:: Running from the Thought Police ::

:: Thursday, September 14, 2006 ::

Daddy's Money

They're sure as hell not paying for this themselves:

Known as Loft-Right, the mod-looking structure has all the amenities: expansive city views, granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, modern designer furniture and satellite TV hookups. The lobby lounge -- like something out of a hip hotel -- has a pool table and fireplace, and soon will have a Starbucks and tanning and hair salons next door.

Living at a place like this isn't cheap.

Students at Loft-Right each pay more than $1,000 a month for a private bedroom in a two- or four-bedroom unit, with bathrooms shared by no more than two people.

"It dovetails with their vision of what it is to be a grown-up," says Robert Bronstein, a student housing consultant and president of the Scion Group, which manages the building and university-affiliated residences in other states.

Upscale housing and other perks also fit with some parents' expectations, especially those whose children attend the priciest private schools.

"It makes the $40,000 tuition worth it," says Brian Altomare, the 25-year-old president and founder of Madpackers, a Manhattan-based moving company for students.

This fall, his company added one-off limousine rides so student customers can arrive at school "like a rock star." The company also plans to offer grocery delivery and cleaning and laundry services -- something other companies, such as Valet Today and DormAid, already do.

At East Coast schools, DormAid charges $60 for a two-hour room clean and about $40 to wash and fold three bags of laundry. Madpackers' rates start at $289 for an in-state move, with extra charges for packing services and supplies and the limo trips.

Students who take advantage of the perks tend to shrug off comments from college alumni who scoff at the pampering they never had.

"Going to school today and living as a young adult in this world is completely different than when they grew up. What could be looked at as spoiled for them, is not necessarily spoiled for us," says Josh Hoffman, a 19-year-old sophomore in New York University's jazz performance program. He took a Madpackers limousine to school this semester.

Nope, you're wrong - it's still spoiled. All you need is a bed and a place to store your clothes, books, and computer. The rest of that crap is money you're paying for frivolous stuff.

Yeah, as a senior I moved into the Grad Dorms, with a shared bath and a room to myself - but it cost much less than this "loft" business and came after three years of living in the six pack, and even then I still did my own laundry and kept my room more or less clean. It ain't that hard.

Besides, last I checked, what "made the $40,000 tuition worth it" wasn't the posh living conditions you paid even more on top of it for, but the piece of paper with said institution's name on it that you got at the end of your four years. If that's not good enough for you, why are you in college in the first place?

:: The Squire 7:16 PM :: email this post :: ::
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