Student Living

As a student at the University of Michigan in an undergraduate program, I never actually dealt with the stress of reserving a place to live, unless I was competing for the best spots to live on campus. In other words, the university always has a living arrangement available for students who prefer to live in university housing. This is a bit different for German universities, however. German universities aren't usually isolated from the public, and imbedded in the town. There are a limited amount of subsidized dorm rooms available for students, which means that the majority of students live in private apartments. In fact, more than half lives in private apartments.
Although there is a limited amount, I am marveled by many of the German universities who consider the financial positions of the students, and have subsidized housing available. It is therefore possible to find that living in a dorm is cheaper than living in a private apartment. On the other hand, at least at U-M, living in a dorm is pricey, and one might find it a lot cheaper to live in an off-campus location. I assume that we are paying for the number of amenities and resources available through the university system. But perhaps, it is okay to reflect on German higher education and dream of affordable living as a student.