Author Archives: Ali Bartmer

About Ali Bartmer

Chips and salsa aficionado, Ali Bartmer joined the Rent College Pads team in the fall of 2016 as the Operations Assistant and has since become a Content crafter. Cat mom of one, Ali prides herself in being a Bloody Mary connoisseur and with her Masters from Hogwarts there’s nothing Ali can’t do.

10 Things Every Cornell Student Should Do Before Graduation


If you’re new to Cornell, you probably don’t know what to expect. Either way, college is the time to create memories that will last you a lifetime; you’re going to want to live it up and make the most of it! Luckily, there’s a lot to do near Cornell off-campus housing and the city of Ithaca to make your college years ones to remember.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We did a little research and settled on ten things that every Cornellian should do during their years at the University.

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The 5 Best Places To Grab A Coffee In Ithaca

Finding a good coffee place is key to making it through your next semester at Cornell. Whether you’re grabbing a cup to get you going in the morning, or you need some extra encouragement for an all-nighter, students at Cornell spend their fair share of time fully caffeinated.

While some of you are still missing the beloved Stella’s Cafe, there are plenty of other awesome cafes and coffee shops to check out near campus! If you’re in need of caffeine fix, these five coffee houses near Cornell off-campus housing have got you covered.

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Our 5 Favorite Bars Near Syracuse University

Al’s Wine & Whiskey Lounge

College life goes beyond all the classwork and sleepless nights; it’s a time to meet new people and create memories that will last you a lifetime! Things like Friday nights and “Cuse” wins call for a celebration. And what better way to celebrate than by heading the bars, of course!

We all know Marshall Street and Armory Square are popular hangout spots near Syracuse University Apartments , but the city of Syracuse has a lot to offer when it comes to nightlife. Here are the top five places to eat and drink near Syracuse University.

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20 Most Outrageous College Mascots

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Colleges around the nation are home to some of the most loved characters who help lead their team to victory! Mascots are a symbol of school spirit to help rev up the crowd, inspire fans, and intimidate the opposing team. However, some mascots just don’t quite live up to those expectations. We understand that with so many different teams and colleges that coming up with a unique mascot name cannot be the easiest task. After taking a deeper look into what mascots exist, we’re shaking our heads at these characters. In no particular order, here’s our list for some of the most outrageous college mascots.

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Top 20 Universities to Attend if you Want to Land a Job in Social Media

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You Tweet at your favorite celebrities. You “like” your favorite artists and restaurants and you “like” that your friend posted a brand new selfie on Facebook. You’re constantly Snapchatting throughout the day making sure you look oh so adorable in the infamous puppy filter. Ever consider taking your social media obsession and turning it into your dream job?

On average, as reported by CNN, Americans spends over ten hours a day looking at a screen, consuming media. That time is divided between cellphone use, computers, video games, and TV. Of that time, it is projected that the average person between the ages of 18-64 spends 3.5 hours a day on social media, where as teens nowadays spend up to nine hours a day on their favored social media platforms, according to Social Media Today.

Taking data from LinkedIn, Rent College Pads put together a list of universities you should attend if you want to land a job in the social media world. Listed below are the number of employees that work for Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter that graduated from that particular university, as well as, what that university is most known for!

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20 College Towns Where Rent Has Blown Up Since 2010
The University of Illinois, where trees and parking are plentiful and housing is not. (Flickr)

The University of Illinois, where trees and parking are plentiful and housing is not. (Flickr)

There will always be construction; it’s one of those things in life that’s inevitable. Maybe the road you most frequently travel on to get to class has been torn up for the past year and is just about to finish, and you’re getting hopeful that finally—FINALLY—your commute will be a little less painstaking. We hate to break it to you, but the week that project finishes, another one is going to crop up on this same route. That’s the nature of public works—some things are always happening.

Rent is the same way; it’s always going to go up. Inflation—that thing your grandparents can never fully understand—is an unrelenting force that seems to push rental rates up across the country, basically every year.

We analyzed data pulled from the U.S. American Community Survey, done by the Census Bureau, and zeroed in on 200 cities that are home to universities across the country. We found that the cost of rent increased from 2010 to 2015 at all but eight of them. Oof.

Why do rents go up? You can blame the law of supply and demand for that. A lack of rental housing (low vacancy rates), an increase in enrollment, a shortage of dorm rooms and inadequate new off-campus housing development means more students searching and not enough places to go around. This results in a market whose scale is heavily weighted in favor of landlords looking to collect rent.

At some campuses, there are enough luxury apartments to house virtually every student who’s looking to live off-campus. At others? The situation is much bleaker. From the survey data, we looked at the 20 campuses that have seen the biggest increases in rent over the past five years and assessed whether or not there’s a reason for students to be hopeful that rents would be dropping anytime soon.

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The Best Schools To Attend If You Want To Work At Google
Google's headquarters in Mountain View. (Flickr)

Google’s headquarters in Mountain View. (Flickr)

How does free food, arcade games, a bowling alley, a laundry and fitness facility, and free massages at work sound? Let’s not forget to mention Wi-Fi-enabled shuttle transportation to and from work, onsite doctors, 18 weeks paid maternity leave and education reimbursement.

These are just a few great perks Google offers their employees! This is definitely not your typical nine to five office job. Arguably the best place to work in the world, Google employees over 57,000 “Googlers” in more than 70 offices throughout 40 different countries. Google’s tech headquarters, Googleplex, is located in Mountain View, California. Business Insider ranked Google as the number two in their Best Companies To Work For In America article and Universum put Google in the number one spot for the World’s Most Attractive Employer.

So how does one land a job at Google? Using data from LinkedIn we’ve compiled a list of top schools whose graduates have moved on from college and into a career with Google. Continue reading

The Craziest College Student Housing Amenities
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The bowling alley at 900 Factory in Logan, Utah near Utah State University. (900 Factory Website)

College living isn’t quite as simple as it used to be. No longer is your only option a dilapidating house with five people you’ll soon know all too well. Over the years, hundreds of luxury off-campus student housing complexes have been popping up around the nation. Even having granite counter tops and a pool just isn’t enough of a draw for students at some campuses.

To step up their game, the players in the student housing industry have had to include other amenities that set them apart from the rest. Here’s a list of some over-the-top and crazy amenities that no student needs, but every student enjoys! Continue reading

Best College Towns To Live In After Graduation – Top 20

The college lifestyle of meeting new friends and trying different things might be the best part of the college experience for some. But you know what’s even better? Graduating college and getting your life started right out of the gate, which isn’t as simple as it seems. The hassles of college are certainly challenging, but they pale in comparison to the hassles of adult life. Getting a job? Finding insurance? Scheduling regular appointments at the doctor or dentist or wherever else appointments are required? That stuff is brutal and its always going to be brutal.

But we did find a few towns where maybe the tribulations of adulthood can be offset by some good things, like like-minded folks and a good paying job. We analyzed some data and found the twenty best college towns for grads to settle down in once they’re done getting degrees.

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