College Towns and Retirement
Sunday, February 4th, 2007I’ve been asked recently a few times about college towns. Auditing courses or earning a degree, cultural arts, sporting events, and other campus activities are a big draw- especially it seems for those who currently have positions in school systems or libraries or for those who grew up in a similar environment. Before making a decision along these lines you may want to make an inquiry into how senior-friendly the students are as well as how inviting or inclusive the institution’s policies are. One thing to be aware of is that part-time jobs may not be as readily available in a college town as many of these are snagged up by undergraduate students.
Some colleges have created special programs or classes for seniors while others include them in undergraduate classes. You may want to ask about costs of taking or auditing classes or about discounts for seniors. Because developers have used nearby colleges as amenities for their communities, many campuses have seen an increase in senior students and have had to limit the numbers who can audit a given course. Colleges benefit from this relationship both directly from increased revenue and donations to indirectly with positive public relations with alumni or community members as they become ambassadors for the college, particularly in promoting the school’s offerings to grandchildren.
An article on Back Roads, Charming Towns (http://www.backroadscharmingtowns.com/admin/trackback/13509) talks about alumni buying into condominium and townhouse communities near their alma mater as a weekend retreat for sporting events or other activities. Many of these individuals use them as rental units as the number of students needing off-campus housing remains relatively steady. Many of these graduates may make it back as full-time residents to enjoy the college town lifestyle year-round.
In America’s 100 Best Places to Retire, 9 of the 10 “Best College Towns” are in the Southeast, with Virginia (Charlottesville and Williamsburg), North Carolina (Asheville and Chapel Hill) and Florida (Gainesville and Tallahassee) leading the way. In fact the University of North Carolina at Asheville has the distinction of being the home of the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement (http://www.unca.edu/ncccr/) which “has the threefold purpose of promoting lifelong learning, leadership, and community service opportunities for retirement-aged individuals” and offers a number of programs for retirees. At Clemson University in Clemson, SC, seniors can audit classes at no charge.
One of my favorites is Charlottesville, Va. which is consistently rated as one of the best places to live on the planet. The University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, is easily one of the top five public universities in the country. Again, those over 60 who have resided in the state for a year or more can audit courses for free when space is available. The city boasts a downtown walking mall, good climate, a lower cost of living than many areas, and an abundance of historical areas nearby. One of my favorite restaurants anywhere is The Shebeen (http://www.shebeenpub.com/) which offers delicious South African fare. I highly recommend it if you’re visiting the area.