Our son isn't the only one getting an education by heading off to college.  For instance Mom and Dad discovered last week that his school of choice has some communication issues.  As in the school was quick to let our son know that he'd been bumped off the housing list because they hadn't received a $200 deposit, but in the two months they'd had his registration and zero dollars they'd said nary a word about a deposit not being in hand.  That included two days spent on campus by our son and his mom for a mandatory orientation that ran a couple hundred bucks.  The result was that Mom and Dad ended up spending a Sunday looking at off campus apartments while their son was at work.  That led to the next lesson.

Off campus apartments are not what we had back in the dark ages of the 80s.  These apartments feature three or four private rooms (lockable) with private bathrooms attached to a common area that includes a living room, a full kitchen (granite counters and stainless steel appliances), and a laundry room. Free wi-fi comes with the cable and utilities that are all-inclusive.  The community's clubhouse has a game room (foosball, ping pong, pool), a computer lab, a fitness room (real weights and nicer cardio equipment than we have at our gym) and a pool.  In other words we're worried he won't come home.

BTW, the cost is comparable to the cost of the on-campus housing with the exception of the lowest end dorms. But since the lowest end dorms looking like something out of 60s-era Soviet Russia and smell like feet I'd say that's not a bad deal.