Should students be required to live in dormitories during their first year of college?

Topic:
Education Debates

29 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
17% of users

  • Students should be required to live in dorms the first year of college, because most still need the discipline of having rules to abide by.

    Young people given too much freedom, too soon, tend to make bad judgements that can affect not only their education, but their lives. A transition period is appropriate for both social and financial reasons. In a dorm setting, they still have many freedoms that they didn't have at home, but there is still some structure.

    Yes ExoticCletus60

  • No, I leave for college next year and a dormitory sounds like the most miserable experience I an imagine.

    People making noise and partying all night and keeping me awake. How am I supposed to study? And here is something else the 18 percent of Idiotic Moronic losers that said yes need to understand, for some people, peer pressure might be too much, and kids might follow the crowds and be exposed to bad influences.

    Yes Anonymous

  • The success in transitioning between high school and college can define the students' ability to succeed in their future.

    I strongly believe all students should be required to live in their college's dormitories during the first year because it allows them to network with other students and gain useful information to succeed. It has been shown through various social science studies that students with strong networking skills prove to be more successful in their careers as opposed to independent and isolated individuals. Additionally, networking can provide students the experience that they may be lacking in other areas and prepare them for unknown situations and how to deal with them. There is no better method to obtain knowledge for lifelong success than living with career-oriented colleagues.

    Yes Charlie Ingram

  • During their first year of college, students definitely should live in a dormitory. It is hard enough to adjust to college like without having the added stress of maintaining an apartment or house also.

    When living in a dormitory, the student has the added advantage of being able to eat there just like at home. The food probably isn't as good, but at least they know they have food available when they want it, rather than having to take time to prepare it also. Knowing they have a warm place to live, eat, study, sleep, have companionship and be safe can be a great comfort that first year. Off campus activities can be a great distraction before they have settled into the college routine.

    Yes BMaritza

  • I agree students should live in college dormitories during their first year because it allows them to make social connections that will be beneficial throughout their life.

    Students who live in college dormitories during their first year I believe are more socially prepared for life. One reason for this is that students learn what it is like to live away from home and their parents. They begin to learn self responsibility as well as fiscal responsibility. Secondly, students will meet many new people who may be taking similar classes and other students who have the same interests. These are all important social connections to make as a young adult. The friends a person makes in college will often be friends for life, which is something that can be hard to find.

    Yes BabyBoo
Voice Your Opinion
No
83% of users

  • No, different people have different needs, and dormitories are not suited for everyone and dangerous places for many.

    Different students have different needs, and dormitories will not meet the needs of every student. Each individual student is the best person to understand his or her needs and should have the freedom to live in the place that best meets those needs. Many dormitories are simply unsafe or unhealthy, and no student should be forced to live in any situation that does not offer them the best chance of getting the best grades.

    No B0rdKool

  • I disagree, because dorm living is not for everyone.

    While it is a good idea for some students to live in dorms to get a sense of independence and a chance to interact socially with others, it can do exactly the opposite for other students. Being forced to live in an environment where you feel you do not fit in can have a negative impact on people.

    No StevyDemon

  • I totally disagree with making living in a dorm mandatory for college freshmen, because they deserve the right to choose.

    I think that students should be able to choose where they want to reside, while in college. With the rising costs of seemingly everything in this country, some families could not possibly afford this. Many students live within driving distance of their university, so living at home is a much more economical decision for them.

    No UnsuitableRigoberto99

  • Students should not be required to live in dorms in their first year of college, because dorm life does not contribute to academic development.

    Dorms are communal situations that contribute far more to social life, than to study. There is no reason to mandate that students live in dorms because, as adults, some students may have already come to a correct assessment that they would perform better in a quieter, more private environment.

    No 5h4bbyByron

  • No. College students are adults.

    as american citizens many freedoms given to us by the constitution come into play when we turn 18. i am currently a colleg student. i am 21 and am still forced to live on campus. i believe it is an invasion of my privacy and taking away my rights as an american citizen. i have the right to live alone off capmus. colleges are holding adults captave , telling them what they can and cannot do and making all the decisions for them. i am to the point where i want to legal action against the school. sure i could just drop out and go somewhere else, but then the college would have won. as long as the college students are 18 they schould be alloud to live off campus, with the option of living on campus.

    No Anonymous

  • yes

    im going to college this fall and i bleieve that living on campus will create a more suitable place fopr my school work, since im leaving high school i know i will need help on everything once i get into college...i believe some of the people that answered no and gave reasons are just making assumptions about what college is like, there are pros and cons about living on campus but i blieve everyone needs to experience it!

    No Anonymous

  • No, because I think that choice should be made by the family.

    I believe that dorm life is not a necessity. Although it will give the student a feeling of independence, most young people will choose to use that time recklessly. Freedom from the parents is often an excuse to "party", and most teenagers would probably take advantage of that opportunity and slack on their studies.

    No M4rwInferno

  • I oppose requiring first year students to live in the dorm because it is pricey and the environment is not necessarily the best.

    The cost of living in a college/university dorm is around one thousand dollars a month for a double room. Some college students would not be able to afford such a pricey rent. There are also those who would rather live at home and save the money towards a car. Moreover, there are more distractions from blasting music, roommates, dorm mates and people pestering you to attend their parties.

    No FeIBuddy

  • Students should not be required to live in dormitories during their first year of college.

    Some students study better if they are not in a distracting environment. Some students are very private and do not relish sharing a room and bathroom with 1 or more students. Also some students are able to find rentals that are more affordable, not only in terms of living accommodations but also for meals.

    No R0m4nticHamm

  • No, I don't see the point of requiring students to live in dormitories, especially with so many different living scenarios.

    I don't think it's important for students to live in dorms their first year of college. Everyone has such different circumstances, it wouldn't be fair to require it. How about if that student is the caregiver for a child? It would be impossible for him/her to live somewhere other than at home with the child. It doesn't make sense for it to be a requirement.

    No AlisaW

  • No, there are other acceptable lifestyles for first-year college students.

    Students living away from home for the first time are often best supervised, and best accommodated, by living in dormitories. And this is often an invaluable experience in maturation. However, there are many other viable alternatives, such as living with relatives, living with upper-class friends already known to the student, and living at home. Each family must find the most suitable choice for their student with respect to alternatives available in a particular college setting.

    No baltute

  • Im dropping out of my school because i cant afford my tuition

    yet alone a dorm, books, food etc. I am out of state and with a safford loan and supplement loan, at 12 credits im still 4k short of just the tuition alone, the dorm is robery 1k a month for a tiny room public bathrooms, coin laundry not to mention the roomate security deposit and app fees. Not all is lost tho im heading back home and going to a local school, even tho its not rated as high.

    No Anonymous

  • There is no reason to have to stay in a dorm for your first year.

    I can go and die for my country but I can't decide I want to live on my own and have some space. My dorms cost around 1000 a month which would put me in terrible debt. Schools are getting so greedy with how expensive dorms are for what you get.

    No Anonymous

  • I oppose requiring first year college students to live in dormitories, as adults they should be able to choose where they live during college.

    Requiring first year students to live in dormitories is too controlling. By the time they are attending college they are legally adults and are capable and expected to make decisions for themselves. Also, requiring students to live in dorms may place financial hardship on the student. It may be a better financial decision for the student to live at home with parents or family in order to afford tuition. Forced dormitory residency creates added financial burden on first year college students.

    No P0dFit2

  • No, a college student at the age of 18 years is a legal adult.

    College students who are freshmen should not be required to live in a dormitory because they are adults capable of making their own decisions. While there is no doubt that some college freshmen would benefit from such a rule, the majority would feel constricted and supervised unnecessarily. Additionally, every college in the nation would need a massive expansion of dormitory space if this were the rule.

    No ThegaXen

  • No, students should not be required to live in dormitories during their first year of college because they are adults.

    No, students should not be required to live in dormitories their first year of college because they are legally adults and should not have a requirement placed on them. Some individuals the same age are not making a choice to go to college and are allowed to live where ever they want so I do not see how a requirement could be placed on students.

    No SlayClim

  • Students shouldn't be forced to live in a dorm since it's not a good fit for everyone.

    Not all students thrive in a dormitory setting. Some prefer to stay with their parents, or to rent housing off-campus. The reasons could be anything from shyness to medical to not liking crowds, to name a few. For whatever reason, continuing their education is elected, not required, so housing should be the same.

    No Z Frye

  • I do not believe students should be required to live on campus.

    While it is a valid argument that students need to learn to adjust to new environments, it is ludicrous to force them to live on campus. I had several friends in college who could not afford to attend college unless they commuted from home. If the ridiculous cost of education were brought down, this would be a more acceptable requirement. In the meantime, there are many factors regarding a student living on campus.

    No EIIioChatty

  • Requiring students to live in dormitories during their first year of college would unfairly discriminate against low-income families.

    Requiring students to live in dormitories during their first year of college would unfairly discriminate against low-income families. Many low-income students live at home and work while attending college. Requiring students to live on campus would force them to incur an additional expense that might make a college education prohibitively expensive. Denying them that chance at higher education would then lock them into the same low-opportunity life that their parents had to endure.

    No NatBIab

  • I oppose students being required to live in dormitories during their first year of college as it ignores the needs and responsibilities of the individual.

    Dormitory rooms are typically small and may need to be shared with people the student wouldn't choose to associate with. Dormitories are also typically noisy. Students should have the most comfortable and stress-free living arrangements possible for their own well-being as well as to enhance studying. Dormitories seldom provide this. Further, students may have family responsibilities, such as caring for younger or disabled family members, that preclude their living in a dormitory. For a disabled or chronically ill student, having to live in a dormitory may add further complications to their acquiring an education.

    No Pur3Erto

  • Living on-campus should not be a requirement for freshmen students.

    The freshman year of any incoming student is a stressful time--moving away from home, taking a new direction in life, discovering different levels of expertise and meeting with unexpected financial difficulties are all a part of this. Being required to live in a dorm--which can be expensive and/or mentally and emotionally trying--should not be a part of the package.

    No ElwBoardin

  • Nobody should be forced to live anywhere.

    I don't believe forcing a living situation on somebody who just wants to attend college. Some people it may be alright for, but for some people, it is not possible, or too expensive. Forcing dormitories on students will lower the overall number of college students, something we do not want.

    No SaundM0vi3

  • Benefits of dorm experience sometimes outweighed by student's circumstances

    Room and board in a dormitory are a bit pricey. There are students who cannot afford it; some can barely afford tuition. Shelling out hard-earned money to live with strangers in a cramped room does not appeal to everyone. The price seems especially exorbitant if they already have a home close to campus. Also, I have known at least two students who commuted from another county in order to get the education they wanted but stay with the jobs that they needed. College students come from a variety of backgrounds, and therefore have different needs. Students do not need to live in dorms or any kind of on-campus or university-owned housing during their first year of college. The benefits of the dorm experience are not guaranteed to everyone. Let students think as consumers, and make their own decisions about whether such an experience is worth the price.

    No R4di0Mic

  • If an adult, you cannot demand it, if not an adult, why have them living with children.

    Requiring dormitory living is only justifiable if one believes that these individuals are not capable of living on their own. If someone is a legal adult at 18, then this requirement is a restriction of the rights of individuals. And 18 is the age at which is when we allow them to vote, join the military, sign contracts and join the military. We do currently have some limits on activities like drinking alcohol and gun ownership until age 21. If we assume that full adulthood is not until age 21, often until mid-college career, then the result is that these individuals are not independent yet. If they are not full adults, a dorm full of legal adolescents is immoral. If the rule is intended to help the partiers who flunk out of college at 19, it actually hurts the responsible students by herding them into a collective childcare facility. If not fully mature, they would benefit more from remaining at home, both under the supervision of the parents we trusted this long AND who would benefit from a cheaper living arrangement of the child at home than paying even more for college education AND room and board.

    No Pir4And
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Should students be required to live in dormitories during their first year of college?
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