As AU students turn in applications by the Nov. 15 deadline for an on-campus housing spot next semester, the college news website Campus Grotto reported that AU is among the top 20 schools with the most expensive housing in the country.
AU ranked 16th in Campus Grotto’s Top 20 list of “Most Expensive College Dorms for 2010-2011.”
Private colleges’ room and board prices increased by 3.9 percent on average in the 2010-2011 academic year, with an average cost of $9,700, Campus Grotto reported. AU’s average yearly cost for room and board is $13,430, according to the site.
Here are this year’s per-person costs for housing from the AU Housing and Dining website:
Single-occupancy rooms:
- $5,656 per semester
Single-occupancy rooms in Centennial Hall:
- $6,605 per semester
Double-occupancy rooms in: Nebraska Apartments, Centennial, Anderson, Hughes, Leonard, Letts and McDowell Halls:
- $4,509 per semester
Triple-occupancy rooms:
- $3,295 per semester
Double-occupancy rooms in AU Housing at the Berks:
Studio:
- $4,509 per semester
Small one-bedroom:
- $4,960 per semester
Medium to Large one-bedroom:
- $5,656 per semester
Other considerations
There are spots for 115 students in Nebraska Hall, and there are 100 apartments in the Berkshire Apartments sponsored by AU Housing and Dining. Each apartment houses two students and comes fully furnished.
These apartments’ prices have been lowered so that students can manage their own cable and Internet.
Living off campus
The allure of leaving behind a cramped dorm room and shower sandals attracts many college students to off-campus housing. Two places to live off campus and near AU include the Berkshire Apartments and the Avalon at Foxhall.
The Berkshire Apartments offer students the choice to set up an agreement with the leasing office through the complex instead of through AU Housing and Dining. The Berkshire Apartments advertise that all utilities are included in rent costs, and prices range from $1259-$2895 per month.
The Avalon at Foxhall is another popular place for AU students to live and is often referred to as “up-scale” college living. These apartments come unfurnished, and no utilities are included in the monthly rent. The prices are advertised on the Avalon website range from $1750-$2645 per month.
Caitlin Soto contributed to this report.
mfowler@theeagleonline.com