GEAUX Apartment Advice
One of the first things you must decide is whether you want to live close to campus or not. When decided where to live it is helpful to look at what apartments are on the Tiger Trails (LSU bus system) routes . Below are some of the features of both options.
What's it like to live close to campus?
- Able to walk or bike to class
- Easy to return home for lunch, breaks, or to pick up forgotten items
- Convenient when you need to meet classmates to study
- Not able to leave during football games, but easy access to tailgating
- Tend to be treated as a student by apartment complexes
- Be aware complexes that advertise as student housing means typically undergraduate students. As such there will be a lot of LSU undergrads in these complexes.
- Rent is higher because of location
What's it like living somewhat farther away from campus?
- Must drive to campus and find parking (risking traffic)
- Must drive to meet classmates to study
- Cannot return home during the day
- Depending on how far away, you will not have to worry about game-day roads being blocked
- Often, you are closer to grocery stores
- Often treated more like a professional by apartment complex than if you are close to campus
- Depending on your specific location, you may pay less for a nice apartment since you are not close to campus
Once you've decided whether or not to live close to campus, you'll have to begin looking for a specific apartment. Below is general advice to help you in your search for a Baton Rouge apartment.
- Come here to look for apartments if possible. There are some apartments that you'll only find out about by being here and driving past, especially if you're looking to live close to campus.
- On-campus housing is cheap, but the apartments have not been updated in quite a while.
- Some of the neighborhoods north of campus have seen recent crime (generally avoid streets named after US Presidents). Try to find out more about an area before you move into it.
- The Tigerland area contains bars that cater to undergraduate LSU Students. Apartments there are affordable, but you should be aware that there will be a large number of drunk college students near your home if you live in or near this area.
- Most apartments around campus are on the LSU Bus Route. This can be a great advantage since it saves you time finding parking, and the bus drops off in front of Lockett.
- Baton Rouge is easier to navigate if you have your own car.
- Be aware that the regular buses only run until early evening and sometimes you’ll still be working or studying after the bus stops running.
- There are night busses that run later.
- You should also be aware that some first floor apartments can flood if they are in a low-lying area. Request an upstairs apartment, or be sure to ask the complex about flooding.
- Check out online reviews of any apartment complex you are considering.
- If you live where you have to drive, be sure you have either a very short drive to campus, or you know multiple ways to get to campus.
Traffic is often frustrating in Baton Rouge, and you should be aware of some of the common traffic problems when you plan how to get to campus from where you've chosen to live. Here are some of the high traffic streets you should be concerned about.
- Highland Road- Many people live on this street, and it slows down traffic as people turn out from their homes and apartments.
- College/Lee Drive - There is a school on this street which causes congestion at certain times. Also, the closest Super Wal-Mart to campus is found here. You can generally avoid going down Lee by using the Acadian Thruway.
- Any traffic light involving Perkins and another main street is a long wait.
- I-10 or I-12 (especially weekdays 4-6:30pm) - Heading west on I-10 leaving Baton Rouge across the bridge is always congested during rush hour
- Avoid apartments across the Mississippi River from campus.
- Essen Lane
- Peak traffic times are lunchtime and 4-6:30 weekdays.
- Just before a football game begins or ends roads near campus are restricted to one way towards or away from campus. Be aware of this.
Some Apartment Resources
- Graduate Housing: LSU Residential Life operates on-campus housing.
- List of commercial off-campus housing options.