Solo Students and Off-Campus Housing
Solo students struggle to find home amid dishonesty in the housing market.
By: Alyssa Williams
Andrea Zullo’s journey to UW-Madison highlights the challenges solo students face navigating off-campus housing—especially from out of state.
The Florida native did not expect to find her way to the midwest, much less to the state of Wisconsin. Yet, somehow, Andrea Zullo ended up a badger.
Zullo grew up as an only child and lived alone her prior two years of college at Florida Gulf Coast University, so choosing to live by herself at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was a simple decision. Nevertheless, finding the perfect apartment to live in did not turn out to be as easy as she imagined.
Zullo transferred to UW-Madison in the spring semester of her Junior year, after finding out in November that her application had been accepted. Despite having a larger budget because she was choosing to live alone, Zullo found it extremely difficult to find housing for the upcoming spring semester.
Zullo said that there was an extremely short period of time for her to sign a lease, with few housing options available during this time. She chose to fly to Madison to visit the different apartment options. Following her visit to Madison, Zullo quickly realized how unfamiliar she was with the campus.
“Before I came to Wisconsin, I didn’t realize it was like a walking only campus, or, I mean, you could take the bus, but coming from where I used to go to school, we drove to campus and then you just walked to your class,” Zullo said. “So location played a lot larger factor than I thought it would.”
Another challenge that Zullo faced was the dishonesty and unreliability of apartment complexes that was made evident as she searched across platforms such as Google, Zillow and Apartment List.
“[Lessors should be] upfront and honest with their rates and availability, along with offering more options for tours for out of state people looking,” Zullo said. “The pictures online at some of these places did not match anything that was shown in the inside, and the amount of photo shopping and just outdatedness.”
Zullo believes that if she had not visited, she would have ended up somewhere less promising than the complex that she currently resides in. Furthermore, Zullo shared her desire for an application that would include the multiple requirements that tenants desire.
“More range of pricing and showing how much you have to pay on your own, like, including, like, your Wi Fi, including an average utilities, your parking a lot of places,” Zullo said. “[Currently apps] just show you the base rent and say everything’s included when logistically not much is included.”
Zullo recognizes the difficulties that young adults face when looking for solo housing, especially at higher-end apartments.
“A lot of kids who come in who are not old, get judged a lot more. Making something more universal of not discriminating towards young people who look like they may not be able to afford their living situation, or consider their living situation.”
Recognizing young adults as potential lessors is an extremely important aspect for renters to acknowledge. The non-profit application, OpenHouse, works to assist with this difficulty, as well as help individuals who want to live alone find their desired space. With a filtration system emphasizing the importance of individual needs, OpenHouse provides the perfect space for solo tenants to find the right home. Therefore, people dealing with a similar experience to Zullo’s should use OpenHouse and find the best place to live.
Sources:
Drew Zullo, UW-Madison student, (239) 789-5266
“Off-Campus Housing Services.” University Housing, www.housing.wisc.edu/undergraduate/off-campus/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Shanklin, Mackenzie. “The Ollege Dilemma: Choosing Whether to Live Alone or with Roommates.” The Lantern, 7 Feb. 2022, www.thelantern.com/2022/02/the-college-dilemma-choosing-whether-to-live-alone-or-with-roommates/.
Stefanak, Caroline. “My Experience Living Alone as a 20-Year-Old in College.” Zhive Community, 17 Mar. 2024, www.zhive.community/p/living-alone.
“Zillow: Real Estate, Apartments, Mortgages & Home Values.” Zillow, www.zillow.com. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.