Briuna White (left) moves into Rawls Hall with help from her family. Only about 14 percent of U of M students live in on-campus housing, as the university is primarily a commuter school.
The University of Memphis is predominantly a commuter campus, with almost 90 percent of students being commuters, but on-campus housing is often encouraged by the university, as it allegedly provides students with an independent living environment and also helps them adjust to campus life.
On-campus living also increases academic performance and lessens the chance of dropping out or transferring, according to a 2010 study from the Center for Applied Economics and Policy Research at Indiana University. The study, “Estimating the Effects of Dormitory Living on Student Performance,†found evidence that living on-campus at any point in college had long-term benefits.
Students who lived in a dorm saw a semester and cumulative GPA increase by almost half a letter grade. Requiring or encouraging students to live on campus can result in much better academic performance overall, according to the study’s conclusion.
Still, only about 14 percent of students live in some form of campus housing at the U of M.
“Dorm living is beneficial to freshmen because it makes them more social and has been linked to GPA increase,†Kate Jenkins, a resident advisor at the U of M, said. “It also pushes them to get more involved on campus.â€
Jacquelyn Popp's parents help her move in at the U of M. Studies show that students who live on campus experience long-term benefits, like an increase in GPA.
Universities like Mississippi State University or the University of Mississippi make on-campus living mandatory for freshmen to help build social links and keep students engaged. Students like Grace Delgado, a 22-year-old fashion merchandising senior at the U of M, feel these results are not entirely accurate.
“I think living on campus helps some people adjust to independent living,†Delgado said. “But for people who thrive more in secluded environments, the instant exposure to an all-immersive social life can be distracting in terms of their study habits.â€
Delgado said “the willingness to succeed†depends on the individual as well as “their own study habits and drive.†She also said some people are just more comfortable at home and perform well academically there too.
Other students, like Lillian Fite, feel that living on campus is beneficial. Fite, an 18-year-old civil engineering sophomore, said living on campus allowed her to study to the best of her ability, mainly because she has instant access to all campus resources.
“My GPA was a lot better before I moved off campus,†Fite said. “The sense of community that came from living in a dorm also helped me as a freshman to socialize more at the university.â€
