I can attend 100% free BUT...

Without getting into the calculations, suffice it to say that I can attend university 100% loan-free (commute option) and then even make about 3K in cash on top of that. The reason for this is because of scholarships, grants and bursaries - it works-out like this.

If I stay in residence, with all the associated costs and when everything is said and done, I then owe about 7K per year with no extra money to keep.

The problem? It's York and I'm in Scarborough and that's a 1.5 hour commute each way on a daily basis. The other problem? It's a one bedroom apt. with my parents and sometimes we don't get along. I'd love to be debt-free, but is it worth the commute headaches and the one bedroom apt. situation?


COMMUTE
-No loan
-Make $3K on top of no loan
-Scarborough > YorkU = 1.5 hours commute one way
-One bedroom apt. in Scarborough w/ parents (buying 2 bdrm apt in a year but in city's East end)

RESIDENCE
-7K loan per year
-On campus without commute
-Living alone first time and having privacy (its a single room!)

It's up to you. I attend UTSG and commute about 45 min to an hour to get home in Scarborough as well.

It completely depends. By living at the school, I think you get a fuller experience of university (even if its just for a year). Most of my friends who stayed on campus seemed to work a little less because I guess they felt they had a lot of more time on their hands.

To commute requires a lot of time management especially if you take the GO. But you got to use your time wisely and study on the commute or even get some sleep, so you won't sleep in class.

I would definitely live in rez. I couldn't imagine commuting that long to go to school everyday. Everyone graduates with debt, I'll have 30,000 and i'm not too worried about it. If you live there for at least your first year you will feel as if you really experienced university. If i was to do it all over again, I would start my first year in rez for sure (I lived with some friends instead). I assume you have also taken into account the costs associated with commuting (you will also have to pack a lunch ) Suuuuuucccckky

this one is simple... live in rez. i too had excess money from scholarships and bursaries but i wouldn't even think about not living in rez first year. no regrets.

+1 to everyone's comments

The experience you get from residence life is priceless... I'd go as far as to suggest moving into res for your first year even if you live in the same city as your university!

Move To Res, U Wont Experience Anything Like It!

100% live in residence. You won't have the same university experience.

Res. Move out to something cheaper after first year.

Rez. I think a lot of people meet most of their friends there.

Res for sure. You'll meet more people, be happier, and $7k/yr isn't so bad.

I have commuted 1.5 hours each way for my first two years of university, and really didn't find it all too bad. I got used to it; usually I slept.

That being said, its obvious that everybody is going to recommend living on residence: lots of freedom, drinking, relaxing, chilling, etc. However, I think its important to think what you value most (and here I say most, not everything): getting good marks or enjoying your life/making new friends while living on residence (in my personaly experience, those two are exclusive of each other 99% of the time).

Do not kid yourself: if you think by saving that three hours/day you will actually study in those three hours on campus, you are probably wrong. My friends said the same thing and he ended up getting lower marks and not coming to class altogether because it was tough to get up. I have seen enough [engineers] fail that have thought living on residence would be an awesome experience.

However, you're probably not going into engineering, so I'm guessing residence would be cool. Just make sure you understand the consequences first.

Originally Posted by f00kie

Do not kid yourself: if you think by saving that three hours/day you will actually study in those three hours on campus, you are probably wrong. My friends said the same thing and he ended up getting lower marks and not coming to class altogether because it was tough to get up. I have seen enough [engineers] fail that have thought living on residence would be an awesome experience.

However, you're probably not going into engineering, so I'm guessing residence would be cool. Just make sure you understand the consequences first.

Maybe this is the engineering ego growing from my temple, I'm not sure... but most of my friends I made from first year. This is the truth. Most of those people are engineers and every single one of them are still around now, in engineering with me. I'm heading into term 3B (because of coop, but it's really my 4th year of school). Guys that fail out of engineering typically don't want it as much as the next guy. You gotta want that degree, and even though it isn't for everyone almost anyone can do it with enough networking and hard work. This pretty much goes for every degree.

I didn't even fully experience rez. At first, I worried about marks too much and was hung up on a girl an hour and a half drive away in my home town. But then we broke up with a month or two to go, and it was honestly the most random, fun time of rez. I recommend it because that $7000 you spend you certainly won't miss in 45 years. Or in 5 for that matter. Seriously, dude... you will not regret it. Just make sure you only go home about once a month or you'll find yourself feeling like I did. Hope this helps the thought process.

-Trueman

depends on which campus of york ur talking about, but then i know a lot of people who go down to UTSG every day that takes bout an hour to get down (cause of rush hours and stuff) and back

if you wanna save money, then thats the best way, but i mean, for 3000, i rather skip that hassle to wake up super early each day to go to school (esp when you love to sleep late)

also, ull get to have more sociable times and meet more people!

Originally Posted by torontoraptor

Rez. I think a lot of people meet most of their friends there.

Not for me. Met most of mine in my classes (graduated long ago). Definitely good for most people though, and it's easier to share ideas and homework with your floormates. Also helps that you get a single room (having a bad roommate is AWEFUL beyond belief!!).

Another one for residence, if I had to start over I would 100% do residence again. You get to meet a whole bunch of new people, there are usually people you can cooperate with for school work and regardless of where you live (home or rez) I don't think your going to get any more or less work done, unless your the type of person that does work when your board at home. Otherwise the amount of work/studying you do I have found depends mostly on the person, I mean if your in rez and want to do work shut the door.

IMHO I would definitely go with residence, you get to be really close, meets tons of new people and have an excellent experience.