By Vivian Li and Tyra Vanriel

One of the biggest things to decide before starting at Teachers College is where you’re going to live. Students have the option to live in campus housing, rent in NYC, or commute into the city from surrounding areas. Keep reading to hear from two current students about their experiences living at or commuting to TC!

Living on Campus: Vivian

I live on campus at Whittier Hall, one of the housing options for students interested in single or family living. Our four residential buildings offer suite-style spaces, studios, and family housing. Each building has Resident Staff who are students, and they organize community events so that you can get to know your neighbors and have some fun! Another great thing about living on campus is that you can get to know people from other programs living in your hall. 

Residents have access to fitness rooms, TV lounges, computer rooms, and study rooms. Unit prices include heat, hot water, internet access, and cable television service. Residents in the Grant or Sarasota buildings must pay for their monthly electricity.

Here are the halls available to students: 

Single Student Halls: Bancroft Hall, Grant Hall, New Residence Hall, Sarasota Hall, Whittier Hall

Family Student Halls: Bancroft Hall, Grant Hall, Sarasota Hall

Explore more details on these halls here.

Applying for TC housing is an online process that takes five minutes to complete and costs $30. You can apply for TC housing once you have been admitted to TC, even if you haven’t paid your deposit yet. I encourage you to apply if you’re interested since New York housing can be tricky. 

Living off Campus: Tyra 

My Commute

I live in Westchester County, New York, which is a reasonable commute to Teachers College. My commute is one hour, including walking to the Metro North train station from my house, the train ride to Harlem-125th Street, and the bus ride to campus. I prefer to take the express train whenever possible during peak hours to reduce the time I have to spend on the train. Since I am on campus Monday through Friday and some weekends, I always purchase the monthly pass, which is good for unlimited rides during the calendar month. This is the most cost-effective option if you are planning to commute three or more days out of the week. The Metro North app is called TrainTime, where you can purchase and access your electronic tickets, view train schedules, and check the service status.  

From the Harlem-125th Street Metro North station, I can take the M60 Select Bus or the Red Line Columbia shuttle bus to campus. Unfortunately, the Metro North stop for the Red Line is only scheduled for 8:10 am and 5:23 pm. Therefore, if you need to get to campus outside of those hours, you should take the M60 Select bus to Amsterdam Av/W 125 St or walk.  

I also use my commute to read for class, study for exams, or listen to lecture recordings to make the most use of my time, which is a great benefit of a longer commute.

Columbia Transportation

Through Columbia University transportation, you have access to the Commuter shuttle, Intercampus shuttle, and the On Demand Evening Shuttle. As a commuter, I recommend visiting the TC Transportation webpage to learn how to use these resources. All you need to utilize the Columbia buses is your Teachers College ID card. I would also advise you to download the “Passio GO!” app and the “Evening Shuttle” app to view the bus tracking and schedule. There is also a bus schedule posted outside of the campus. 

Tyra’s advice & Important Factors to Consider 

I advise all commuters to factor in at least 30-45 minutes extra for traffic, transportation delays, and any other unforeseen circumstances so that you are never late. You should also leave your house earlier on days when it snows or rains because transportation is likely to be delayed. 

In terms of other challenges, it can be difficult for me to attend events held in the evening because the MetroNorth train schedule runs every hour or so during off-peak times. 

Overall, living off campus is wonderful if you have reliable transportation and want to stay where you already live instead of moving to the city.