Although it may seem like many students live in their fraternity or sorority houses, according to Georgia Tech, only 24% of the student population is involved with Greek life. Plus, the relatively small houses can only house a fraction of Greek students.
There are many reasons to opt out of living in Greek housing. Maybe you don’t like your house’s location, you’re ready to have your own bedroom and bathroom, or you are simply not involved with Greek life at all. Whatever the reason may be, there are several options for students that do not want to spend their year living in their fraternity or sorority house.
Read Next: 8 Steps to Finding Housing Near Georgia Tech
At Whistler, we understand how confusing finding a place to live can be. To help you in your search for housing, we have written this article about the most common places students live when they do not want to live in Greek houses.
Alternatives to Greek Housing For Georgia Tech Students
Many students opt not to live in Greek housing even if they are in a fraternity or sorority.
The most common types of housing for students that do not want to live in their fraternity or sorority houses are:
- On-Campus GT Apartments
- Off-Campus Student Housing Apartments
- Off-Campus Traditional Apartments
- Off-Campus Traditional Houses
On-Campus Georgia Tech Apartments
North Avenue is a Georgia Tech owned apartment complex available to students.
Georgia Tech owned apartments are located on campus and are leased directly from the school to students. These apartment-style residence halls are one of the most common places for students to live after moving out of freshman dorms.
Leases for the apartments last for the duration of the school year, from August to early May. These four to six bedroom apartments cost around $9,700 per person, per year and are available on a first come, first serve basis.
All apartments come fully furnished and are similar grade to freshman dorms. Depending on the specific building and floor plan you choose, the set up of your apartment, as well as what amenities you have access to, can differ.
The most popular Georgia Tech apartment style residence hall is North Avenue. These apartments are designed for each person to have their own bedroom, each bathroom to be shared amongst two roommates, and kitchen and living spaces to be shared amongst all roommates. Residents will have access to a gym, several study spaces, and will be connected to the North Avenue dining hall.
To learn more about North Avenue apartments and other GT apartments, visit the Georgia Tech Housing and Residence Life page.
Off-Campus Student Housing Apartments
Whistler is located on the corner of Spring Street and Abercrombie in Midtown.
The next form of housing available to students are off-campus student apartments. These properties are located close to campus and designed to meet all the wants and needs of college students.
The leases for these apartments last a full year, from August through July, which is great for students hoping to stay in Atlanta for research, summer classes, or a co-op/internship. The contracts take the form of an individual lease, or “by the bed lease” meaning you will sign your own personal contact with the landlord. In doing this, you will be responsible only for your own rent, bedroom, bathroom, and common spaces like the living room and kitchen.
Apartments can range from studios to 6×6 (six bedrooms, six bathrooms) and come fully furnished.
Almost all student apartments near Georgia Tech’s campus are relatively new and boast luxurious amenities to compete with one another. When you sign a lease at one of these apartments, you can expect to see amenities like rooftop pool decks, fitness centers and spacious study rooms. Some locations even include trendy new amenities like yoga studios, saunas, on-site coffee shops and spin cycle studios.
Rental rates for these apartments vary depending on location, amenities, and availability. You can expect to see prices from $1,200 to $2,500 per person, per month.
Off-Campus Traditional Apartments
Our next example of housing for Georgia Tech students are traditional apartments located throughout Midtown.
The difference between traditional apartments and student apartments is that these apartments are designed for anyone to live in, not just students. This means that they will likely have fewer amenities and be located further from campus.
Traditional apartments will also offer year long leases, but in the form of a traditional lease, not an individual lease. You will have to sign a contract that includes all roommates. This means one roommate will likely have to collect rent from all the other roommates each month to pay the landlord the total rental rate for the apartment.
Because there are so many traditional apartments in the Midtown area, price points for this style of apartments greatly vary. Depending on when the property opened, when it was last renovated, and where it is located, rent can range anywhere from $700 to over $3,000 per person per month.
Read Next: Traditional Apartments vs. Student Housing Apartments: Which is Right For Me?
Off-Campus Traditional Houses
The final most common alternative to Greek housing for Georgia Tech students is renting a traditional house off-campus.
The most popular area for students to rent a house for the year is in Home Park. Home Park is located north of Georgia Tech in between campus and Atlantic Station, a bit further from campus than other living options on this list.
Read Next: Where do Students live near GT? (Neighborhood Comparison article)
Many homes come unfurnished and lack amenities, causing the overall cost of renting a house to increase. Because of the additional challenges of setting up amenities and finding furniture, renting a house is more common for upperclassmen and graduate students.
Leases for these homes are year long, traditional leases. Roommates split and collect rent amongst themselves to pay the landlord each month, and every roommate is held equally liable for any damages to the property.
Read Next: 5 Benefits of Signing an Individual Lease as a Student in Midtown
The distance from campus and the lack of amenities and furniture tend to make the rental rates for these homes slightly lower. You can expect to see prices around $800 to $1000 per person per month.
We hope this article has given you a better understanding of a few of the most common housing options for Georgia Tech students if you chose not to live in a fraternity or sorority house.
If you have any further questions or would like to learn more about Whistler, please visit our website or contact our leasing staff. We are more than happy to help you in your search for housing.
