits from their institution before they are eligible- so this wouldn’t be an option for students enrolled in their first semester). YSU offers more information about their resident assistant positions here.
If you chose a school within a commutable distance, hooray! This is now an option for you. College students choose to commute for a multitude of reasons, but some of the most common are to save money, to continue spending time with family, and to keep the comfort of their own space at home. Disadvantages include the inconvenience of making the daily trip to school- you could hit traffic, public transportation may be unreliable, or weather conditions could interfere with your drive to campus. Additionally, commuter students may feel more isolated from student life on campus, or not feel as engaged in the community. However, many schools recognize their commuter demographic and offer campus events that are easy for both on-campus and off-campus students to attend. You can check out a general overview of student activities that YSU offers here.
At the end of the day, it’s your college experience, so it’s up to you to decide which housing situation suits your lifestyle best. Whether you dorm or commute, you can still make the most of your college experience by engaging in the community and utilizing the resources that your university provides you with.
Nearly 11,000 students
Over $8 Million in Scholarships Given Annually
21 Average Class Size
5 University Residence Halls with plenty of nearby apartments
14:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio
In-State
Out-of-State
In-State
Out-of-State
Tuition and fees may vary by major, college, area of study or based on your location. The university reserves the right to assess fees for special services and programs applicable to students. First-time International undergraduate students’ tuition rate is established based on first enrollment and remains unchanged for four consecutive years. Graduate students should plan for a yearly tuition increase of approximately 5%.
For a complete list of additional fees and detailed tuition information please visit the University Bursar website here.
Cost of the most popular room and meal plan combination; Your cost will depend on the plans you select. Costs in the box cover the most popular room and meal plan combination (on-campus); If you choose to live off-campus, the estimated cost of room and meals will be around $12,000 based on 12 months.
Based on average books & supply costs
Health insurance is required for international students.
Applicants must have graduated from high school or have successfully completed the General Education Development (GED) test to be considered for admission. Freshman applicants applying for admission to Youngstown State University must submit a high school transcript or GED transcript. Submission of American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores is optional. Please note: some majors require test scores to be admitted into the program.
Applicants must have a cumulative weighted high school grade point average of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) or higher, a core unweighted grade point average* of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) or higher and have an ACT composite score of 17 or higher or a SAT composite score of 920 or higher (evidence-based writing and reading and math) to be admitted unconditionally. (*Core gpa is calculated based on grades earned in the following courses – English, mathematics, science, social science and foreign language, if applicable, from 9th through 12th grade).
Fall 2024
application deadline is
August 1, 2024
