The Rural Campus And The Urban Campus: The Benefits Of Each

When you’re choosing your college campus, there are multiple factors to consider. One of the most important factors is the school itself and where it’s located. Some students will be naturally more drawn to an urban campus, while others might prefer a more removed campus. Both can have their advantages! Finding what’s suitable is what’s best for you.

There are advantages to both! So finding one that suits you will be to your benefit. And even if you go to a school that isn’t your first choice as far its location, learn to embrace both. Your environment will help to determine the experience you’ll have, and consider it your job to get the most out of it.

With an urban campus, you of course have more options, and opportunities, in one regard. There will be more local businesses with which you can hopefully secure internship opportunities down the road, and you also will have just, well, more to do! Urban campuses, since they’re in city areas, will have more restaurants, places to have fun, and businesses to check out. Of course, that’s not to say there isn’t plenty to do on rural campuses, but urban campuses do have more people and places around them, as that’s just a simple fact.

Being in a city also often means that you’ll be nearby to other schools; this is a unique opportunity. Many colleges allow you to take classes at other campuses, which can only broaden horizons and your outreach. Plus, making friends with students at other schools gives you a different perspective on college, and you’ll get to check out a different campus and school, which can provide some unique insight.

Still, rural campuses can’t be discredited. If you want to feel like part of a team, it’s hard not to feel the school spirit on a rural campus. Your school and your campus will act as your community, and you’ll be inevitably involved with a range of school functions. While you can obviously make good friends on an urban campus, on a rural campus, that tight-knit community feeling can make adjusting to college easier, too.

Rural campuses also have, frankly, fewer distractions. When you need to buckle down and get your work done, you won’t always be missing out on a plethora of other activities. Sometimes the sheer volume of places to see and things to do on urban campuses can feel overwhelming. But on rural campuses, you can really hone in on what you want to do, and sometimes that means just settling in and studying.

Both environments can be beneficial. While hopefully you’ll like the surroundings of your school, no matter where you go to school or where you’ll one day end up in college, recognize the benefits of your surroundings and … embrace them!

How A Storage Unit Can Be Your New Best Friend At College

College students are one of the four major target markets of an industry you’ve probably never given much thought to: Self storage.

With almost 50,000 facilities in the U.S., chances are there is one close to your campus. Instead of asking friends who live off campus to store your valuables or your parents to turn their new workout room into a storage space, consider using the cheap alternative of self storage. 

When should you rent a storage unit?

1. Summers at home. You’ll have to move out of your dorm room when you go home for the summer, but instead of stuffing all your books and winter clothes into your car, try renting a storage unit. Plus, many facilities have truck rental options so you won’t have to put unnecessary strain on your car.

2. Internships in another state.

Chances are you’ll be renting temporary housing in a distant or foreign city and will want to take only what you really need. Instead of packing everything up, driving it all the way to your parents’ house, unpacking then leaving for your internship, let a storage unit help. 

3. Study abroad. You’ve learned a new language, bought your plane ticket and now you have to figure out what to do with all your belongings. Self storage might not be the first thing that comes to mind but it will make the leap across the pond much easier.  

Another use for your unit

Once you move to college and your idea of dorm rooms through media portrayal is shattered, you realize how small the space you’re sharing with another human is. If you begin to feel overwhelmed, think of renting a storage unit and turning it into a craft room or art studio. That should ease the tension between you and your roommate and give you time for yourself. 

Take advantage of discounts

The best thing about self storage? It’s perfect for a college student budget. Since you’re one of their target markets, facilities will offer all sorts of discounts to students. Check your college’s resource page or call local facilities to find the best price.

Learn About the Amenities

When you start hunting for the perfect storage unit, make sure you’re asking about amenities. These four are probably the most important amenities to consider and ask about:

1. Climate control. This is perfect for your belongings that are affected by extreme temperatures. 

2. Access hours. Figure out when you’d be most likely to come by the unit and find a facility with matching access hours. 

3. Affordability. Sometimes facilities are inexpensive because the quality of their units is low. Check the quality before you choose. 

4. Moving truck. If you don’t own a truck, you may want to consider a facility that has rental trucks available.

When you’re exploring the many self storage options in your area, don’t forget that a perfect match starts with high quality customer service! 

-  Andrea Hewitt

   StorageFront.com

Andrea Hewitt works for the premier self storage search engine, StorageFront. She enjoys using the written word to connect readers to the self storage industry. Andrea majored in Communications at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.

Starting Out Your College Search? Don't Go At It Unaided!

If you’re a high school junior or senior, it’s time to think about college. You may be overwhelmed and worrying about making the right choice. However students have never had more information to help them make better decisions than they do today.

The reality of college admissions is that students need to seriously consider more schools that may not be obvious choices.  The good news is that a qualified student has a better chance than ever of being admitted to a top college. So how do you make your initial list of schools?

The answer is Noodle. The founder of The Princeton Review created Noodle as a free resource to help make choosing a college less overwhelming and, dare we say it, fun! By creating an account and entering your information in our college search tool, you’ll get a specific set of recommendations tailored to you.

Students can search for colleges based on their needs and interests, including academic rigor, size, cost, and social environment. Noodle gives you an in-depth look within each school profile, showing a selectivity score as well as admissions considerations and requirements.  It also lists similar schools to consider, and has a place for students to ask questions about the college. You’ll get answers from parents, students, alumni, and even the school’s themselves. If you’re worried about cost, every profile has a finance snapshot listing the “sticker price” before financial aid, and the “real cost” on average after grants and scholarships.

Still not convinced that searching on Noodle is better than anywhere else? By saving the colleges you are interested in on Noodle, you can see your chances of getting admitted! These predictions are based on data about the student and information gathered about the schools. We take into account your GPA, test scores, and course load to let you know your chance of getting into the schools on your list. It’s never a bad idea to find a great counselor who can take into account your full transcript, extracurricular activities, and other factors, which matter most at highly selective colleges.

In addition to our college search, Noodle offers test prep and advice. What are you waiting for? Head over to Noodle and start your college search today! 

- Jessica Finger

JessicaFinger currently works for Noodle, whose mission is to help anyone make a more informed decision about his or her education. Noodle allows you to search thousands of opportunities, get advice from experts, and find the right path for you. Jessica is a graduate of Quinnipiac University, and outside of work likes reading, going to the theater, and exploring the Internet. Follow her on twitter: @jkfinger.