Staying on Campus: My Transition from RIT Undergraduate to Graduate Housing

As I was preparing for my senior year at RIT, I already knew I wanted to continue my education by pursuing my master's degree. Along with thinking about graduate classes and applications, one question kept coming up: What would happen to my housing?

Luckily, the process was much easier than I expected.

During the fall of my senior year, I participated in RIT Housing's room renewal process. Since I knew I planned to stay at RIT for graduate school, renewing my housing meant I already had a place to live after earning my bachelor's degree. Instead of searching for a new apartment or figuring out a move after graduation, I could focus on finishing my final semester and preparing for graduate school.
Having my housing secured early took a huge weight off my shoulders. Senior year is already busy with classes, projects, graduation, and planning what's next, so knowing where I'd be living made the transition feel much less overwhelming.

If you already know you'll be continuing your education at RIT, my biggest piece of advice is to pay close attention to housing renewal deadlines during your senior year. Planning ahead can make the transition from undergraduate to graduate student much smoother and eliminate one major item from your to-do list.

Staying on campus also meant I could continue enjoying everything I loved about living at RIT. I was close to my classes, campus resources, friends, and the activities that made campus feel like home. Instead of adjusting to both graduate school and a brand-new living situation, I was able to start this next chapter in a familiar environment.

Every student's housing journey is different. Some graduate students choose to live off campus, while others continue living in one of RIT's apartment communities. The right choice depends on your lifestyle, budget, and personal preferences, but if you know you're staying at RIT, exploring your housing options early is well worth it.

Looking back, renewing my housing during my senior year was one of the best decisions I made while preparing for graduate school. It made the transition feel seamless and allowed me to spend less time worrying about logistics and more time getting excited for everything graduate school has to offer.