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Step 1
Determine the amount you can afford to spend. Before you choose between a dorm room and an apartment, you need to check your funds. Can you afford to rent an apartment? How much does a dorm room cost? Is a dorm room covered by financial aid? These are all questions to ask yourself. The last thing you want to do is work two jobs to cover the cost of housing.
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Step 2
Decide whether or not you can stand living with a roommate. Most dorm rooms are shared by at least two students. This is something you must consider. Chances are that you won’t know the person you’re paired with. You may not even get along with him or her. Is this something you could live with? If not, an apartment may be a better option.
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Step 3
Consider the amount of space you need. Are you the type of person that just needs a place to sleep and study, or do you like to stretch out a bit? You must remember that dorm rooms are extremely small, while an apartment usually offers at least four rooms.
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Step 4
Think about the distance to classes. A dorm room gives you the advantage of living on campus. This allows you to walk to class each day. You can usually find apartments close to a campus, but the cost is usually more expensive than apartments that are further away. If you don't have a vehicle, a dorm room may be the better option.
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Step 5
Take rules into consideration. Dorm rooms and apartments both have rules. For the most part, an apartment will come with fewer rules. A landlord will require you to keep the apartment clean and may have a rule against parties. A dorm room, on the hand, will come with a booklet of rules that you must abide by.
