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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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 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 →

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.

Top 20 College Towns Continue reading →

Middle Tennessee State Commons

Property or landlord? Which is more important when looking for searching for a place to rent? Trick question, they’re both equally as important. Finding housing can be quite the task, but when it comes to finding the right landlord, you shouldn’t have to settle. So, how do you know if you’re signing a lease with a good landlord? After the initial walk-through of the property, you normally find yourself having to make the decision of whether or not you’ll be signing a lease with them. One meeting isn’t enough to help you define whether or not they’re the right fit for you, so it’s important to get online and do your research and read the fine print in your leasing contract. Like they say, it’s all in the details, so if something catches your eye, ask about it. To aid you in your search, we’ve included a list below of the top rated landlords in the Murfreesboro area to help you find the right landlord for you.

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Philadelphia Street in Indiana, PA (Flickr)

For a lot of students, parties are a flagship of the college experience. At the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, no street embodies the college experience as well as Philadelphia Street. It’s not just a hot spot for students looking to live in apartments in Indiana off-campus. On any given night, students at IUP line the sidewalks and pack the bars as they prepare for a night out on the town.

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The intersection of Main and Broadway, Downtown Mt Pleasant. (Flickr)

The age-old adage that your years in college should be some of the best of your life has long been propagated through pop culture references, and you know what? It’s one hundred percent true. Only in college will you be surrounded by thousands of people your own age, who are dealing with the same things and going through many of the same experiences as you are. One of those important experiences? Treating yourself to a weekend night out on the most bustling street near campus. At Central Michigan University, this street is none other than Broadway.

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Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington, IN. (Flickr)

Bloomington, Indiana is known for a handful things. The city has been named a designated Tree City for its many forestry programs, which is great if you like trees. For all the cinephiles out there, the Academy Award-winning film Breaking Away was filmed in Bloomington and features the annual IU bike race. Lastly—and arguably most importantly—Bloomington is the birthplace of Indiana University and a thriving B1G Ten party scene; a party scene that revolves around one street in particular.

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Fall at Iowa State University (Flickr)

High school was rough. And the expectation that your post-secondary years will be so incredible they’ll wash away any awkwardness you felt as that angsty teen can put a lot of pressure on the shoulders of a newly enrolled college student. If you want to make the most out of your college experience—and you also wouldn’t mind proving all the cronies back home that you have your ducks in a row— you’re going to want to start with the perfect apartment near Iowa State.

To relieve some of the pressure, we skimmed through hundreds of reviews on Facebook and Google and settled on a list of the ten highest rated landlords near Iowa State University. Continue reading →

Old Main at Penn State (Flickr)

As past and current students, we understand the challenges associated with finding the right off-campus housing at Penn State. However, it’s critical to remember that finding the right place is just as important as finding the right landlord. Whether it’s a friend-of-a-friend or property management team, all landlords should abide by a similar set of standards to offer their tenant’s the best living experience possible.

With this in mind, we combed through hundreds of apartments and property management companies near the Penn State campus and created a list of the five highest rated landlords in State College. Continue reading →