Lucky you, the dorms are all full. Or the dorm's just not your thing (is the dorm anyone's thing?). The good news is that there are usually a lot of other options from which to choose. The bad news is that they're usually a lot more expensive than dorm prices. But you might have to put in some extra work (not school work, don't worry) to find one that's close to campus. Or at least close to the bus or train that gets you to class on time.

The best place to search college housing is this cool site we know: College Apartments. You can search for an apartment by city and college, check local listings, map where the apartments are located, and look at photos of apartment listings. It's easy, it's fun, it's free.

The university housing office can also be a good resource. Though the office usually deals with locating students in student housing (duh), sometimes they have pre-negotiated deals with apartment complexes around the city, especially in densely populated cities and competitive housing markets.

Before desperation sets in and you end up paying a friend $20 bucks to sleep on their scary couch, take note of those brave souls who advertise in the university newspaper. If they want to rent to students, then maybe they have student specials, furnished apartments and lease terms shorter than one year. And maybe you'll make some good friends (read: hotties, potential dates and carpool buddies) to last a lifetime.