Benefits of a Seamless Move-in Experience
The move-in experience is the first impression a student, and often their parents, have with a campus besides the usual introductory campus tour. Therefore, it’s important to deliver a seamless move-in. Not only does it help alleviate stress, but it provides necessary comfort to families dropping their loved ones off for the very first time. It also helps students feel more at home and connected to housing staff and roommates. This sense of community fosters a welcoming atmosphere that boosts students’ confidence, better positioning them for academic success, while at their new home away from home.
Benefits of Living on Campus
Students who live on campus often experience a stronger sense of community than those who commute to school. Aside from the affordability and convenience, living close to the action can help students better connect with their classmates, eliminate the need for transportation, and provide better access to campus activities, events, and resources.
The Stakes Couldn’t be Higher
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 64% of students who plan to attend college make it to their graduation day within six years. By having a community support system, students are more likely to build confidence and feel supported, resulting in a higher chance of degree completion. Bucknell University conducted a study that showed community experiences were a better predictor of student satisfaction and retention than academic achievement and participation. Knowing this, it’s important that students feel welcome and acclimated to their new housing accommodations and community as soon as possible.
Helping Students Stay on Track
Students today feel more pressure than ever before with the ever-changing higher education landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, isolated current college students from their peers during formative middle and high school years. Many first-generation students are navigating the FAFSA process with limited help, while FAFSA delays create uncertainty and hardship on students of all backgrounds who are awaiting financial aid awards before they can make final enrollment decisions. For so many reasons, move-in is a stressful time of year for students, families, and educational partners.
In fact, these factors can eventually cascade to academic attrition, also known as melt, which may lead to some students pausing or discontinuing their education. This presents a problem for students and institutions. It means students miss future opportunities for growth. For schools, it means empty seats in class, impacted budgets, planning, and enrollment goals.
Student Housing Trends
According to a New York Times article, student housing complexes across the country are getting larger. In some cases, off-campus residences are housing more than 1,500 students. Larger housing properties mean the possibility of more amenities like fitness centers and enhanced Wi-Fi and, in some cases, lower rent due to competitive rates and more roommates per unit.
However, with some off-campus providers, the trade-off between these modern amenities and the lack of proximity to campus can factor into academic success. In contrast, some student housing providers, such as Corvias, may offer the best of both worlds with high-quality, modern housing that is strategically located where students need to be.
What’s more, Corvias is consistently ranked high for the courtesy and professionalism of its maintenance and leasing personnel in the nationally recognized SatisFacts survey completed by residents annually. In 2023, Corvias received several SatisFacts Community Awards and even a “Company Award for 2023” for its property management services for both higher education and the military.
For more information about what Corvias is doing to support students and earn their satisfaction, please visit https://www.corvias.com/student-housing-solutions.