I lived in the dorms during my freshman year at the University of Oklahoma. I shared a tiny little room with another girl and a bathroom with three other girls. The situation was cozy, to say the least.

Then, during my sophomore year, I moved out of the dorms and into the fantastic world that was a college apartment. Most of the apartments in my town were designed for students and included separate leases (so you didn’t have to worry about if your deadbeat roommate will pay rent on time,) a community tanning bed, a private gym, high-speed Internet, and more cable channels than I knew what to do with. My parents thought this was a little extravagant, but as I told them time and time again, this was the new standard of college living.

Evidently, I was right. Apartment complexes across the nation are catering to us college kids who want to live in the lap of luxury.

“It’s a national trend,” said Dan Rosenfeld, who develops apartments that are college-kid-friendly. “There is competition among schools, and [the apartments near campus] have to provide a competitively attractive student environment.”

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Finding a roommate when you lived in the dorms was so simple. Your school probably assigned you a roommate, you lived together, and that was that. But once you move out of the dorms, things get a little more complicated.

Having a roommate while you are in college is beneficial for a number of reasons. For example, a roommate will split the bills with you, so it is financially responsible, and a good roommate can provide social interaction, and if you’re lucky, can turn into a good friend. Read the rest of this entry »

For the many college seniors who are graduating soon and want to relocate, Atlanta is the best bet.

According to a report by Apartments.com and CareerRookie.com, Atlanta is the best place for recent college graduates to live. The study determined its results, which are very different from Best-Performing Cities 2009’s results, based on cities with the highest percentage of young adults ages 20-24 years of age, the number of jobs that require less than one year of experience, and the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment.

The average rent in Atlanta is only $724 a month; not too shabby.

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